Weeds in the Wheat:

Matthew 13:24-30 "...He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants 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?’ 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?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ...”

In this parable, what is the field?

- the world.

What is the seed?

- the word of God.

- the good news of the Gospel.

What is the wheat?

- kingdom living that results from the word of God.

What are the weeds?

- tares" were a degenerate kind of wheat or the darnel-grass growing in Palestine.

- while growing, tares had a strong resemblance to genuine wheat.

- when fully grown, there either was no grain, or there was a very inferior kind.

- false teachings develop people who are very similar to Christians, but who produce no fruit, or yield a very inferior and even dangerous kind of fruit.

When are the weeds sown by the enemy?

- when the master's servants are sleeping.

- when people aren't diligent and alert.

Does the enemy have to be present for bad things to happen?

- the enemy only needs to sow bad seed.

- bad results are the end result of false teachings, and can occur long after the enemy has left.

Why can't the weeds be eliminated?

- the process would damage good wheat as well.

- the wheat and the weeds look too similar prior to the actual bearing of fruit.

When does the sorting take place?

- at harvest time.

What does this parable tell us?

- the work of the enemy leads to hypocrites and deceived persons among genuine Christians.

- it's unrealistic to expect to eliminate them, since these attempts would injure genuine Christians.

- separation of the two will eventually take place.

1 Corinthians 11:19 "...for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized...."