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⁵³ “And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, ⁵⁴ and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ⁵⁵ Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” (Matt. 13:53-56 ESV).

Today’s passage parallels Mark 6:1-6. Jesus left Capernaum and travelled to His hometown, Nazareth (Matt. 2:19-23; Luke 2:39-40; John 1:43-46). It was while He was there that He taught in their synagogue. Neither Matthew nor Mark reveal from what biblical text Jesus taught. However, both disclose the peoples’ response to Jesus’ teaching.

The attendees in the synagogue were astonished. To be astonished (ἐκπλήσσω; ekplesso) is a present, passive infinitive verb. It literally means to strike. Jesus, and His teaching, struck the people with great amazement. They were filled with wonder.

The congregation’s seven recorded, rhetorical questions evidence their astonishment. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

“The one place we might expect Jesus to receive a warm welcome is in Nazareth, the town in which He was raised (Matt. 2:19–23). The people of Nazareth (Jesus’ “hometown,” 13:54) are amazed at the wisdom and power of the carpenter’s son. This is due to their familiarity with Jesus and His upbringing. They know His family well, and apparently no one in His clan is all that remarkable,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Lacking a formal education, Jesus should not be able to teach with the authority that He conveys. Yet Mary’s son is unafraid to instruct with boldness (vv. 55–56). We would therefore expect the people in Nazareth to experience awe when in the presence of Jesus, whose teaching demonstrates that He is the Holy One of God.”

Another observation from today’s text is that Mary had other children besides Jesus. These sons and daughters were Mary and Joseph’s naturally born children. Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters since the noun is in the plural form. The Bible clearly rejects the perpetual virginity of Mary.

The people’s initial astonishment will become offense. Why? The answer will be forthcoming when next we meet.

Are you continually astonished by the Lord’s salvation of your soul by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone? May who Jesus is and what Jesus did continue to astonish each of us. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” ⁵² And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” (Matthew 13:51–52 ESV)

When Jesus concluded His parabolic teaching, He asked the disciples if they understood all the things that He had said. To understand (συνίημι; syniemi) means to intelligently comprehend. It is to realize to the point of insight. They responded that they did understand and comprehend. One wonders if this was true.

“Before His final kingdom parable, Jesus asks His disciples if they have understood all that He has said (v. 51). They answer yes, which is an overestimation of their insight since the disciples later have no clue about the nature of the kingdom and the suffering it entails. For example, Peter will object to the Lord’s crucifixion (Matt.16:21–23) and all the disciples flee upon Christ’s arrest in Gethsemane (26:47–56). Still, the Twelve are not wholly wrong to say that they have understood our Savior’s teaching, for He has explained His parables to them (13:18–23, 36–43, 47–50). Their comprehension is not mature, but it is not absent altogether,” states R. C. Sproul.

“Their yes did not actually mean that they understood all that Jesus was teaching, only that they believed all that they did understand and were prepared to act on it,” explains Dr. James M. Boice.

Jesus then said, ““Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” What did Jesus mean by this cryptic statement?

Discipleship precedes understanding. God converts and then consecrates sinners. By the act of conversion, followed by the process of consecration or sanctification, the believer progresses from a rudimentary understanding of theology to an increasing knowledge of God; His person and His work. This involves an understanding of the Old Testament revelation and how it applies to the New Testament.

“The special revelation of Jesus allows His people to see in the Old Testament kingdom truths that have been there since the foundation of the world, but which have largely gone unnoticed (vv. 34–35). These new truths are the key to the right appropriation of Scripture, but they are not in opposition to the old truths evident apart from the parables of Jesus,” continues Dr. Sproul.

“The disciples are not to spurn the old for the sake of the new. Rather, they are to understand the new insights gleaned from Jesus’ parables in light of the old truths, and vice versa,” concludes Dr. John MacArthur.

