Weeds and Wheat
Sermon
Preaching the Parables
"This is a perplexing parable." This is George Buttrick's first sentence in the chapter discussing the parable of the Weeds and Wheat. Indeed, it is perplexing. He could have said it again and again.
In the parable Jesus teaches that the bad weeds (evildoers) are to remain together with the wheat (God's people) until Judgment Day when God's angels will separate them, one for the fire, the other for glory. In the light of this, we ask perplexing questions.
- After the PTL scandal, was the Assembly of God Church biblically justified in removing the name of Jim Bakker from its clerical roll?
- Does a congregational board of governors have the authority to remove names from a church roll?
- If a person joins the church by repenting and being baptized, is the person a weed or wheat?
- If all persons are sinners, are not all weeds?
- If a person entered the church as wheat, can wheat become a weed?
- If a person is a bad seed turning into a weed, can the person become wheat?
- Who is to judge whether a church member is a weed or wheat?
- If we are taught to allow weeds to exist beside us, is capital punishment contrary to Jesus' teachings?
- Is this parable saying that Jesus wants us in but not of the world?
Now that we are perplexed with a perplexing parable, let us take a look to see if we can avoid preparing a perplexing sermon!
Context
Context of the Church Year
The Parable of Wheat and Weeds is the second of a series of three for Pentecost 8, 9, and 10.
Context of Matthew 13
The gospel lesson for the three Sundays is taken from Matthew 13. After Jesus explained the parable of the Seed and Soil, he tells today's parable of the Wheat and Weeds. Before explaining this parable (vv. 36-43), he gives the parables of the mustard seed and leaven followed by an explanation that Jesus always spoke in parables. The parable itself was given to the crowds by the Galilean Sea (13:1-2), but the explanation was given to the disciples in a house (13:36) in response to the disciples' query as to its meaning.
Context of Two Other Parables
While the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds is given only by Matthew, two other parables are related to it. The one is the Parable of the Growing Seed - Mark 4:26-29. The Kingdom is compared with a man's scattering seed which grows and is harvested. The other is the Parable of the Dragnet. (Matthew 13:47-50) The Kingdom is compared with a net of good and bad fish which are separated on Judgment Day. The latter parable appears in next Sunday's Gospel.
Context of the Lectionary Lesson
The First Lesson. (Exodus 3:1-12) At the burning bush Yahweh reveals himself to Moses and calls him to lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt to a land of milk and honey.
The Second Lesson. (Romans 8:18-25) Humanity joins in with the whole creation in longing for redemption from the bondage of decay to the glorious liberty of God's children.
Gospel. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) Jesus tells the parable of the Wheat and Weeds (vv. 24-30) and the church through Matthew gives her allegorical interpretation of it. (vv. 36-43)
Psalm. (Psalm 103:1-13) In keeping with Lesson 1, God shows his mercy and grace by vindicating oppressed people.
Prayer of the Day. In the light of the parable's good and bad seed, we pray that the Lord will "pour upon us the spirit to think and do what is right."
Hymn of the Day. "On What Has Now Been Sown~' In and through the Word the seed of truth and goodness has been sown in our hearts and we ask God's blessing upon it.
Context of Related Scriptures
Daniel 12:3 - The righteous shall shine like the stars. (cf. Matthew 13:43)
Matthew 18:15-17 - How to exclude sinning church members.
John 12:42 - Fear of being removed from the rolls.
John 12:47 - Jesus did not come to condemn.
John 13:27-30 - Night in the soul.
1 Corinthians 4:5 - "Do not pronounce judgment before the time ..."
1 Corinthians 5:1-2 - Excommunication on moral grounds.
Galatians 1:6-9 - Excommunication on doctrinal grounds.
Context
The Authenticity of the Parable
The consensus of scholarly opinion is that the parable of the Wheat and Weeds is to be regarded as a genuine parable of Jesus. (13:24-30) Likewise, there is general agreement that the interpretation of the parable (vv. 36-43) is a product of Matthew and the early church. The interpretation reflects the concerns of the early church and the linguistic characteristics of Matthew which are not present in the parable itself. Another difference between the parable and the interpretation is in the themes. The theme of the parable is the patience of God, but the theme of the interpretation is the allegorical and eschatological description of the burning of the weeds on Judgment Day. Furthermore, the parable was addressed openly to the people whereas the interpretation was given to the disciples in the privacy of a home.
Since the church is given the credit for the interpretation, is it therefore not authentic or worthy of acceptance? We cannot say, "Thus said the Lord", in so many words, but we can say, "This saith the Lord", because the church may be speaking the mind of the Lord in this instance.
Precis of the Parable
The Kingdom of God is like a man's sowing good seed in his field, but one night, while all were sleeping, an enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. When the wheat grew up and heads appeared, the weeds were seen. The farmer's workers came to him and asked, "You sowed good seed; where did the weeds come from?" The farmer answered, "This is the work of an enemy." "Shall we pull up the weeds?" "No, because if you do, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let the wheat and the weeds remain together until harvest. Then I'll ask you to pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles to burn them, and then take the wheat into the barn."
