LESSON XI.--DECEMBER 11.

PARABLE OF THE TARES.--MATT. 13:24-30.

      GOLDEN TEXT.--The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.--MATT. 13:39.
      TIME.--Probably same as in last lesson.
      PLACE.--Probably same as in last lesson.
      HELPFUL READINGS.--Matt. 13:36-43; Matt. 25:31-46; Matt. 13:47-50.
      LESSON ANALYSIS.--1. The Good Seed in the Field; 2. Whence Come the Tares? 3. Separated at the Harvest.

INTRODUCTION.

      The parable of the Tares follows that of the Sower; the development of evil is soon apparent, and it was foretold to prevent discouragement. The historical application of the Tares is more especially to the early days of Christianity, when evil tendencies, not yet rooted up, manifested themselves. It has, however, an application to every succeeding age.--Schaff. Notwithstanding the Savior himself gives an explanation of this parable, there is no other that he spoke which has caused so much controversy. Even in the earlier centuries of the Church its interpretation was a question. Augustine, on the one hand, contending that its application was to the Church, and that the Tares and the wheat were to grow together in it, while Donatus held that it applied to the world, and insisted on a vigorous exclusion of the evil from the Church. The views of Augustine prevailed in the Catholic body; the Donatists were pronounced schismatics, and the Catholics retain profane persons, drunkards, fornicators, thieves and murderers in the fold. Still, there is the same difference of opinion concerning its application; due, we think, to the disregard of the Savior's own explanation. Where Church and State are united it is generally held that the Tares and the wheat are to grow together in the Church.

      I. THE GOOD SEED IN THE FIELD.--24. The kingdom of heaven is likened. [335] The object of all the parables in this connection is to explain various features and principles of the kingdom of heaven. Except the parable of the Sower they are introduced similarly. "The kingdom of heaven is like, or likened," "to a man who sowed good seed in his field," "a grain of mustard seed," "leaven which a woman hid in three measures of meal," "treasure in a field," "a merchantman seeking goodly pearls," "a net cast into the sea," and "a householder." Unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. It is important to note what the kingdom of heaven is likened to. It is not to the field in which the tares and the wheat were both sown, nor to the enemy who sowed the the tares, but to the man who sowed the good seed. If this had been kept in mind by the theologians and commentators it would have saved much ink and paper wasted in controversy. The kingdom does what the Sower is represented as doing. It sows the good seed. It is true that verse 37 states that the Sower of the good seed is the Son of man, and these two passages do not conflict. The work of the Son of man, the King, is done through and by the kingdom. Not since he ascended on high has he sowed the seed in person, but by means of the kingdom. Good seed. We are left in no doubt, either, as to what is meant by the good seed. It is declared in verse 19 that the seed is the "word of the kingdom," and in verse 38 that the "good seed" are "the children of the kingdom." These are those in whose hearts the good seed has fallen, and their now lives, as children of the kingdom, are the fruit of the the good seed. In his field. The controversy has turned upon what the Savior represents by the field. 1. It is not the kingdom, or church, for this is represented by "the man that sowed good seed in his field." 2. It is the place where the good seed is sown by the Son of man, or through his agency; in other words, the place where the gospel is preached to men. 3. Verse 38 states emphatically that the field is the world, not the church, or heaven, or hell, but the world.

