Tares Among Wheat

Matthew 13:24-43

Finally another Monday has passed. Mondays are slowly getting harder to get by as the work load starts to pile on. I'm actually beginning to feel like I'm getting behind in some of the classes and that's not a great feeling to have. I have so many things I need to do on my agenda so I'll try to make my blog on my day a little short for today. Classes were good and the day went great. The weather wasn't too bad and I had a lot of homework. LOL The End. Onto my entry...

Tares Among Wheat
Reading: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2013:24-30;&version=31;
Reading: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2013:36-43;&version=31;

I used the NASB version (the Bible I own) for this entry because I think the word "tares" may mean more than just weeds. Basically Jesus tells us another parable in which a man sows good seed in his field, but an enemy comes along and plants these "tares" in them as well. Then the landowner finds that the wheat and the tares are growing together. After being asked whether or not to take out the tares, the man says no. He will take care of them after they both grow. Then he will burn up the tares.

In order to go with this Jesus actually gives an explanation to this parable (in verses 36-43). Basically He states that the one who sows the seeds is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, and the tares are the sons of the evil. The owns that sowed the tares is the evil one. When the time comes the tares will be gathered up and they will be burnt. This is Jesus telling us the future.

Now while the parables may seems somewhat easy to understand, this is a very important message telling us about what is to come. This may in fact be the first time Jesus tells us about what will happen in the armaggedon. This parable is a very good metaphor about what is to come. The first thing I want to go over is how the man sowed the good seeds in the field. It says that the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, meaning the ones that will be in heaven with God. So does that mean that we are all chosen from the start? One may think this and furthermore support the talk about predestination. But it's very hard to just assume that I think. I just thought it was interesting that Jesus explains this concept though.

The evil one, or Satan, then plants the tares. Now it says weeds in other translations, but I wanted say tares because in my translation, it's basically tares among wheat. Tares supposedly looks like wheat. That may be important, or I may just be overanalyzing. But what I got out of it is that it will be hard to distinguish the two. Here's a picture of what this may look like. I typed up wheat and tares and got a picture labeled "wheat among tares." I don't know what the picture is for, but regardless this is what it looks like:
Then Jesus says not to remove the tares seeds and rather wait till the end of time. When that happens all of the tares will be removed and burnt in the furnace of fire. This is a very clear message saying that all those belonging to the evil one will not have any sympathy. While they may seem like they are prospering with the other good seeds, when the time comes, they will be destroyed. I think this is very interesting to note.

The Mustard Seed and Leaven
Reading: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%2013:31-35;&version=31;

This next parable is about what heaven will be like Jesus explains how it is like the mustard seed because while it may be small at the start, it will grow out and become a tree in which the birds will come and nest in the branches. I understand the part about how at the end it will be bigger and will house even birds. The kingdom of God will ultimately become something that is bigger than anything. But why the small part? Perhaps because other sins will seem bigger and better at the start. At first sight the sins of the world will probably seem more promising. We may get tricked into it. But in the end, the mustard seed will prevail and become bigger than anything else.

The parable about the leaven is basically about how the kingdom of God will be something that will be able to mix with the dough and work through all the dough. What I get from this picture is that the kingdom of God will be able to cover all aspects of our lives and eventually embody everything.