THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS

Passage: Matthew 13:24-30

Key verse: 30

NIV

The Parable of the Weeds

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(A) a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”(B)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, (A)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[a] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants[b] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, (B)‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, (C)“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed
  2. Matthew 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Wheat and weeds (24-3

)

Jesus told another parable about the growth of the kingdom of God. A landowner sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy came and sowed weeds while he was sleeping. The servants were shocked to see weeds coming up with the wheat. But the landowner taught his servants to be patient, not trying to pull up the weeds before the harvest time. The weeds and wheat may even be difficult to tell apart until the wheat begins to bear heads of grain.

2. The parable explained (36-43)

Jesus explained to his disciples that the good seed is the people of the kingdom, and the weeds are the people of the evil one. In this world, they are mixed together and we cannot always tell who is who. God is patient with many people who look like weeds but may turn out to be good wheat after much prayer. At the end of the age, the angels harvest the crop for eternal life. Then the righteous will shine like the sun.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to be patient and wait for God's judgment in this world where weeds and wheat grow together.

One Word: The weeds and the wheat must grow together.