Oh for the Love of Weeds (Matt 13:24-30; 37-39)
Verse 24 The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of God. Jesus tends to use these terms interchangeably.
- The man or farmer here is representing Jesus, verse 37
- With the term “good seed” Jesus is referring to wheat but in parable form it represents us.
- The good seeds represent the children of God. Those who believe in Jesus, verse 38
- From this verse we also see that Jesus is referring to the whole world; It’s the word cosmos.
Verse 25 This was a somewhat common practice in the day. The Roman government even had a law against this.
- The weed seeds would have been Darnel.
- Which was a poisonous weed that carried a fungus that would also attack the wheat.
- Only as the plants grows can it be distinguished from the wheat.
- Now in the literal world this would have been an enemy or competing farmer.
- Someone with evil intent trying or get an edge in the market.
- In the Spirit world this is satan, verse 38
- Jesus says this covert operation from the enemy happens at night; the enemy is trying to hide and conceal his work.
Verse 26 After the wheat gets to the point of having grain heads which is several months, you can now recognize the weeds. Of course, by the time you can recognize the weeds it’s too late. Jesus is referring to the people around us.
Verse 27 In the parable the servants on the farm now recognize the problem and come ask the owner a question.
- They call into question the quality of the seed he used.
- Also in the spirit realm, there will be those that question the goodness of God when troubled times come.
Verse 28 The owner or farmer has seen this before and calls out what the real problem is. An enemy has done this.
- Verse 39 Jesus said, “and the enemy who sows them is the devil….
Verse 29 The owner or farmer wisely tell his workers not to pull the weeds but to leave them.
- First, wheat is planted very closely, very dense population of plants.
- If you pull the weeds you will also uproot the wheat.
- You will also trample the wheat walking into it to pull the weeds.
- Second reason, the fungus carried by the darnel would easily be spread by spores when disturbed.
- So, the moral of the parable is God will leave the evil ones in our midst.
- The evil people wouldn’t get an opportunity to hear the Gospel and repent.
Verse 30 The farmer’s advice is to leave the weeds and let them grow together with the wheat.
- This is a point that Jesus often makes, that evil and good will exist alongside each other until the end of time.
- So how do we live in light of this?
- Stop trying to separate and judge what we cannot.
- Pray: Our best chance of seeing effective change is through prayer
- Evangelize: One of the reasons God leaves them is so they have a chance to repent.
- See the Kingdom in it: What is God up to? Walk in the tension. Already/us and the Not yet, weeds/lost.
- 5 Love well: In the Kingdom transformation is always possible through love.