The Wheat and the Tares

Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like 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 grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "

- Matthew 13:24-30

Today's reading appears after the Parable of the Sower in Matthew's gospel. (See Why do you speak to them in parables? and Therefore hear the parable of the sower.) At this point in Matthew's gospel, we are introduced to the notion of parables as Jesus' teaching tool. He continues in today's reading with another parable, also about sowing seed, and harvesting.

My study bible has a note on this passage. It also applies to the verses that will be in our reading the day after tomorrow (37-43), when, as in the Parable of the Sower, Jesus will explain to his disciples the meaning of this parable of the Wheat and the Tares. My study bible notes, "The parable of the wheat and tares builds on the previous parable of the sower. Here Christ the Sower gives attention to the work of the enemy (v.25), the devil, who comes to sow his own seed after the fruits have multiplied. Falsehood comes in after truth: after the prophets come false prophets; after Christ will come the Antichrist. The devil fashions falsehood and heresy to resemble the true Faith: the weeds look somewhat like the wheat. The evil one also comes while everybody is asleep. While the devices of the evil one do not extend into heaven, in this age he intermingles the counterfeit with the Kingdom. This parable explains why the Church does not expel her nominal members. To weed out the tares is to disrupt the wheat (v. 29)."

I think that it's important that Jesus gives us two vivid "word pictures" about sowing and harvesting, because it says to me that he is explaining to us different aspects about the reality of this kingdom. By using different stories involving similar elements, he gives us a viewpoint of different facets of the reality he's trying to teach to us. (Tomorrow's reading - about the Mustard Seed, and the Leaven, will also give us a different perspective using a similar element of sowing.)

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus taught us about himself, as one who comes sowing the Word. The different elements of that parable were used to explain how various influences take away the effectiveness of the word, his teachings. With that parable, the "enemy" snatched away those sown "by the wayside." The birds who devoured the seed "snatched away" what was sown in the heart that did not understand. In today's parable, the "enemy" does some sowing of his own. He sows tares among the wheat from the good seed. "Tares" in Greek is the word "zizania." This is a kind of rye-grass or darnel which resembles wheat. (Interestingly, it's a common expression in modern Greek to refer to a child who is "acting up" as "zizanio" - the singular form of the word. This can be used in an affectionate way, and no doubt derives from the parable.) So, what we have in this parable is a teaching about that which resembles the crop of the good seed, but is in fact false. This suggests to me ideas that are misleading. In other ways it could be the fruits of the crop that look similar - make a resemblance to the right thing - but in fact are false, not the good crop Christ calls his own.

What it is, in fact, is a parable about judgment, and the idea that all grow together in this world until the end of the age. That this is the nature of our world and our lives in the world, and in the church. We all grow together. We find in our world the true and the false, the good crop and that of the false seed that resembles the true. This is why, perhaps, life can be so confusing - the "right thing" isn't always obvious, and we are given such a dizzying array of choices in life. It also tells us that life is not simple but complex, and leads us to understand that we are to live within this reality. We await the judgment and the end of the age - and we are not the judges.

What does this parable say to you? I hope that all will refresh their memories about why Jesus teaches this way in the reading Why do you speak to them in parables? and consider this one for yourself. What does it say to you? How does it speak to you? Does it sometimes seem confusing that there are so many places to turn to, so many things to choose from and different directions to go? Do we remind ourselves often that this world is meant to be one in which there is an array of variables, of opinions, of false fruit and good? That we need not only discernment, but also tolerance and patience? What is your way to understand this for yourself? I wish you peace, and the patience to await good judgment. And the serenity to persevere despite the difficulties. Seek the kingdom in your heart, in prayer, and find that good seed and help it to take root and bear the good harvest.