Recently, well-known pastors have suggested that the Old Testament is no longer necessary for the church. A study of the New Testament is all that matters. Jesus’ words from today’s text belies that postmodern perspective.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47–50 ESV)

“The parable of the wheat and the tares (Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43) is probably not first and foremost about the presence of people who profess the Christian faith falsely in the institutional church. However, this does not mean that Jesus has nothing to say on the subject. The parable of the net apparently deals with the fact that those who do not really know Christ will “worship” beside true believers in the visible covenant community,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a fishing net. This net was thrown into the sea. This resulted in a gathering of various fish. As with the previous parables, Jesus used the object lesson of fishing to explain a spiritual truth. Fishing, along with farming and shepherding, was a familiar way of life for the Jew. They could relate to the plot, setting and characters of the story. The question would be if they would understand the biblical truth.

Jesus continued by saying that when the net was full, the fisherman drew it ashore, sat down and sorted the fish. They placed the good fish into containers and threw away the bad. How many fishermen in Jesus’ audience that day had not done the same thing (Matt. 13:1-2)? It was a common practice.

Jesus then explained the point of his parable. The gathering of fish illustrated the gathering of humanity at the end of the age and before the judgment seat of God. Jesus said that, “The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

“Our Lord’s contemporaries are again familiar with the imagery in this parable. Those who had worked on the seas knew well the task of sorting out the edible fish from those not fit for consumption (13:48), which is likened to the angelic separation of the righteous from the unrighteous when the kingdom is consummated (vv. 49–50),” continues Dr. Sproul.

“Like a net catching fish, the church will bring in many kinds of people. Yet just as not all fish are fit for eating, so too are not all members of the visible church fit for heaven. The church we can see is a mixed body until the Savior returns. All those whom we see professing Christ (the visible church) do not necessarily have faith; some join the church for motives other than serving Jesus. These false professors are mixed with true believers in the visible church, but not forever. For on Judgment Day those who never possessed saving trust in Christ will find eternal punishment (vv. 49–50).”

What kind of fish are you? He who has ears to hear, let them hear.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45–46 ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50). Today’s study concerns the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value.

Jesus indirectly compared the kingdom of heaven to a treasure (Matt. 13:44). He also compared the kingdom to a pearl of great worth.

Jesus tells a tale of a merchant. Merchant (ἔμπορος; emporos) means an individual involved in commerce and trade. In other words, this individual was a businessman perhaps involved in the shipping trade. This would be reasonable since he was searching for fine pearls.

“Pearl hunting, also known as pearling, is the activity of recovering pearls from wild mollusks, usually oysters or mussels, in the sea or freshwater. Pearl hunting was prevalent in the Persian Gulf region and Japan for thousands of years,” explains one scholar. “Historically the mollusks were retrieved by freediving, a technique where the diver descends to the bottom, collects what they can, and surfaces on a single breath.”  

“Divers sought pearls in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, and some pearls could be worth the equivalent of millions of dollars. Jesus’ hearers were probably familiar with the basic story line; there seems to have been a folktale that ran similarly, although it did not make the same point about the kingdom,” explains commentator Craig Keener.

The merchant in Jesus’ parable was not just attempting to find any kind of pearls. Rather, he was actively searching for fine pearls. Fine (καλός; kalos) means beautiful and valuable.

“Before the beginning of the 20th century, the only means of obtaining pearls was by manually gathering very large numbers of pearl oysters or mussels from the ocean floor or lake or river bottom. The bivalves were then brought to the surface, opened, and the tissues searched. More than a ton were searched in order to find at least 3-4 quality beads,” states a scholar.  

“In order to find enough pearl oysters, free-divers were often forced to descend to depths of over 100 feet on a single breath, exposing them to the dangers of hostile creatures, waves, eye damage, and drowning, often as a result of shallow water blackout on resurfacing. Because of the difficulty of diving and the unpredictable nature of natural pearl growth in pearl oysters, pearls of the time were extremely rare and of varying quality.”

In his search, the merchant discovered one pearl of great value. One can imagine that after his extensive searching, the man’s efforts were finally rewarded. However, Jesus gives no reason why the man would need to sell all he had to buy the pearl he found. It is sufficient to understand that the pearl was of greater value than all he previously possessed.

