24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 "The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 "‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. "The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 "‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’" (NIV)
Setting
This parable is not found in any of the other synoptics. It is, however, found in the Gospel of Thomas. The context in Matthew puts this parable as number two in a series of seven parables. In the beginning of the chapter we find Jesus by a lake, surrounded by a large crowd. So, he gets into a boat and teaches from the boat using these parables. It is to this crowd that Jesus is telling this parable.
Many interpreters debate as to whether or not this is an authentic parable of Jesus. Most come to the conclusion that it is an authentic parable, but that its interpretation found in verses 36-43 is not. The argument that most use in favor of the parable is the fact that it has a parallel in Thomas, indicating that both Thomas and Matthew drew from different sources. Both Dodd and Jeremias accept the parable as authentic (Hill 230).
However, some scholars disagree, claiming that it is not an
authentic parable of Jesus. Bernard Scott says, "Even though Matthew’s
theological interests are plainly at stake here, one would have to say that both Matthew
and Thomas are performing an originating structure that is compatible with their
hermeneutical performance" (70).
Exegetical Analysis
This parable would have been very practical, in first century Palestine, agriculturally. The man planted his field, probably through the use of his servants. After the days work was done, and everyone had gone to sleep for the evening, his enemy came and planted weeds in his field. This may sound strange to us, but it really wasn’t in Jesus’ day. William Barclay tells us that, "To this day in India one of the direst threats which a man can make to his enemy is ‘I will sow bad seed in your field’" (82). The servants realized that the planting of the weeds was no accident; it was intentionally done by someone’s attempt to ruin their master’s field (Hagner). So, when Jesus told this story to the crowd in Galilee, its circumstances would not have been a new or strange idea to them.
The Tares, or weeds, that were planted and grew in the
field were most likely Bearded Darnet (lolium temuientum). These were noxious
weeds. Jews called the tares "Bastard Wheat" (Barclay 81), because it so
resembled the bearded wheat. In the early stages of its growth the darnel looked identical
to the wheat. A person could not tell the difference between the two until they both came
to a head. By that time, the roots of the weeds were so intertwined with the wheat that if
someone tried to pull them out, he would pull the wheat up too. The only way to get rid to
the darnel was to wait until harvest time to separate the two.
Message
This parable clearly has an eschatological nature, speaking of the final judgment, yet it also had a more direct and local meaning that related to the people to which Jesus was speaking. Donald Hagner makes this suggestion, "The immediate, natural reaction of the people to Jesus’ proclamation of the presence of the kingdom was to wonder about the continuing presence of evil in the world, as manifested particularly in Roman rule over the people of God" (??). This is definitely a question that we still ask today. If this parable does answer this question, then it would be that the final judgment hasn’t come yet. God planted the good seed, but his enemy (Satan, perhaps?) came along and planted weeds. God is allowing both to grow for now, but come harvest time, the weeds (evil) will be separated from the wheat (the good). The good will enter into His kingdom, while the evil thrown into the fire. Perhaps Jesus was telling the people once again to wait and be patient.
Some tend to interpret the field to be the Church, but I agree with Stein and Blomberg, who feel that it is an error to do so. Rather, the field represents the world. In Matthew's interpretation in verse 41 the kingdom is equated with the world, not the church. This is the meaning of the parable according to Blomberg:
God permits the righteous and the wicked to coexist in the world, sometimes superficially indistinguishable from one another, until the end of the age. The wicked will eventually be separated out, judged and destroyed. The righteous will be gathered together, rewarded and brought into God’s presence (198).
Application
If we take nothing else from this parable, we should remember that God’s final judgement has not taken place yet. Until that time of judgement, we will continue to live in this world where there are believers and nonbelievers, good and evil. Until that time, we will continue to be tempted and hurt and oppressed by the evil in this world. But we can take heart, for the final judgement is coming.