When Jesus left the crowds and entered a house, the disciples asked him for an explanation of the parable. He explained as follows. The man who sowed the wheat is the Christ, the field is the world, the wheat is the good people, and the weeds are the bad ones belonging to Satan. The harvest is Judgment Day and the angels are the reapers. As weeds are gathered and burned, Christ will send out angels to gather evildoers and throw them into a fiery furnace where they will suffer. In contrast, God's people will shine like the sun. "If you have ears, take heed!"
Thesis:
The patience of God with evildoers.
Theme:
Stamp out or wait out evil?
Key Words in the Parable
1. "Kingdom of heaven?' (v. 24) Jesus is describing the nature of the "kingdom of heaven." In Matthew the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of Heaven. God's Kingdom is where he reigns and where his people reside. They are the good seed or the wheat. The faithful people of God adore, praise, and obey him. In part, the church is the Kingdom of Heaven. In part God's kingdom is on earth, but at the Parousia it will come in its fullness.
2. "Field?' (vv. 24, 38) In the parable itself the "field" is the Kingdom of Heaven, but in the explanation "the field is the world." If the latter, we can understand that there are wheat and weeds in the world, for it takes all kinds of people to make a world. Our daily newspapers give abundant evidence that weeds exist in the world. But, is the field also the Kingdom? If so, the church has both wheat and weeds, do-gooders and evil-doers. Does this parable focus on the world or the church? Could it apply to both?
3. "Sleeping?' (v. 25) The enemy did his dirty work while people were asleep. Evil flourishes during the night, for evil loves darkness to hide its work. When Judas Iscariot left the Upper Room to betray Jesus, the record says, "It was night' When good people are off guard and there is ease in Zion, the enemy sows seeds of discord. When good people do nothing and sleep in self-contentment, bad people seize the opportunity to sow bad seed.
4. "Enemy." (vv. 25, 28, 39) An enemy of the good farmer sowed the bad seed in his field. Who was this enemy? We do not know where he came from nor where he went. Matthew identifies the enemy as "the devil." (v. 39) No one knows or ever will know where Satan came from. All we know and need to know is that evil is a reality in our world. There is an evil power that works us harm. Evil is as real as goodness, the devil as real as God. Satan is the Christian's dreadful enemy who was defeated on and by the cross of Christ.
5. "Weeds." (vv. 25, 26, 27) The word for "weeds" in Greek is zizamia, or darnel. It is a troublesome and poisonous weed resembling wheat. It grows to the height of wheat but has a darker color. It is so much like wheat that it cannot be distinguished as weeds until the wheat matures in heads of grain. Hypocrites are weeds that look and act like wheat until harvest time. This makes it difficult to judge who is a genuine Christian.
6. "Together." (v. 30) In the parable the farmer instructs his farmhands not to pull out the weeds but to let the weeds and wheat remain together until harvest time. It is a very practical piece of advice, for getting rid of the weeds also does the same for the wheat. It expresses the patience God has for sinners and his concern for the welfare of his people.
7. "Harvest." (v. 30) There is promised a twofold harvest: the harvest of wheat and the harvest of weeds. The wheat goes into God's barn, heaven, for safe keeping. The weeds get burned up in the midst of anguish. There is a judgment coming. Evil will be destroyed. Goodness will prevail.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The Gospel in the parable. Where is the Gospel in this parable for preachers to proclaim? It is in the patience and forbearance of God, the farmer. We laborers would tear up the weeds at once, but God orders us to leave them with the wheat until the harvest. The love of God is seen in his not wanting to harm the wheat or lose the wheat (his children) by pulling up the weeds. Wheat and weeds are to remain together until Judgment Day when God, not people, will settle the account. Because the weeds are poisonous and interfere with the growth of the wheat, they deserve to be pulled up, but in his concern for the welfare of his people, he orders the laborers to leave the weeds with the wheat. Humans are prone to use violence in eradicating evil but God will have no part in it.
2. Life in perspective. The parable helps us to see life in perspective, sub specie aeternatatis. In this parable Jesus gives us an end-view of time. At the end of time the good will prevail and prosper while evil will be destroyed. The righteous (wheat) will then shine like the sun in glory. Today evil may have its hour. The fields may be sown with the seeds of evil, but even in these bad times we see the ultimate outcome. With God we are on the winning side of life. This truth gives us confidence and serenity for the living of these days.
3. The reality of evil. Followers of Jesus do not take a Pollyanna view of life saying "All's right with the world." Evil is a reality, a fierce force in the world. The enemy, Satan, sows the seeds of discord in society. The harvest of the diabolical seeds is sin. Evil is not an illusion or a figment of the imagination. Satan is as real as God. His work can be seen in a daily newspaper's account of theft, murder, and rape. There are bad people in the world and we kid ourselves when we claim all people are inherently good. We do not know the origin of Satan. If he is a rebellious angel, we do not know why he rebelled. All we know and need to know is that he is alive and well. His existence is proved by his wicked fruit.