“Jesus uses illustrations to which His contemporaries can easily relate. Given the potential for political instability and invasions, as well as the non-existence of safety deposit boxes, ancient Jews often buried their valuables. Sometimes these treasures were abandoned, and finding one that had been left behind was a once-in-a-lifetime event. That such a treasure is found indicates the kingdom’s rarity and therefore, its preciousness. Pearls were more highly valued in first-century Palestine than diamonds are in our culture. Other biblical passages use pearls to illustrate all-surpassing worth (Rev. 21:21), and so Jesus likens the kingdom to a precious pearl,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“These parables teach us primarily how we must value Jesus’ kingdom. Yet they also tell us about the people our Redeemer saves. As with the man in the field, some “stumble upon” Christ when they are not looking for Him. Others travel various spiritual paths for years before “finding Jesus,” just as the merchant searches tirelessly for the costliest pearl. God’s grace calls the spiritually apathetic as well as those who believe themselves to be seeking Him.”

Do you personally possess the treasure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the pearl of great value? It is only available by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Soli deo Gloria!

 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44 ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50). Today’s study concerns the Parable of the Hidden Treasure.

Jesus indirectly compared the kingdom of heaven to a treasure. A treasure (θησαυρός; thesaurus) literally means a treasure box filled with objects costing a great deal of money. It was just such a treasure box that was hidden (κρύπτω; krypto) by someone in the past. The text does not say who hid the treasure box or why it was hidden. The text also does not reveal if the individual who hid the treasure did so in a field he owned.

One day a man found the treasure. The word found (εὑρίσκω; heurisko) means to actively discover and learn the location of some object or person. In the context, the object he found was the previously mentioned treasure.

Upon finding the treasure, the man covered it up. To cover up (κρύπτω; krypto) means to hide. The man found the hidden treasure and then hid the treasure that he found. No reason is given as to why the man re-hid the treasure that he found.  

Discovering the treasure gave the man joy. Joy (χαρά; chara) refers to a great happiness solely possessed by the man. The joy the man possessed stemmed from having found the treasure that he hoped to possess.

His hopeful intention to possess the treasure that produced his joy prompted him to sell all that he had. To sell (πωλέω; poleo) means to actively sell all of his wealth for money. He in turn uses that money to buy that field. Why that field? It is because that field contains the hidden treasure that he found, re-hid, and seeks to possess because it gives him joy because of its value.

Jesus did not provide an interpretation to this parable. Therefore, it remains for the student of Scripture to accurately deduce its meaning.

We know that the parable is about the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, it is about salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (Rom., 3:21-26; Eph. 2:1-10). It is this glorious justification from God that has a priceless value in delivering an individual from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin (2 Cor. 4:7). It is a treasure that anyone would gladly possess.

However, the tragic irony is that fallen, sinful man would rather seek the treasures of the fallen world than possess a treasure from God beyond all measure. It is only when God regenerates man’s soul that he is able to recognize how truly valuable the treasure of the Gospel truly is (John 3:1-8; Titus 3:1-5).

Do you possess this treasure?

Soli deo Gloria!

³³ He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33 ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50). Today’s study concerns the Parable of Leaven.

Jesus continued His parabolic teachings of the kingdom of heaven. He frequently illustrated from the daily life of the Israelites spiritual truths concerning a covenant relationship with the One, True God.

“Men typically worked in agriculture, and women performed domestic chores like the baking of bread in first-century Palestine. In telling parables related to these tasks, Jesus conveys His message in terms that are familiar to ordinary people,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“The Messiah ushered in God’s kingdom in a manner that did not meet the expectations of His contemporaries. Instead of an immediate and final entry of God’s saving presence, there was an inauguration of the kingdom that is followed by a long period of growth before the final consummation. The mustard plant’s growth and the leaven’s permeation, both of which take time, illustrate this point.

