In the Fulness of Time/Part 90

Previous Article

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Matthew 13:24-30

Matthew 13:14-20 “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field; But, while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then, appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From where, then, hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou, then, that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

In this second parable, the analogy of a sower is again used, only this time there are two sowers; the first is the owner of the field who sows good seed of wheat, and the second sower is an enemy who sows zizania, which is a kind of darnel, growing in the grain field as tall as wheat and barley, and resembling wheat in appearance. These seeds are poisonous to humans, and produce sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death. It is not surprising, therefore, that this parable relates that an enemy is responsible for sowing darnel.

While the plants matured the owner (householder) of the field refused to allow his servants to gather up the tares; his reason was that the wheat and tares (darnel) are so similar and often intertwined, that such a premature attempt at separation might result in damaging the crop of good wheat. At the time of harvest the reapers would gather out the tares and burn them; then the good wheat could be stored in his barn.

Jesus does not interpret this parable until verses 36-41, so we will not comment on these verses now, but will continue with the next parable.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed. Matthew 13:31-32

Matthew 13:31-32 “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which, indeed, is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches of it.”

This is the first of four uninterpreted parables given by our Lord. Evangelical writers are divided over its interpretation. Part of the problem is an apparent unwillingness to compare it with the principles already set down by Christ in the first two parables. Another part of the problem is to neglect any negative thought in its fulfillment.

The basis of all seven parables is to present a time period called an “age” in which the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” will be fulfilled. This will be discussed in greater detail in verses 36-43. In the parable of the soils it was seen to be a refusal to respond to “the word of the kingdom” by officials of Israel; in the parable of the wheat and tares it will be shown that the “age” ends on a note of judgment, and separation of the bad from the good; there is not to be a gradual worldwide acceptance of the truth.

Therefore, to interpret these next two parables (the mustard seed and the leaven) as growth and prosperity of “the word of the kingdom” until it positively affects the entire world, would be inconsistent with the purpose of the series of seven parables. One theory has Jesus saying that there is a basic connection between the small beginnings taking place under His ministry and the kingdom in its future glory. Another theory is that, though the kingdom of heaven is now small and insignificant, it would someday grow into a large body of believers (represented by the mustard seed), namely, the Church in the present age.

Likewise, these, and others, would say that the birds perching in the branches of the large mustard plant represent the prosperity of the kingdom, as in the “tree” kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4, or the Assyrian kingdom in Ezekiel 31. Still others would also stumble over the so-called error of Christ, that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. The word is “sinapeos” a garden variety of mustard seed, described as mikoteros “smaller” (a comparative, not a superlative word), but not the “least” of all seeds. Thus any remark that botanists know that many seeds are smaller, is pointless!

It is true that birds are used to depict the growth of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, and the kingdom of Assyria; but if this analogy is to predict the victory and prosperity of the kingdom of heaven, then it is nothing new, that is, it does not qualify as a newly revealed mystery, since the Old Testament is full of such predictions of a Jewish Messianic Kingdom! This same thing can be said of the theory that the large mustard tree represents the final victory in the coming Messianic Kingdom, or even the eventual New Heavens and New Earth. Where is the “mystery” in such ideas?

It seems better, therefore, to take the entire parable of the mustard seed as a picture of all that happens in the “Age of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven,” beginning with Jesus’ personal “sowing” (evangelism) in Matthew 14, and ending with His personal invasion of the earth in Revelation 19. The “mystery” aspect is, that though there will be great results and growth during the “age,” at the same time the influence of Satan (as the birds in the first parable) would be there at the sowing time, so would there be satanic influence at the reaping time.

This gives proper consistency and continuity to the parables, gives something newly revealed (the mystery) and agrees with the later revelation in 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5,13; namely, that as the end approaches, things will get worse and worse on earth. It would make sense then, to include the predicted seven year period of Great Tribulation as part of the “age” during which time the whole world will come under satanic forces until Christ returns to conquer them all “at the end of the age,” separating the wheat from the tares. Even Christ Himself said in Luke 18:8: “When the Son of man cometh, will he find the faith on the earth?”

Read Part 91