For December 10
The parable of the wheat and tares teaches that God allows true believers and the children of the evil one to grow side by side in the world until the final harvest. Then Christ will separate them justly. Jesus explains it himself: the field is the world, the enemy is the devil, and the harvest is when this age ends.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus interprets this parable himself in Matthew 13:36-43, so we don’t have to guess its meaning.
- The ESV calls the tares weeds; they were likely darnel, a plant that looks like wheat until it ripens.
- “The field is the world” (Matthew 13:38, ESV), not the church, though the lesson applies there too.
- God’s patience delays judgment, not because evil doesn’t matter but to protect the wheat.
- At the end, the righteous will blaze like the sun in their Father’s kingdom (Matthew 13:43).
The Setting: Matthew 13’s Kingdom Parables
Matthew 13 gathers seven parables about the kingdom of heaven. It opens with the Sower parable, which shows how people respond to God’s word. The wheat and tares comes next and answers a natural question: if the kingdom has come in Jesus, why is there still so much evil in the world? Why doesn’t God simply remove it now? The mustard seed and leaven follow, showing that the kingdom starts small but grows.
A Note on the Word Tares
Older English Bibles say tares. The ESV says weeds. The plant Jesus had in mind was probably darnel, a ryegrass that looks almost exactly like wheat in its early stages. Its roots wrap around the wheat’s roots. Only when the heads form can a farmer clearly tell them apart. Sowing darnel in an enemy’s field was a known act of sabotage in the ancient world.
Reading the Parable
The enemy’s sowing (verses 24-26)
A farmer plants good seed, but during the night, while everyone slept, an enemy came, scattered weeds through the wheat, and slipped away (Matthew 13:25). When the plants sprout, the weeds appear too.
The servants’ question (verses 27-28)
The servants are puzzled: the master sowed good seed, so where did the weeds come from? The master answers that an enemy did it (Matthew 13:27-28). Evil in the world isn’t God’s planting. It has an enemy behind it.
The master’s patience (verses 28-30)
The servants offer to pull the weeds up at once. The master says no, because pulling the weeds could uproot the wheat too. Both should grow side by side until harvest (Matthew 13:29-30). At harvest the reapers will gather the weeds to be burned and bring the wheat into the barn.
Jesus’ Own Explanation (verses 36-43)
Later, indoors, the disciples ask Jesus to explain. He gives a point-by-point key:
| In the story | What it means |
|---|---|
| The sower of good seed | The Son of Man (Jesus) |
| The field | The world |
| The good seed | The kingdom’s children |
| The weeds | The evil one’s children |
| The enemy | The devil |
| The harvest | The final judgment at history’s close |
| The reapers | Angels |
Jesus explains: “The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one” (Matthew 13:38, ESV). When this age closes, Jesus will send his angels to remove everything that causes sin and everyone who does evil, and they will face judgment. Then the righteous will blaze like the sun in their Father’s kingdom; whoever has ears should listen (Matthew 13:43).
What the Parable Means
Evil is real, and it has a source
Jesus doesn’t pretend the world is all wheat. He names an enemy who works while others sleep. The presence of evil isn’t evidence that God has failed or doesn’t care. It’s evidence that there is a real spiritual enemy at work (1 Peter 5:8).
God’s patience is purposeful
Why does God wait? The master’s reason is protective: pulling the weeds now would damage the wheat. God’s timing is wiser than ours. His delay also gives people time to repent. A person who looks like a weed today may yet become wheat by God’s grace. Paul himself was once an enemy of the church.
Judgment belongs to God
The servants weren’t told to do the separating; the reapers are angels, sent at the end. This guards against two errors. One is impatience, trying to purge the world of every evil by force. The other is pride, assuming we can always tell who truly belongs to Christ. Jesus will judge rightly. That doesn’t mean churches ignore sin; Matthew 18:15-17 still calls for loving discipline. But final, perfect sorting is the Lord’s work.
The harvest is coming
The parable ends with both warning and hope. The judgment Jesus describes is serious; it should move us to make sure we belong to him. And for those who do, the future is radiant: they will blaze like the sun. Waiting among weeds won’t last forever.
Living Among the Weeds
How should this shape our lives?
- Don’t be shocked by evil. Jesus told us to expect it until the harvest.
- Don’t lose heart. The enemy’s work won’t win. The harvest belongs to the Master.
- Don’t play judge. Leave final verdicts to Christ, and examine your own heart first (Matthew 7:3-5).
- Do grow. Wheat’s job is to grow and bear fruit, even in a crowded field.
- Do share the gospel. While the field still grows, there’s time for people to come to Christ.
You’ll find more of Jesus’ kingdom stories in our Parables of Jesus guide.
Questions for Reflection
- Why do you think the enemy sowed weeds while everyone was asleep?
- How does God’s patience with evil also show his patience with you?
- Where are you tempted to pull up weeds in your own strength?
- What does it look like to grow faithfully in a crowded field?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the parable of the wheat and tares mean?
God lets believers and unbelievers live side by side in the world until history’s close, when Christ will separate them. Jesus explains that the field stands for the world and the weeds are the evil one’s offspring (Matthew 13:38).
What are tares in the Bible?
Tares are weeds, probably darnel, a grass that looks like wheat until it matures. The ESV translates the word as weeds. Jesus used them to picture people who belong to the evil one yet look similar to true believers for a time.
Why doesn’t God remove evil now?
In the parable, uprooting the weeds early would harm the wheat (Matthew 13:29). God’s patience protects his people and gives others time to repent (2 Peter 3:9). Judgment is delayed, not cancelled.
Does the parable mean the church shouldn’t practice discipline?
No. Jesus says the field is the world, not the church. Elsewhere he teaches loving church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17). The parable warns against trying to purge the world by force or claiming final judgment that belongs to Christ.
How is the parable of the wheat and tares related to the sower parable?
Both are in Matthew 13 and both use seed. The sower shows how individuals respond to God’s word. The wheat and tares shows the bigger picture: good and evil growing together in the world until the final harvest.
A Prayer
Lord of the harvest, thank you that the world is your field and that evil won’t have the last word. Help me grow faithfully where you’ve planted me, and leave judgment in your hands. Keep me rooted in Christ until the day the righteous shine like the sun. Amen.
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Related: Parable of the Sower Devotional
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Related: read: Devotional on Sowing and Reaping
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.