July 17, 2005

Genesis 28:10–19a; Psalm 139:1–12, 23–24; Romans 8:12–25; Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

Sermon by Michael R. Martin
First United Methodist Church of Saranac Lake, NY

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NRSV)

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat

²⁴ He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. ²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷ And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' ²⁸ He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' ²⁹ But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

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Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." ³⁷ He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Like last week’s parable about the farmer sowing seed that fell on four different types of soil, this week’s parable comes to us with an explanation from Jesus. Keep in mind that not every farmer in the world plants seeds in rows. Sowing seed is quite different from planting seed, making it likely that weeds would ordinarily appear in the field. The parable indicates that the presence of weeds (other translations, tares) is not by accident. The weeds or tares, like the wheat, had also been sowed into the field — by an enemy.

In this, the second parable, Jesus again used the figure of the sower, but with a different twist. After a farmer sowed his wheat seed, an enemy came at night and sowed weeds on the same soil. As a result, the wheat and the weeds grew together and would continue to do so till the time of harvest, for removing the weeds early would result in destroying the wheat (vv. 28-29). Therefore they must grow together until the harvest when the weeds would first be gathered out and destroyed. Then... the wheat would be gathered into the barn.

As Jesus and His disciples came into a house away from the crowd they asked for an explanation of this “wheat and weeds” parable. First, Jesus said, the sower of the good seed is the Son of Man, the Lord Himself. This fact is an important starting point for understanding parables. The parables cover the time beginning with the Lord Himself on earth ministering and proclaiming the good news.

Second, the field is the world into which the good news is spread.

Third, the good seed represents the offspring of the kingdom. The good seed in this parable corresponds to the seed in the first parable that produced a fruitful crop. The weeds are the offspring of the evil one (cf. v. 19) that had been sown among the wheat by the enemy... the devil. This condition of the kingdom was never revealed in the Old Testament, which spoke of a kingdom of righteousness in which evil would be overcome.

Fourth, the harvest is the end of the Age, and the harvesters are angels (cf. v. 49). This fact gives the ending of the time period suggested by these parables. “The end of the Age” represents the conclusion of the present Age before Christ establishes the messianic kingdom. Thus the parables in Matthew 13 cover the period of time from Christ’s work on earth to the time of the judgment at His return. At His second coming, the angels will gather the wicked and throw them into judgment

Tares

Let’s talk about weeds and wheat. The most basic staple of the Palestinian diet (and the ancient diet in general) was bread; thus wheat was critical. The bearded darnel, Original Word: ζιζάνιον, zizanion. It is the Lolium temulentum, a species of rye-grass, growing in the grain fields, as tall as wheat and barley, and resembling wheat in appearance. The seeds are poisonous to man and herbivorous animals, producing sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death (they are harmless to poultry). It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears, and only then the difference is discovered. It grows plentifully in Syria and Palestine. The fields were normally weeded in the spring, but if the weeds were discovered too late – as in the parable – one would risk uprooting the wheat with them; the master does not want to risk his wheat. Once they were fully grown, however, harvesters could cut the wheat just below the head, leaving the shorter weeds to be cut separately.

Let’s talk about the devil as portrayed in this parable. His work was to sow wicked or lawless people in the world and to do it secretly so that they will be unnoticed (Matthew 13:38, 41). He came while men slept (Matthew 13:25). The devil comes while we are unconscious, too busy, too unconcerned, unaware, too preoccupied, too content or too enticed with pleasure and other affairs. The devil operated under the cover of darkness and deception.

And when the devil comes, he sows in the same field as the Lord. The bad are sown among the good. The devil's method is counterfeit and imitation (cp. 2 Cor. 11:13-15). Some within the world and even within the Church have not been sown by the Lord. They may be in the world; they may even look like they belong to the Lord, but they do not.

The devil is a sworn enemy to Christ, to the world, and to all good. He is the sworn enemy of man, to his peace, and to the fulfillment of his purpose and life on earth. Whatever power he uses on earth is the same as the power used by wicked men: it is usurped and unjust. Perhaps one reason so many weeds are sown is because so many righteous are sleeping when they should be watching over the field (Matthew 13:25). Satan never sleeps; he is ever awake for every opportunity.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).

Note that the enemy – the devil – came and sowed his evil seed while people slept, then "He went his way." Satan does not want to be known as the sower of wicked men. In fact, he wants the wicked to disclaim him, never to confess that he is their "father" (John 8:44). The weeds are "in the Lord's field" professing that they belong to God, but they are deceived (2 Cor. 11:13-14).

As with the growing of all things, a day for bearing fruit always comes. It comes for every professing Christian. The weeds themselves were called "darnel," a wild plant that was slightly poisonous and narcotic. When eaten it would cause dizziness and nausea. It was called the bastard wheat. Its roots became intertwined with the roots of the wheat. If it was rooted up it would destroy the wheat plant before the fruit became mature. The method used to get rid of it was to let it grow and then to harvest it with the wheat. It was then separated from the wheat, bundled together, and cast into a flaming fire.

