Matthew 13:24-30Page 825 in Pew Bibles

24. He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25. But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

26. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27. The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

28. “‘An enemy did this!’ he told them. “‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.

29. “‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.

30. Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’”

36.Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”

37.He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;

38. the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and

39. the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40.Therefore just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness.

42. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

THE QUESTIONS

The Questions

• If the kingdom of heaven has arrived, why has it not triumphed more overtly and visibly? (New American Commentary)

• Why God does allows evil and suffering in the world?

• Why are there hypocrites in the church?– And what if we started kicking them all

out, then what would people say?. >

Don’t Blame it on God

• Vs. 24 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.”

• Vs. 37 “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man”

• Vs. 38 “…the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom…”

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Sometimes, the Devil Places People in the Wrong Places

• Vs. 24 “But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.”

Q >

William Barclay

• Darnel in its early stages was indistinguishable from the wheat

• The grain of the bearded darnel is slightly poisonous. It causes dizziness and sickness and is narcotic in its effects, and even a small amount has a bitter and unpleasant taste.

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Sometimes, the Devil Places People in the Wrong Places

• Vs. 38 “…The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and…”

• Vs. 39 “…the enemy who sowed them is the Devil.”

• Warren Wiersbe: “Satan cannot uproot the plants (true Christians), so he plants counterfeit Christians in their midst.”

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The Field• Vs. 38 “The field is the world…”• Spurgeon: “The field is the world,

including the church, but the field is not the church exclusively…”

• 1st Corinthians 5:13 “But God judges outsiders. Put away the evil person from among yourselves.”

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Sometimes, It takes a While for Everything to Become Apparent

• Vs. 25 “When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.”

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Seeking to Understand

• Vs. 27-28 “The landowner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’“‘An enemy did this!’ he told them.

>

The Dilemma

• Vs. 28-29 “…‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.

• 29 ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.”

• Saul or David?

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The Correct Timing

• Vs. 30 “Let both grow together until the harvest…

• …At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’”

Q >

William Barclay

• Citing Levison: "Women have to be hired to pick the darnel grain out of the seed which is to be milled… As a rule the separation of the darnel from the wheat is done after the threshing. By spreading the grain out on a large tray which is set before the women, they are able to pick out the darnel, which is a seed similar in shape and size to wheat, but slate-grey in colour.” >

The Harvesters

• Vs. 39 “…The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

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The Harvest

• Vs. 41-42 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

>

The Harvest

• Vs. 43 “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom…”

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The Message

• Vs. 43 “…Anyone who has ears should listen!”

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