Quest 32
PARABLE OF THE WEEDS
THE PARABLE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION
“WHY DOESN’T GOD ELIMINATE EVIL?”
Weeds or Tares: a weed called “darnel” that when young looks like wheat. When its seeds are ground into flour it is poisonous due to the fungus particular to the seed itself.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 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?’ 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?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 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 EXPLANATION GIVEN BY JESUS:
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.” He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Sower of good seed = Son of Man
Field = World
Good seeds = Sons of the Kingdom
Weeds = Sons of the evil one
Enemy who sows weeds = Devil
Harvest = End of the age
Harvesters = Angels
ONE field, TWO sowers, TWO seeds, ONE harvest
1. THE WEEDS LOOK A LOT LIKE THE WHEAT.
Nice people can be weeds.
Nice people can be satisfied with visiting church, not belonging to the church – the difference between being a fan sitting in the stands and being on the team on the field.
Nice people can be ashamed of Jesus’ words and the words he gave his apostles (Mark 8:38) - For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Nice people can willfully ignore gathering for Jesus (Matthew 12:30) - Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
2. HUMAN EFFORT CANNOT ELIMINATE THE WEEDS.
Human effort did not sow the seeds. That’s why Jesus came and died on the cross.
Our adversary is God’s adversary (Ephesians 6:12) - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
The devil’s primary weapon is deceit, as Jesus said this of his enemies (John 8:44) - You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
3. GOD DELAYS THE HARVEST SO NONE OF THE WHEAT IS LOST.
“Why doesn’t God eliminate evil?” Because “…lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.”
God can take weeds that reach repentance and turn them into wheat (2 Peter 3:9) -The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise vas some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God does not want to rob the border liners the opportunity to respond.
Jesus is coming. Will you be gathered as weeds and burned? Or is something better planned for you?
They will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (Mark 13:26-27)
IS GOD’S PATIENCE WASTED ON YOU?