The weeds looked like wheat when sown and during the growing stage. All people appear the same in religious practices. In life, the unregenerate – those who are not spiritually reborn or converted – look just like the true believer. It is during the fruit-bearing stage that the difference appears. The unregenerate people can imitate true believers for only so long; eventually their true nature begins to show.

"Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matthew 7:17). "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God". "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:19-23).

A person's nature always comes out eventually. A weed shows itself. A wicked person may profess to be righteous, but a life of selfishness and unrighteousness will eventually take hold. The profession may continue, but so will the life of wickedness. The weeds among the wheat (the wicked among the righteous) are hurtful to the wheat.

1) They are an evil reflection upon the wheat. They sometimes make it very difficult for the world to distinguish between good and evil; therefore they are the primary cause for the charge of hypocrisy leveled against the church.

2) They stymie the growth of the wheat. Their behavior and conversation and thoughts are centered in the world, not on Christ. Therefore the righteous are not edified – are not improved in moral and religious knowledge – when weeds are clinging to them.

3) They are a threat to the wheat. They can draw needed nourishment from the wheat. The professing weed can tempt and lead the righteous away from the Lord and His nourishment, tempt and lead the righteous into the world and its delights.

4) They can cause the death of the wheat. The professing weed can persecute and even kill the wheat.

There are these questions concerning weeds or evil in the world.

Þ Where does evil come from?

Þ If there is a God, why is evil allowed to continue?

At this particular stage of the disciples' growth, Jesus simply states that evil persons are present – that someone who is an enemy to God plants them. His statement without an explanation is enough, at least for the present time. However, in answering the question of evil, a person needs to consider the full revelation of God that is given in Scripture. Scripture reveals that Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, is the original Sower or Creator. He is the Master and Owner of the field or world. He created man to be perfect (Matthew 13:43), that is, in His own image; and He planted within man a spirit to do right (Genesis 1:26). But immediately after creation, the other sower, the devil, went right to work. He began with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1f); and ever since he has sown nothing but weeds, the unrighteous, among God's "good seed."

There is the question as to why evil is allowed to continue in the world, not just globally but locally, even with the Church itself. This question, of course, concerns judging others. Jesus' answer to this question needs close attention. A person on this earth is not to judge others.

Þ It is sometimes hard to distinguish between the wheat and the weeds, the righteous and those who profess to be righteous but are not. If a person judges another, he may tear out some wheat along with the weeds.

Þ A day of judgment is coming; however, it is not to be executed by men, but by Christ at His return. The young weeds and the young blades of wheat look the same and can't be distinguished until they are grown and ready for harvest. Weeds (unbelievers) and wheat (believers) must live side by side in this world. God allows unbelievers to remain for a while, just as a farmer allows weeds to remain in his field so the surrounding wheat isn't uprooted with them. At the harvest, however, the weeds will be uprooted and thrown away. God's harvest (judgment) of all people is coming. We are to make ourselves ready by making sure that our faith is sincere.

In last week’s message, I talked about the sowing of seeds on the bare soil in front of my house as part of the ongoing road construction, how they used a hydroseeder to spray a soil and mulch and fertilizer mix over the rich soil, sandy soil, and paved driveway, too. What I didn’t mention was that even before this was done, weed seeds had already begun to sprout and weeds were becoming established across the much of the area. As of today, those weeds are well established while the grass is just now beginning to sprout. If I were to walk out there and hand-pull those weeds, I would destroy a lot of new grass in the process. I would squish the young grass plants with my footsteps, and I would surely yank a lot of young grass up along with the soil attached to the weed’s roots. And if instead of pulling the weeds out, I were to use a chemical herbicide, such as Roundup, I would surely kill as much grass as weeds as I was spraying the weeds.

I also think about thinning plants. If you have ever grown carrots, you know that these are some of the tenderest seedlings around, and because the seeds are so small, carrots tend to get planted and come up in little bunches. If you don’t thin them out, you’ll end up with a row of green tops with no orange, edible bottoms. But you have to be very careful. Weed them too soon and you just end up breaking off lots of tops, weed them too late and you end up pulling up young carrots that you meant to keep. Don’t thin them at all and you get a lot of stunted, deformed carrots. Sometimes it seems like tweezers are the best tool to weed carrots.

Weeding, or thinning seedlings, is an important function of gardening, but you have to be careful how it is done. Weed killer destroys weeds - but you have to be very careful with it. So it is with the church. Sometimes we think that there are folk who don't belong. They do things that aren't very loving. They don't seem to believe in what we believe. They may talk down on their brothers and sisters. They seem like weeds amongst the good plants. We have to be very careful about how we deal with these kind of people. Jesus tells us that we shouldn't worry about plucking up the weeds that grow around us. While they may belong to his enemy and ours - that pulling them out can damage the good plants. He suggests that we leave the judgement for God to make - and concentrate on doing what he asks us to do - which is producing fruit for God.

I think that is good advice. Let us go about the business of being true to God and self, focusing on good and right in our own lifes, and let God worry about the rest.

Michael R. Martin – July 17, 2005
First UMC of Saranac Lake, 8:30AM