The Parable of the Tares
Rusty Miller
A man plants wheat, but when it grows it is discovered
that an enemy has planted tares (weeds that look
like wheat) throughout the field as well. The man’s
servants ask if they should pull up the weeds, but he
instructs them to leave them until the harvest, when it
will be easier to separate them out without hurting any
of the true wheat.
This is the parable Jesus told His disciples (Matt.
13:24-30). But what does it mean? Fortunately, we
don’t have to speculate, because Jesus followed up
with an explanation (vv. 36-43). He explained that He
was the owner of the field, which was the world, and
that the wheat He planted represented true children of
the kingdom. Further, the enemy was Satan, and the
weeds he planted were his children designed to look
like children of God. The reapers were angels, who
would gather up the weeds (“stumbling blocks and
those who commit lawlessness”), and destroy them.
A simple parable, with a clear, concise explanation.
So, what are we to take away from this story? What
lessons should be learned?
Satan’s determination. First, we should realize
that Satan is determined to defeat God. So much so,
in fact, that he is willing to venture into God’s church to
plant “bad seeds” among them. He does so to discourage
Christians, to hurt them by causing them the
frustration of sometimes having to try to serve God next
to those who are not so inclined. We should never
doubt that Satan will use every means available to him
in his attempts to destroy God’s people (1 Pet. 5:8), but
he will not win (Rev. 20:7-10).
Hypocrites in the church. It is among the most
common excuses for those who wish to justify themselves
in not serving God. “I don’t want to be around
those hypocrites in the church,” they say, but does not
Jesus himself tell us in this parable that there will be
such hypocrites? There will be those who look like
Christians, but really aren’t, and sometimes we won’t
know that they’re really not Christians.
Does that make it difficult? Yes. Is that discouraging?
Yes. But remember, no matter how discouraging,
it doesn’t keep us from serving God as we ought. The
weeds did not choke out the wheat, they simply grew up
beside them. No hypocrite can make us stop serving
God.
It should be noted that this does not free us from
fulfilling the example set forth in 1 Corinthians 5. If we
know someone is caught up in sin, they no longer “look
like wheat,” and it is our responsibility, if they refuse to
repent, to “remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”
However, sometimes hypocrites are not so easily
seen. Many hypocrites may live all their lives, fully
involved and active in a local church, and no one will
know because they “look so much like wheat.”
God is able. In the end, it should be noted that God
has absolutely no problem distinguishing between
wheat (true Christians) and weeds (fake ones). He will
easily separate out the hypocrites for eternal destruction.
If we are true Christians, that should comfort us,
knowing that God will not confuse us with the weeds,
nor will He punish us for their hypocrisy. God will deal
with the hypocrites and still keep us safe within His
eternal home.
However, if we are fake Christians, we should be
terrified by the prospect of what happens to the weeds
in this parable. Clearly, God will not be fooled by any
false piety on our part, and He will be able to deliver all
His own while setting us apart for the fires of hell.
That leaves us only with the final question of
application of this parable: Are you wheat or are you a
weed? Are you a true Christian or a fake one?
If we are willing to make serious examination of our
own lives, we can begin to take steps to avoid the fate
of the weeds.