4. The certainty of judgment. The weeds are to be gathered and then burned for fuel. Moreover, the interpretation of the parable (vv. 40-42) says that the angels will throw evildoers into the furnace of fire. We understand, of course, that this is figurative language. But, the truth is that there is a real judgment coming regardless how we describe it. Justice demands a settling of accounts, and God is just. In athletics, when a rule is broken, there is always a penalty. Every bubble eventually bursts. A judgment day is coming to eradicate evil and to reward the faithful with life.
5. The nature of the church. It would be wonderful if the church consisted only of wheat and no weeds. Since every Christian is simul justus et peccator, saint and sinner, it is logical that every church consists of wheat and weeds. Which is which? Since darnel is so like wheat, we cannot tell who is a true Christian until maturity when we shall know them by their works. Who then is capable of judging who is not a Christian? Are we not all weeds to some extent even though by grace we are the wheat of God's people adopted in Baptism? Not all who say, "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom, says Jesus. The church is not a museum of perfect people but a hospital of needy sinners in need of daily repentance and forgiveness.
6. The weeds of night. Darkness is associated with evil. Sin hates the light. Crime is more prevalent when the streets are dark. Because there is night in the soul, a person succumbs to the weeds of disobedience. Another reason the "enemy" sows bad seed among us is that we are asleep. When we don't care what happens to our society, when we are too self-satisfied with our own lot in life, when we want only to be left alone to go our own merry way, Satan does his dirty work. Jesus cries, "Watch and pray." Be aware that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. "Awake, awake" for Satan is near to sow his seed of weeds!
Homily Hints
1. What to Do with Weeds. (13:24-30) The presence of weeds (evil) in church and society is universally accepted. The question is what to do with them. In our gardens and farms we get rid of weeds. Shall we do the same with evildoers? Consider the options -
A. Evaluate - which is weed and wheat? - v. 27.
B. Expel the weeds - pull them up - v. 28.
C. Tolerate the weeds until harvest - v. 29.
D. Commit the weeds to God's judgment - v. 30.
2. How Did These Weeds Get Here? (13:24-30) Often a gardener is amazed to find weeds popping up amidst flowers and vegetables. How did they get there? Who planted them? This was the same question the farmer's workers asked, "Did you not sow good seed in your field?" It is an ancient and universal question: Where does evil come from? Why do people commit crimes? In seeking an answer, consider -
A. Evil (weeds) is a reality - a fact of life - v. 25.
B. Evil is the work of an enemy - v. 28.
C. Evil has no future - v. 30.
3. Which are You - Weed or Wheat? (13:24-30) According to the parable, it is difficult to know what is weed and what is wheat. Darnel looks so much like wheat that it is often taken for wheat. Weeds and wheat represent people, the good and the bad. Do we consider ourselves weeds, wheat, or both?
A. As humans, we are weeds - sinners.
B. As Christians, we are wheat - adopted children of God.
C. As human-Christians, we are wheat and weeds - saints and sinners.
4. Why is God Patient with Sinners? (13:28-30) In this parable the Gospel comes through clearly. Like the farmer, God tolerates the existence of evildoers until the end-time. His love is expressed in his patience with sinners. In this sermon we want to learn for our encouragement and assurance why he is patient with sinners.
A. Because God wishes to protect his own (wheat) - v. 29.
B. Because God hopes sinners will later repent - cf. repentant thief on cross.
C. Because God's nature is to love and rescue the lost - v. 30.
5. Learning to Live in an Evil World. (13:24-30) The parable seems to teach us that Christ does not want us to uproot the weeds (evildoers) in church and society. We are living in a corrupt world. Evildoers surround us. Instead of expelling them or withdrawing from them, we are to learn to live with them. How can this be done?
A. Accept sinners as they are - weeds.
B. Protect yourself from whatever harm they may do - "Let both grow together."
C. Pray for their repentance - from weed to wheat.
D. Commit them to God's judgment - v. 30.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Weeds in the world. In discussing the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds we come into immediate contact with weeds (evildoers) in the world. The daily newspaper is sufficient evidence of wickedness. Every area of society is penetrated and saturated with evil. It is expressed in killing, stealing, raping, and abusing women and children. Man's inhumanity to man and all creation is well-known and deplored.
2. Weeds in the church. Because the church consists of imperfect people, weeds are found there. The world has no monopoly on sin. To the shame of Christ, his church is often found guilty of gross immoralities: adultery, sexual abuse of children by clergymen, the embezzlement of church funds, etc. Hatred, prejudices, gossip, bigotry, pride, and selfishness abound among church members. No one can preach today's parable on wheat and weeds without striking fire.