      25. But while men slept. During sleep is the time of tare-sowing. It is when men sleep that they are most likely to inhale malarious poisons. It is when the church member sleeps that the enemy is wont to sow worldly influences and temptation in his heart. It is when the church sleeps that influences are planted that grow up into evil. It was while Prince Alexander of Bulgaria was sleeping that the conspiracy gathered which hustled him out of his kingdom. It is during the hours of sleep, whether in our souls, in the church, in affairs of state, or the natural sleep of night that the enemy is always busiest. It is a natural touch for the Savior to locate the evil "when men slept." His enemy came and sowed. It is by no means uncommon for malice to show itself in this way. A wicked person may do great injury with little chance of detection. Dean Alford in his Commentary states that he was once the victim of such animosity, a mischievous weed being sown in his field. Trench says that such acts of revenge are very common in India and the East. [336] Tares also among the wheat. The man had sown only wheat, good, clean, sound wheat. The enemy, however, watching the time of sowing, had scattered tares in the night. The tare or darnel is, like our chess or cheat, a kind of bastard wheat, looking like wheat, but producing a seed that is very injurious in its effects, producing, if eaten, vomiting, and even death. Thompson says, "The roots of the wheat and the darnel are often so intertwined that it is impossible to separate them without plucking them both up." The grains of the darnel are black, and can be easily separated by sifting. As we have already considered what the Sower, the seed, and the field represent in connection with the kingdom of heaven, we will here refer to the explanation given by the Lord himself when he explained this parable to his disciples. "The enemy that sowed the tares is the devil" (verse 39), the author of all the evil that is in the world, the "father" of the wicked. "The tares are the children of the wicked one" (verse 38), not some of the children, or the children in the church, but the children wherever found. In other words, the enemy and the tares are the devil and his servants in the world.

      II. WHENCE COME THE TARES?--26. When the blade was sprung up. At first, until there was growth, the difference would be unknown, but as both grew the difference would be more and more manifest. There is a great similarity at first between the wheat and the tares, the blades being very much alike, and it is only when the fruit begins to manifest itself that the distinction is manifest. It is also true of men that they are known by their fruits; thus are distinguished the "children of the kingdom" from the "children of the wicked one."

      27. The servants . . . said, Didst thou not sow good seed? As the Lord has not explained whom he meant by the servants, we are left to conjecture. I suppose that be introduced them only to carry on the familiar conversation, and that it was never intended to make a special application of them. Whether celestial or earthly servants is not stated, but from what follows they are more likely to be the latter. They are certainly represented by those good people who are often wondering that God suffers the evil doers to remain in the world. "Didst thou not sow good seed?" implies that the Lord is not responsible for the wicked works of wicked men. "He created man upright, but he has sought out inventions." When the world and man were created it was all "good," without any admixture of evil. Whence then the tares? For thousands of years men have been asking this question. Whence came evil? Why is there evil in the world? Why are men wicked? If God [337] made all good, sowed only good seed in the field, how does it come that evil and good are mixed together; the tares with the wheat?

      28. An enemy hath done this. The enemy has already been identified as the devil. He began the tare sowing in Eden, sowed seeds in the hearts of Adam and Eve that led them astray, and has continued his quiet, active sowing of tares in the field ever since. Whence came the tares? Whence came evil? Christ answers that they came from the devil. Man was made a free agent, with the power to choose the right or the wrong, and the devil led him to choose the wrong. Whence came the devil? He is a fallen angel; an angel that was created upright, but in the exercise of free choice, chose to rebel against God. See Jude, verse 6. Wilt thou that we go and gather them up? It has been assumed by one class of interpreters that this, in its application, is a question whether discipline shall be administered upon recreant church members. If the field in which the tares are growing with the wheat is "the world," then it refers to some thing quite different. To comprehend the idea we must consider the views held by the Jews, and even by the disciples, concerning the kingdom. The Jews sought to exterminate the Canaanites, and even as good a man as David prayed for the utter destruction of those who did not worship Jehovah. It was the general expectation that when Christ came his kingdom would cast out and destroy all who did not bow to his authority. Hence the apostles asked the Lord to send fire upon the Samaritan village, and all expected his kingdom would wage conquering and exterminating war of the sword on evil doers. It was needful that Christ's disciples should be taught otherwise, and it has been hard for them to learn the lesson. Romanists and even Protestants have persecuted unto death all whom they regarded tares, and myriads were slain, in his name, by those who believed themselves the servants of Christ. They could not understand how, if Christ is the rightful Lord of the earth, rebels to his authority should be allowed to live in disobedience to his will.

      III. SEPARATED AT THE HARVEST.--29. Nay; lost . . . ye root up the wheat also with them. We have quoted from Thomson the statement that the roots of the wheat and tares were often so intertwined that one could not be pulled up without the other. The Lord does not mean to prohibit discipline in the church lest it might lead astray weaker brethren, but to prohibit the church from persecution of heretics or unbelievers, and to prohibit it on the ground that it would be ruinous to the church itself. The struggle that would arise would often cause the slaughter of his followers, the wheat would be [338] pulled up as well as tares, the world would everywhere regard Christians as relentless foemen, and would seek to destroy them. Besides the attempt to remove the tares from the world would demoralize the church.

