09.03.16 PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES EXPLAINED

Bill Heinrich  -  Jan 04, 2016  -  Comments Off on 09.03.16 PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES EXPLAINED

09.03.16 Mt. 13:36-43

 

PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND TARES EXPLAINED 

 

36 Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”

 

37 He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed — these are 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 harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those guilty of lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

 

This parable indicates that there will be those who are not serious about their faith and, therefore, will not be accepted into the heavenly kingdom.  When the Apostle Paul said that salvation was by the confession that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9) he immediately connected that with a heartfelt serious belief. The confession is not to be a shallow and meaningless saying.  The early church drew many people into its fold (2 Cor. 9:13; Phil. 1:27) but, of those, there were many who refused to change their sinful way of life.  They were the tares of the parable since they looked like true believers but are not.[1] Jeremiah spoke of the “uncircumcised ear” (6:10), identifying those who hear the message but chose not to obey the warnings of God. Discipline in the form of excommunication was practiced but is almost unheard of today in Western churches.[2]

 

“Blazing furnace.” The term furnace (Gk. kaminos 2575) was used for smelting metal and pottery kiln, and was the hottest fire known in biblical times.[3]

[1]. Martin, Worship in the Early Church. 55.

 

[2]. See 1 Cor. 5:3-5; Tim. 1:19-20; 2 Jn. 9-10; cf. 2 Cor. 2:5-11.

 

[3]. Vine, “Furnace.” Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary. 2:259.

 

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