3. Wheat, too! There are more than enough weeds, but there is wheat, too. Both church and society have good citizens and faithful people of God. For the sake of these good people, we are not to tear up the weeds lest we damage the wheat. For the sake of the Gospel-believing, we tolerate evildoers with as much forbearance as possible. We know the ultimate end of God's wheat; they shall shine like the sun!
Points to Ponder
1. Where are the weeds? As indicated above, we find weeds of sin in church and society. But, does the parable deal with weeds in the world or in the church? On the one hand, the church seems to be the focus, for Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with a field in which bad seed is sown. (v. 25) On the other hand, Matthew's interpretation indicates that the field in which the seed was sown is the world. (v. 38) In The Parables of Jesus, George Buttrick takes the position that this parable does not apply to the church, for the church did not exist at this time. He feels it has nothing to do with church discipline. Rather, he says it deals with the age-old problem of the existence of evil in the world. Does this mean then that the church consists of nothing but wheat? But, we know better than that! Does it mean that the world is full only of weeds? We can't buy that either! Is the truth of the matter that in both church and world there is a mixture of wheat and weeds? In that case, the parable applies to both realms.
2. No exclusion ever? The parable makes the point that the weeds are to remain with the wheat until Judgment Day. If we apply this to the world, does it mean that nothing should be done to curb or eradicate crime by fines, jail sentences, or capital punishment? Is there to be no deterrance to evil doing? What kind of a society would we have if criminal activity were not eliminated or at least curbed? Does the parable really mean this?
Or, apply the principle to the church. Are we never to remove names from the church rolls for immoral purposes? Is excommunication against this parable? This has been a question for the church since the Donatist Controversy of the Fourth Century. The Donatists believed that heretics should be excluded from the church, but Augustine disagreed with them. In Matthew 18 Jesus tells how a sinner is to be excluded. Paul would excommunicate a false preacher and he called upon the Corinthian church to oust a man for immoral behavior. Calvin had Servetus executed because he did not accept the doctrine of the Trinity. At times churches defrock their ministers for sinful living. Governing boards of congregations may have authority to cancel a person's church membership. Is this not uprooting weeds from the wheat?
Is this a solution? Is this what the parable is saying to us today? The parable is not primarily dealing with discipline or exclusion of members. It is a question of the wheat withdrawing from the weeds. Jesus was one who mingled and ate with sinners. He was not like the Pharisees who separated themselves from non-religious people as they thought of them: publicans, Samaritans, women, and sinners. Jesus would not have us separate ourselves from the world like the Essenes and the Quamram settlement by the Dead Sea. Christ is teaching us to be in the world planted by weeds without judging them and uprooting them until God separates the good from the bad on Judgment Day.
Illustrative Materials
1. Uprooting the Weeds. A governing body is given authority to exclude offending members: "Hear the duties of the office to which you have been elected by this congregation ... that discipline be maintained, the erring admonished, and the impenitent excluded from the communion of the church ..."
After the Civil War in southern Appalachia, some Unionists demanded that the Confederate members apologize for supporting the Confederacy. Anyone refusing to do so was removed from the church roll.
Since its opening in 1848, no clergy person has been allowed inside the gates of Philadelphia's Girard College. The college was founded by Stephen Girard with a six million dollar gift. In his will he directed, "I enjoin and require that no ecclesiastic, missionary, or minister of any sect whatsoever, shall ever hold or exercise any station or duty whatever in the said college; nor shall any such person ever be admitted for any purpose or as a visitor, within the premises."
2. Weeds in the Church. When a couple moved into a new town, they at once went to a local church. Within five months the choir director ran off with a seventeen-year-old soprano, leaving his wife and two children. The high school coach became involved with the wife of the principal. The minister's son was arrested for pushing dope. The woman who runs the home for the aged was investigatad for running poker games in the basement.
3. All Are Weeds. In a certain village a baker bought butter from a neighboring farmer. One day he became suspicious that the butter was not the right weight. For several days he weighed the butter and found it short. He arrested the farmer for fraudulent dealing. At the trial the judge asked the farmer how he managed to weigh the butter. He explained, "When the baker commenced buying butter of me I thought I would get my bread of him and it is in one-pound loaves. I used one of his one-pound loaves to determine a pound of butter. If the weight of the butter is wrong, he is to blame."
4. Wheat with Weeds. In the chancel of a church there is a painting of Jesus at a table with his disciples. He is in the center, dressed in white, and around him are the disciples. A visitor came in, looked at the picture, and exclaimed, "Where are the sinners? Didn't Jesus eat and drink with sinners?"
5. The Ugliest Word. Near the end of his life, Carl Sandburg in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was asked by a reporter, "What in your opinion is the ugliest word in the English language?" Carl frowned and repeated, "the ugliest word in the English language." The reporter and television audience waited with anticipation. He looked in the distance as he contemplated the answer. He continued to mumble, "Ugliest, ugliest word?" Finally as everyone strained forward to hear his answer, he said, "The ugliest word is - exclusive."