      30. Let both grow together until the harvest. The time of separation will come at last. The righteous shall not always be vexed by the presence and deeds of evil doers. Harvest time will come, and that is the time of separation. The tares, ripened and manifest, can easily be sifted out from the wheat. The Lord himself tells when shall be this time of separation. (1) "The harvest is the end of the world," the time when all men shall be summoned to judgment. (2) "The reapers are the angels;" the angels who are sent to the four corners of the earth to gather all men. (3) At his bidding the angel reapers shall separate the tares from the wheat; the sheep from the goats; the wheat shall be gathered into the barn, into heaven, "inherit the kingdom;" the tares shall be burned; cast "into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."

      APPLICATION.--To make still clearer the meaning of this parable, I condense the results of the above examination. 1. The kingdom is likened to a man sowing good seed in his field. 2. The Sower is the Son of man, who sows by means of his kingdom. 3. The good seed is the word of God as seen in its fruits, Christ's followers. 4. The field is the world. It is Christ's field. All power is given to him in heaven and in earth. His kingdom is rightfully the whole earth, but much of it is held still by the enemy, who has to be conquered. He will be, finally, and the kingdoms of the earth shall become the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ. 5. The wheat raised from the good seed is the "children of the kingdom," the disciples of Christ converted by his word. 6. The tares are not bad church members, but bad men; those who have been under the influence of the wicked one. 7. The righteous and wicked are to remain in the earth together. The righteous are not to seek to exterminate the wicked. The evil and the good will be mixed until judgment day. 8. Then all shall be gathered at the throne of judgment. The righteous shall "inherit the kingdom." All that are wicked shall be cast out of the kingdom. An eternal separation shall take place.

PRACTICAL AND SUGGESTIVE.

      The whole world rightfully belongs to Christ. The "prince of this world" is a usurper. The church should seek to conquer the world for Christ. [339]

      Christ sows only good seed. His word makes men better. If they are wicked it is due to other influences.

      We must avoid spiritual slumber. It is while we sleep that the enemy does his work.

      The enemy is always sowing tares whenever opportunity offers. Sometimes by tempting men to evil; sometimes by introducing trouble into the church; sometimes by whispering slanders to destroy the good names of those who are doing a good work.

      In the field we will always find some tares here. If we would escape from evil doers we must needs get out of the world.

      We must leave the final separation to the Lord. He will gather the wheat into his garner; the tares and the chaff will be burned with an unquenchable fire.

      We must show that we are wheat instead of tares by bearing the right kind of fruit. Not the leaves of profession, but the fruit of our lives determine what we are. "By their fruits ye shall know them."

      In the Eternal Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, there shall be no evil doers. Nothing unrighteous, or filthy, or "that maketh or believeth a lie," will ever pass through its gates.

POINTS FOR TEACHERS.

      1. Point to the wheat field; all green and beautiful. When time comes for fruit, however, much of it is chess or cheat. The tares are somewhat similar to the chess. 2. Bring out the story; the householder sows in good soil good seed with great care. His enemy comes in the night, like a thief, and sows the evil weed. The wheat and tares come up together. The difference unknown until the time of fruiting. The servants, surprised, ask directions. No separation till the harvest. 3. Identify each feature. The Sower of the seed sowing. The good seed. The field. The wheat. The tares. The reapers. The harvest. 4. Bring out the lesson. Whence the tares, or evil? Where is it found? How shall the wicked be treated? When separated? By whom? Bring out the Jewish idea, that of the disciples at first, why the church must not seek to pull up the tares, what would be the effect on it. 6. Show how the church must fight evil, by sowing good seed and not sleeping: eternal work, sowing, and wakefulness. 7. Point to the final separation, where and when made, where each are gathered, how the wheat is known. Which are you? [340]

Source: Barton Warren Johnson. The Christian International Lesson Commentary for 1887. Des Moines, IA: