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

 

 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 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave the explanation of the parable of the Sower to His disciples.  He told them, "Therefore hear the parable of the sower:  When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.  This is he who received seed by the wayside.  But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while.  For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.  Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.  But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces:  some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

 

  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." ' "  My study Bible comments that this parable builds upon the previous parable of the sower.  Here Jesus gives attention to the enemy, who has sown his seed among the seed of Christ.  We should make clear what a tare is: it is a kind of semi-wild plant, a weed that looks like wheat, but it is very difficult for human beings to digest, toxic, and therefore unfit for consumption.   (Some suggest it is darnel.)  My study Bible explains that as falsehood came after truth and false prophets came after the true prophets, so the Antichrist will come after Christ.  Just as the weeds first appear similar to wheat, so the devil fashions his lies to resemble the truth.  That the devil sows while men slept indicates that heresy and lies creep in when people are apathetic.  Additionally, my study Bible comments that this parable explains why the Church does not condemn nominal members, and neither does it judge those who are outside the Church (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).  Just as wheat would be destroyed in weeding out the tares, so also, many people who might ultimately find salvation would otherwise be lost if condemned before Christ's judgment. 

 

Interestingly, there's another aspect about the type of weed described in today's parable that serves as a metaphor for heresy, and that is that this crop which looks like wheat acts like a kind of parasite.  Its seeds survive by growing among wheat, and falling into wheat harvests.  According to the article cited above, because of modern harvesting techniques, this weed has virtually been eliminated in most of the developed world, but still exists among wheat crops elsewhere.  Church Fathers have long described evil or the demonic as parasitical, as that which does not have true value or substance, but is sustained nonetheless in creation until the end of the age and the judgment of Christ.  Thus, we have another important parallel to the parable.  It's essential also that we understand that so often lies are half-truths, misleading statements or beliefs disguised as truth and given for human "consumption."  In fact, half-truths are also lies.  Like the weeds or tares in the parable, they resemble truth, but they deceive.  They act parasitically among those who would seek true faith, misleading and deterring others from finding Christ who seek Him.  This is why, throughout the history of the Church, Councils were called to debate theological questions, and to identify heresy so that people would be aware of them and understand the falsehood embodied therein.  Just as children from time immemorial have been warned of the dangers of seduction of various kinds, of evil intent lurking in a welcoming disguise, so lies and half-truths are things we need to be wary of -- to understand and to avoid because of their consequences.  We live in a modern world in which there are many good things seemingly promised by false or misleading values.  Consumption of every ostensibly good material thing doesn't necessarily fill the soul with happiness; wealth is useful but it doesn't suffice for the things that come only from God that feed the soul.  Nothing substitutes for our path to God, and yet heresies, lies, and half-truths would deter us with false promises.  "Enter by the narrow gate," Jesus taught, "for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it" (Matthew 7:13).  Perhaps the representation of false promises is best illustrated in addiction of all kinds, wherein whatever the addictive substance -- be it drugs or gambling or another type of consumption -- seems to promise comfort, or something good.  And yet it leads to a kind of slavery, a hell of its own (see John 8:34).  These are the weeds that grow among the wheat, the things that distract us from what is for our own true good.  Of course, this parable is one that also illustrates judgment, the understanding that we live with the wicked or evil, like "sheep in the midst of wolves," and in this light also serves to make us aware that we need discernment and caution in life ("be wise as serpents and harmless as doves"; Matthew 10:16).   Jesus will offer us an explanation of this parable a bit further along in chapter 13, so readers will be able to understand what He teaches the disciples about it.  Let us for now simply think for ourselves that the picture Jesus paints of our lives and our world is one in which we are not going to have a life that is "perfect" in the sense that all enemies or all bad or evil things will no longer exist.  On the contrary, He's calling us -- perhaps alerting us together with the disciples -- to the lives we're called to live in His name, and by following His word, the good seed.  Our calling is to live as His followers in this world, the one He paints through this illustration of the parable in today's reading.  We are called to an awareness of ourselves, who we are as His followers, and what He asks us to produce, even in the midst of life in which we grow side by side with tares, the bad weed that resembles the good wheat.  The kingdom of heaven has given us the good seed.  It's ours to make the best of it by cultivating the good crops it may produce in us, despite the tares.