In the parable Jesus teaches that the bad weeds (evildoers) are to remain together with the wheat (God's people) until Judgment Day when God's angels will separate them, one for the fire, the other for glory. In the light of this, we ask perplexing questions.
- After the PTL scandal, was the Assembly of God Church biblically justified in removing the name of Jim Bakker from its clerical roll?
- Does a congregational board of governors have the authority to remove names from a church roll?
- If a person joins the church by repenting and being baptized, is the person a weed or wheat?
- If all persons are sinners, are not all weeds?
- If a person entered the church as wheat, can wheat become a weed?
- If a person is a bad seed turning into a weed, can the person become wheat?
- Who is to judge whether a church member is a weed or wheat?
- If we are taught to allow weeds to exist beside us, is capital punishment contrary to Jesus' teachings?
- Is this parable saying that Jesus wants us in but not of the world?
Now that we are perplexed with a perplexing parable, let us take a look to see if we can avoid preparing a perplexing sermon!
Context
Context of the Church Year
The Parable of Wheat and Weeds is the second of a series of three for Pentecost 8, 9, and 10.
Context of Matthew 13
The gospel lesson for the three Sundays is taken from Matthew 13. After Jesus explained the parable of the Seed and Soil, he tells today's parable of the Wheat and Weeds. Before explaining this parable (vv. 36-43), he gives the parables of the mustard seed and leaven followed by an explanation that Jesus always spoke in parables. The parable itself was given to the crowds by the Galilean Sea (13:1-2), but the explanation was given to the disciples in a house (13:36) in response to the disciples' query as to its meaning.
Context of Two Other Parables
While the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds is given only by Matthew, two other parables are related to it. The one is the Parable of the Growing Seed - Mark 4:26-29. The Kingdom is compared with a man's scattering seed which grows and is harvested. The other is the Parable of the Dragnet. (Matthew 13:47-50) The Kingdom is compared with a net of good and bad fish which are separated on Judgment Day. The latter parable appears in next Sunday's Gospel.
Context of the Lectionary Lesson
The First Lesson. (Exodus 3:1-12) At the burning bush Yahweh reveals himself to Moses and calls him to lead the Israelites out of their bondage in Egypt to a land of milk and honey.
The Second Lesson. (Romans 8:18-25) Humanity joins in with the whole creation in longing for redemption from the bondage of decay to the glorious liberty of God's children.
Gospel. (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) Jesus tells the parable of the Wheat and Weeds (vv. 24-30) and the church through Matthew gives her allegorical interpretation of it. (vv. 36-43)
Psalm. (Psalm 103:1-13) In keeping with Lesson 1, God shows his mercy and grace by vindicating oppressed people.
Prayer of the Day. In the light of the parable's good and bad seed, we pray that the Lord will "pour upon us the spirit to think and do what is right."
Hymn of the Day. "On What Has Now Been Sown~' In and through the Word the seed of truth and goodness has been sown in our hearts and we ask God's blessing upon it.
Context of Related Scriptures
Daniel 12:3 - The righteous shall shine like the stars. (cf. Matthew 13:43)
Matthew 18:15-17 - How to exclude sinning church members.
John 12:42 - Fear of being removed from the rolls.
John 12:47 - Jesus did not come to condemn.
John 13:27-30 - Night in the soul.
1 Corinthians 4:5 - "Do not pronounce judgment before the time ..."
1 Corinthians 5:1-2 - Excommunication on moral grounds.
Galatians 1:6-9 - Excommunication on doctrinal grounds.
Context
The Authenticity of the Parable
The consensus of scholarly opinion is that the parable of the Wheat and Weeds is to be regarded as a genuine parable of Jesus. (13:24-30) Likewise, there is general agreement that the interpretation of the parable (vv. 36-43) is a product of Matthew and the early church. The interpretation reflects the concerns of the early church and the linguistic characteristics of Matthew which are not present in the parable itself. Another difference between the parable and the interpretation is in the themes. The theme of the parable is the patience of God, but the theme of the interpretation is the allegorical and eschatological description of the burning of the weeds on Judgment Day. Furthermore, the parable was addressed openly to the people whereas the interpretation was given to the disciples in the privacy of a home.
Since the church is given the credit for the interpretation, is it therefore not authentic or worthy of acceptance? We cannot say, "Thus said the Lord", in so many words, but we can say, "This saith the Lord", because the church may be speaking the mind of the Lord in this instance.
Precis of the Parable
The Kingdom of God is like a man's sowing good seed in his field, but one night, while all were sleeping, an enemy sowed weeds among the wheat. When the wheat grew up and heads appeared, the weeds were seen. The farmer's workers came to him and asked, "You sowed good seed; where did the weeds come from?" The farmer answered, "This is the work of an enemy." "Shall we pull up the weeds?" "No, because if you do, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let the wheat and the weeds remain together until harvest. Then I'll ask you to pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles to burn them, and then take the wheat into the barn."