Leaven (ζύμη; zyme) is another word for yeast. It is that which makes bread rise. Correspondingly, bread without yeast was/is known as unleavened bread (Ex. 12:14-17). .

“Leaven is any substance that produces fermentation when added to dough. Leaven may signify the dough already infected by leaven, which was put into the flour so that the leaven could pass through the entire mass before baking, or it may refer to dough that had risen through the influence of the leaven. The early Hebrews apparently depended on a piece of leavened dough for transmission of the leaven; not until much later were the lees of wine used as yeast,” explains the Tyndale Bible Dictionary.

“The ancient Israelites regularly ate leavened bread (Hos 7:4), but in the commemoration of the Passover they were forbidden to eat leavened bread or even to have it in their homes during the Passover season (Ex 13:7). This annual observance ensured even though leaven that the people would not forget their hasty exodus from Egypt, when God’s command gave no time for the preparation of leavened bread.”

Even though leaven illustrates the influence of sin in the believer’s life (Matt. 16:11; I Cor. 5:6-8; Gal. 5:9), Jesus used it here as a positive object lesson. The kingdom of heaven’s initial small and quiet presence will ultimately change the world.  

“The tiny bit of leaven has its effect on the entire mass of dough. Like leaven, the kingdom of God starts small, and its work is often hidden and invisible, until its full effect is realized,” explains commentator Aaron Garriott.

“Jesus showed that the manner in which He ushered in the kingdom of God need not sow any doubts concerning the power and legitimacy of His messianic office and the kingdom. The humble inauguration was no mistake—it was planned by God.”  

John Calvin noted, “The Lord opens his reign with a feeble and despicable commencement, for the express purpose, that his power may be more fully illustrated by its unexpected progress.”

Take time today to observe how the kingdom of heaven continues to grow from its humble beginnings. Take note of how you have grown in your relationship with Christ from the moment of your conversion. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

³¹ “He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31–32 (ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50). Today, we examine the Parable of the Mustard Seed.

Immediately following the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), and the Weeds (13:24-30), Jesus taught another parable about sowing. This involved a mustard seed.

“The kingdom of God held a prominent position in Jesus’ teaching from the beginning of His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 4:43). He proclaimed that His coming to earth meant that the kingdom of God was at hand. He was inaugurating the kingdom of God in the very midst of His hearers. Accompanying and demonstrating this inauguration were miracles and teaching. His teaching took different forms, but chief among them were parables, which He used to teach His hearers something about the nature of the kingdom. The parables of the mustard seed (Matt. 13:31–32; Mark 4:30–32; Luke 13:18–19) and the leaven (Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:20) reveal something of the mysterious progress and imperceptibility of the kingdom of God,” explains Rev. Aaron L. Garriott.

Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed. Relatively speaking, it was the smallest of the common seeds sown in first century Israel. The historical context must be kept in clear view.

However, in spite of its small size the mustard seed grew into a large bush; sometimes up to fifteen feet high.  The word tree (δένδρον; dendron) can mean a tall plant or bush. The mustard plant provided shelter for birds who made their nests in its branches.

“Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a grain of mustard seed, whose small initial form compared with its impressive final form furnished Jesus with an apt illustration of the progress of the kingdom of God between its inauguration and consummation. One of the smallest seeds in Palestine, the mustard seed would yield a shrub-like tree over time that would reach more than ten feet tall. The tiny seed would grow to be so large that the birds of the air would find it conducive for habitation,” continues Rev. Garriott.

“At any rate, the point is this: The Word of God—the work of God—typically begins small. Churches are small. Student ministries are small. Whatever you want to do, it’s going to start small. There’s going to be opposition. It will look at times like it’s about to collapse, but there will be a great climax,” explains commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

Take heart and serve fervently. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

³⁶ “Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷ He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ the field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴² and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36–43 ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50).

Recapping the Parable of the Weeds, a man sowed wheat in his field (Matt. 13:24). In Israel, farmers planted barley and wheat in autumn. The sowed grains ripened in spring. However, an enemy of the landowner secretly came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away (13:25). Therefore, when the plants came up and bore grain in spring, the weeds also appeared (13:26).