When Jesus left the crowds and entered a house, the disciples asked him for an explanation of the parable. He explained as follows. The man who sowed the wheat is the Christ, the field is the world, the wheat is the good people, and the weeds are the bad ones belonging to Satan. The harvest is Judgment Day and the angels are the reapers. As weeds are gathered and burned, Christ will send out angels to gather evildoers and throw them into a fiery furnace where they will suffer. In contrast, God's people will shine like the sun. "If you have ears, take heed!"
Thesis:
The patience of God with evildoers.
Theme:
Stamp out or wait out evil?
Key Words in the Parable
1. "Kingdom of heaven?' (v. 24) Jesus is describing the nature of the "kingdom of heaven." In Matthew the Kingdom of God is the Kingdom of Heaven. God's Kingdom is where he reigns and where his people reside. They are the good seed or the wheat. The faithful people of God adore, praise, and obey him. In part, the church is the Kingdom of Heaven. In part God's kingdom is on earth, but at the Parousia it will come in its fullness.
2. "Field?' (vv. 24, 38) In the parable itself the "field" is the Kingdom of Heaven, but in the explanation "the field is the world." If the latter, we can understand that there are wheat and weeds in the world, for it takes all kinds of people to make a world. Our daily newspapers give abundant evidence that weeds exist in the world. But, is the field also the Kingdom? If so, the church has both wheat and weeds, do-gooders and evil-doers. Does this parable focus on the world or the church? Could it apply to both?
3. "Sleeping?' (v. 25) The enemy did his dirty work while people were asleep. Evil flourishes during the night, for evil loves darkness to hide its work. When Judas Iscariot left the Upper Room to betray Jesus, the record says, "It was night' When good people are off guard and there is ease in Zion, the enemy sows seeds of discord. When good people do nothing and sleep in self-contentment, bad people seize the opportunity to sow bad seed.
4. "Enemy." (vv. 25, 28, 39) An enemy of the good farmer sowed the bad seed in his field. Who was this enemy? We do not know where he came from nor where he went. Matthew identifies the enemy as "the devil." (v. 39) No one knows or ever will know where Satan came from. All we know and need to know is that evil is a reality in our world. There is an evil power that works us harm. Evil is as real as goodness, the devil as real as God. Satan is the Christian's dreadful enemy who was defeated on and by the cross of Christ.
5. "Weeds." (vv. 25, 26, 27) The word for "weeds" in Greek is zizamia, or darnel. It is a troublesome and poisonous weed resembling wheat. It grows to the height of wheat but has a darker color. It is so much like wheat that it cannot be distinguished as weeds until the wheat matures in heads of grain. Hypocrites are weeds that look and act like wheat until harvest time. This makes it difficult to judge who is a genuine Christian.
6. "Together." (v. 30) In the parable the farmer instructs his farmhands not to pull out the weeds but to let the weeds and wheat remain together until harvest time. It is a very practical piece of advice, for getting rid of the weeds also does the same for the wheat. It expresses the patience God has for sinners and his concern for the welfare of his people.
7. "Harvest." (v. 30) There is promised a twofold harvest: the harvest of wheat and the harvest of weeds. The wheat goes into God's barn, heaven, for safe keeping. The weeds get burned up in the midst of anguish. There is a judgment coming. Evil will be destroyed. Goodness will prevail.
Contemplation
Insights
1. The Gospel in the parable. Where is the Gospel in this parable for preachers to proclaim? It is in the patience and forbearance of God, the farmer. We laborers would tear up the weeds at once, but God orders us to leave them with the wheat until the harvest. The love of God is seen in his not wanting to harm the wheat or lose the wheat (his children) by pulling up the weeds. Wheat and weeds are to remain together until Judgment Day when God, not people, will settle the account. Because the weeds are poisonous and interfere with the growth of the wheat, they deserve to be pulled up, but in his concern for the welfare of his people, he orders the laborers to leave the weeds with the wheat. Humans are prone to use violence in eradicating evil but God will have no part in it.
2. Life in perspective. The parable helps us to see life in perspective, sub specie aeternatatis. In this parable Jesus gives us an end-view of time. At the end of time the good will prevail and prosper while evil will be destroyed. The righteous (wheat) will then shine like the sun in glory. Today evil may have its hour. The fields may be sown with the seeds of evil, but even in these bad times we see the ultimate outcome. With God we are on the winning side of life. This truth gives us confidence and serenity for the living of these days.
3. The reality of evil. Followers of Jesus do not take a Pollyanna view of life saying "All's right with the world." Evil is a reality, a fierce force in the world. The enemy, Satan, sows the seeds of discord in society. The harvest of the diabolical seeds is sin. Evil is not an illusion or a figment of the imagination. Satan is as real as God. His work can be seen in a daily newspaper's account of theft, murder, and rape. There are bad people in the world and we kid ourselves when we claim all people are inherently good. We do not know the origin of Satan. If he is a rebellious angel, we do not know why he rebelled. All we know and need to know is that he is alive and well. His existence is proved by his wicked fruit.
4. The certainty of judgment. The weeds are to be gathered and then burned for fuel. Moreover, the interpretation of the parable (vv. 40-42) says that the angels will throw evildoers into the furnace of fire. We understand, of course, that this is figurative language. But, the truth is that there is a real judgment coming regardless how we describe it. Justice demands a settling of accounts, and God is just. In athletics, when a rule is broken, there is always a penalty. Every bubble eventually bursts. A judgment day is coming to eradicate evil and to reward the faithful with life.
5. The nature of the church. It would be wonderful if the church consisted only of wheat and no weeds. Since every Christian is simul justus et peccator, saint and sinner, it is logical that every church consists of wheat and weeds. Which is which? Since darnel is so like wheat, we cannot tell who is a true Christian until maturity when we shall know them by their works. Who then is capable of judging who is not a Christian? Are we not all weeds to some extent even though by grace we are the wheat of God's people adopted in Baptism? Not all who say, "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom, says Jesus. The church is not a museum of perfect people but a hospital of needy sinners in need of daily repentance and forgiveness.
6. The weeds of night. Darkness is associated with evil. Sin hates the light. Crime is more prevalent when the streets are dark. Because there is night in the soul, a person succumbs to the weeds of disobedience. Another reason the "enemy" sows bad seed among us is that we are asleep. When we don't care what happens to our society, when we are too self-satisfied with our own lot in life, when we want only to be left alone to go our own merry way, Satan does his dirty work. Jesus cries, "Watch and pray." Be aware that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. "Awake, awake" for Satan is near to sow his seed of weeds!
Homily Hints
1. What to Do with Weeds. (13:24-30) The presence of weeds (evil) in church and society is universally accepted. The question is what to do with them. In our gardens and farms we get rid of weeds. Shall we do the same with evildoers? Consider the options -
A. Evaluate - which is weed and wheat? - v. 27.
B. Expel the weeds - pull them up - v. 28.
C. Tolerate the weeds until harvest - v. 29.
D. Commit the weeds to God's judgment - v. 30.
2. How Did These Weeds Get Here? (13:24-30) Often a gardener is amazed to find weeds popping up amidst flowers and vegetables. How did they get there? Who planted them? This was the same question the farmer's workers asked, "Did you not sow good seed in your field?" It is an ancient and universal question: Where does evil come from? Why do people commit crimes? In seeking an answer, consider -
A. Evil (weeds) is a reality - a fact of life - v. 25.
B. Evil is the work of an enemy - v. 28.
C. Evil has no future - v. 30.
3. Which are You - Weed or Wheat? (13:24-30) According to the parable, it is difficult to know what is weed and what is wheat. Darnel looks so much like wheat that it is often taken for wheat. Weeds and wheat represent people, the good and the bad. Do we consider ourselves weeds, wheat, or both?
A. As humans, we are weeds - sinners.
B. As Christians, we are wheat - adopted children of God.
C. As human-Christians, we are wheat and weeds - saints and sinners.
4. Why is God Patient with Sinners? (13:28-30) In this parable the Gospel comes through clearly. Like the farmer, God tolerates the existence of evildoers until the end-time. His love is expressed in his patience with sinners. In this sermon we want to learn for our encouragement and assurance why he is patient with sinners.
A. Because God wishes to protect his own (wheat) - v. 29.
B. Because God hopes sinners will later repent - cf. repentant thief on cross.
C. Because God's nature is to love and rescue the lost - v. 30.
5. Learning to Live in an Evil World. (13:24-30) The parable seems to teach us that Christ does not want us to uproot the weeds (evildoers) in church and society. We are living in a corrupt world. Evildoers surround us. Instead of expelling them or withdrawing from them, we are to learn to live with them. How can this be done?
A. Accept sinners as they are - weeds.
B. Protect yourself from whatever harm they may do - "Let both grow together."
C. Pray for their repentance - from weed to wheat.
D. Commit them to God's judgment - v. 30.
Contact
Points of Contact
1. Weeds in the world. In discussing the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds we come into immediate contact with weeds (evildoers) in the world. The daily newspaper is sufficient evidence of wickedness. Every area of society is penetrated and saturated with evil. It is expressed in killing, stealing, raping, and abusing women and children. Man's inhumanity to man and all creation is well-known and deplored.
2. Weeds in the church. Because the church consists of imperfect people, weeds are found there. The world has no monopoly on sin. To the shame of Christ, his church is often found guilty of gross immoralities: adultery, sexual abuse of children by clergymen, the embezzlement of church funds, etc. Hatred, prejudices, gossip, bigotry, pride, and selfishness abound among church members. No one can preach today's parable on wheat and weeds without striking fire.