During the spring harvest time, the land owner’s servants noticed that weeds were growing in the midst of the wheat field. While the master realized that an enemy was responsible for the weeds, there was nothing he could do until the harvest. At that time, the harvesters would separate the wheat from the tares. The workers would place the wheat in to the barn and they also would save the weeds gathering them for fuel.

When Jesus concluded teaching by parables to the crowds, He returned to His home in Capernaum. At that time, His disciples came to Him and asked Him for the meaning of the Parable of the Weeds. Jesus complied with the disciples’ request.

“The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man” This is Jesus Christ.

“The field is the world.” This refers to the fallen world and its human inhabitants.

“The good seed is the sons of the kingdom.” They are those justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. They are compared to wheat.

“The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.” The evil one is the devil. His sons are the unconverted. He is the enemy of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ.

“The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.” They will harvest not only the saved but also the unsaved.

Jesus then said, “The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, ⁴² and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus continued by saying, “Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Jesus clearly referred to His divine authority when He refers to the future resurrection (Dan. 12:1-3).

He concluded by saying, “He who has ears, let him hear.” Jesus’ disciples, then and in the present day, must understand the reality and finality of the judgment of God upon the unrighteous. We must also give God praise for His grace in calling us to be members of the kingdom of heaven; His wheat.

Soli deo Gloria!

²⁷ “And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” (Matthew 13:27–30 ESV)

Matthew 13:1-50 contains seven parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. These include the Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:3-23), the Parable of the Weeds (13:24-30), the Parable of the Mustard Seed (13:31-32), the Parable of the Leaven (13:33), the Parable of the Hidden Treasure (13:44), the Parable of the Pearl of Great Value (13:13:45-46), and the Parable of the Net (13:47-50).

Recapping the story from yesterday, a man sowed wheat in his field (Matt. 13:24). In Israel, farmers planted barley and wheat in autumn. They sowed grains ripened in spring. However, an enemy of the landowner secretly came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away (13:25). Therefore, when the plants came up and bore grain in spring, the weeds also appeared (13:26).

“The most basic staple of the Palestinian diet (and the ancient diet in general) was bread; thus wheat was critical. But a poisonous weed, a kind of ryegrass known as darnel (usually translated “tares”) looked like wheat in the early stages and could only be distinguished from it when the ear appeared,” states commentator Craig Keener.

“And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ The master was responsible for the seed. The servants would not have questioned him during the autumn planting. However, now it is spring and the weeds are growing along with the wheat.

The landowner reaches a conclusion. ^“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The evidence is clear that someone has tainted the wheat crop, but the land owner does not know exactly who it may have been.

“So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them’?’ The servants want to know if the master wants them to remove the weeds from the wheat. A wheat field might have been several acres. To remove the weeds would have been a hard and exhausting task. Yet the servants are willing to do their master’s wishes.

But he said, “No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.” The wise master knew that in attempting to uproot the weeds, some of the wheat crop would be compromised. He was unwilling to risk the possibility of financial loss. He seems unconcerned that the weeds would damage the wheat.

The master then gave his servants further instructions. “Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” 

“The fields were normally weeded in the spring, but if the weeds were discovered too late—as here—one would risk uprooting the wheat with them; the master does not want to risk his wheat. Once they were fully grown, however, harvesters could cut the wheat just below the head, leaving the shorter tares to be cut separately,” explains Keener.

The harvesters would gather both the wheat and the weeds during harvest. The wheat would be stored in the barn for food while the weeds would provide fuel for burning.  

“Although first-century Palestine was undoubtedly more forested than it became in subsequent times, much of the earlier forest had been cut down, and fuel could not be wasted; once dried, the darnel at least proved useful for something—fuel for burning,” concludes Keener.

What was the meaning of this parable? We do not have to speculate. Jesus provided the interpretation to His disciples. Matthew recorded this in 13:36-43. It is this text that we will study next time. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!