3. Wheat, too! There are more than enough weeds, but there is wheat, too. Both church and society have good citizens and faithful people of God. For the sake of these good people, we are not to tear up the weeds lest we damage the wheat. For the sake of the Gospel-believing, we tolerate evildoers with as much forbearance as possible. We know the ultimate end of God's wheat; they shall shine like the sun!
Points to Ponder
1. Where are the weeds? As indicated above, we find weeds of sin in church and society. But, does the parable deal with weeds in the world or in the church? On the one hand, the church seems to be the focus, for Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven with a field in which bad seed is sown. (v. 25) On the other hand, Matthew's interpretation indicates that the field in which the seed was sown is the world. (v. 38) In The Parables of Jesus, George Buttrick takes the position that this parable does not apply to the church, for the church did not exist at this time. He feels it has nothing to do with church discipline. Rather, he says it deals with the age-old problem of the existence of evil in the world. Does this mean then that the church consists of nothing but wheat? But, we know better than that! Does it mean that the world is full only of weeds? We can't buy that either! Is the truth of the matter that in both church and world there is a mixture of wheat and weeds? In that case, the parable applies to both realms.
2. No exclusion ever? The parable makes the point that the weeds are to remain with the wheat until Judgment Day. If we apply this to the world, does it mean that nothing should be done to curb or eradicate crime by fines, jail sentences, or capital punishment? Is there to be no deterrance to evil doing? What kind of a society would we have if criminal activity were not eliminated or at least curbed? Does the parable really mean this?
Or, apply the principle to the church. Are we never to remove names from the church rolls for immoral purposes? Is excommunication against this parable? This has been a question for the church since the Donatist Controversy of the Fourth Century. The Donatists believed that heretics should be excluded from the church, but Augustine disagreed with them. In Matthew 18 Jesus tells how a sinner is to be excluded. Paul would excommunicate a false preacher and he called upon the Corinthian church to oust a man for immoral behavior. Calvin had Servetus executed because he did not accept the doctrine of the Trinity. At times churches defrock their ministers for sinful living. Governing boards of congregations may have authority to cancel a person's church membership. Is this not uprooting weeds from the wheat?
Is this a solution? Is this what the parable is saying to us today? The parable is not primarily dealing with discipline or exclusion of members. It is a question of the wheat withdrawing from the weeds. Jesus was one who mingled and ate with sinners. He was not like the Pharisees who separated themselves from non-religious people as they thought of them: publicans, Samaritans, women, and sinners. Jesus would not have us separate ourselves from the world like the Essenes and the Quamram settlement by the Dead Sea. Christ is teaching us to be in the world planted by weeds without judging them and uprooting them until God separates the good from the bad on Judgment Day.
Illustrative Materials
1. Uprooting the Weeds. A governing body is given authority to exclude offending members: "Hear the duties of the office to which you have been elected by this congregation ... that discipline be maintained, the erring admonished, and the impenitent excluded from the communion of the church ..."
After the Civil War in southern Appalachia, some Unionists demanded that the Confederate members apologize for supporting the Confederacy. Anyone refusing to do so was removed from the church roll.
Since its opening in 1848, no clergy person has been allowed inside the gates of Philadelphia's Girard College. The college was founded by Stephen Girard with a six million dollar gift. In his will he directed, "I enjoin and require that no ecclesiastic, missionary, or minister of any sect whatsoever, shall ever hold or exercise any station or duty whatever in the said college; nor shall any such person ever be admitted for any purpose or as a visitor, within the premises."
2. Weeds in the Church. When a couple moved into a new town, they at once went to a local church. Within five months the choir director ran off with a seventeen-year-old soprano, leaving his wife and two children. The high school coach became involved with the wife of the principal. The minister's son was arrested for pushing dope. The woman who runs the home for the aged was investigatad for running poker games in the basement.
3. All Are Weeds. In a certain village a baker bought butter from a neighboring farmer. One day he became suspicious that the butter was not the right weight. For several days he weighed the butter and found it short. He arrested the farmer for fraudulent dealing. At the trial the judge asked the farmer how he managed to weigh the butter. He explained, "When the baker commenced buying butter of me I thought I would get my bread of him and it is in one-pound loaves. I used one of his one-pound loaves to determine a pound of butter. If the weight of the butter is wrong, he is to blame."
4. Wheat with Weeds. In the chancel of a church there is a painting of Jesus at a table with his disciples. He is in the center, dressed in white, and around him are the disciples. A visitor came in, looked at the picture, and exclaimed, "Where are the sinners? Didn't Jesus eat and drink with sinners?"
5. The Ugliest Word. Near the end of his life, Carl Sandburg in Hendersonville, North Carolina, was asked by a reporter, "What in your opinion is the ugliest word in the English language?" Carl frowned and repeated, "the ugliest word in the English language." The reporter and television audience waited with anticipation. He looked in the distance as he contemplated the answer. He continued to mumble, "Ugliest, ugliest word?" Finally as everyone strained forward to hear his answer, he said, "The ugliest word is - exclusive."
