PARABLE OF THE TARES
Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. Jesus was indeed the Master teacher.
1. He was the Master in the use of illustrations. His parables
are nothing more than illustrations which teach in a very
simple way His divine truth.
2. The parables of Jesus are some of the most beautiful to be
found in all the literature ever written.
B. In this lesson we want to consider one of those parables - the
parable of the tares. It was recorded only by Matthew.
I. IN MATT. 13:24-30, JESUS GIVES HIS PARABLE OF THE TARES.
A. We must understand the simple import of the physical, first.
1. If we can understand the physical side, we likely can also
understand the spiritual.
2. Vs. 24 - "Kingdom..is like" - Thus, this parable covers
another phase of the kingdom.
3. Vs. 25 - "While men slept" - That which happens here is no
fault of their own.
a. "Tares" - Lit. "darnel"; a species in the same family of
wheat, barley, rye, etc. It has a blade very similar to
the wheat and cannot be distinguished until it forms its
seed head.
(1) This weed is a very sore pest to farmers.
b. It was a very malicious act to do what was done here.
4. Vs. 29 - The roots are so interwoven that we could not
uproot the one without the other.
5. Vs. 30 - This was absolutely the best wisdom to this basic
problem.
B. All parables have a deeper meaning than revealed on the
surface.
1. There are only two parables explained in detail by Jesus -
this one and the parable of the sower.
2. Most of the parables need no explanation, i.e., the parable
of the pearl of great price is easily understood without
explanation. Matt. 13:45-46
3. Thanks to the disciples, Jesus gives a detailed explanation
of His parable. Vs. 36-43
II. JESUS' EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE.
A. Vs. 37 - Jesus makes "good seeds" by the teaching of the
gospel.
1. Everyone must hear and learn it to be "good seeds." John
6:44-45
B. Vs. 38 - "The field is the world." Some have used this passage
to teach that the church should not practice discipline.
1. However, the contrast is not between the good and wicked
in the church, but between those outside and those within.
2. The tares are those outside the kingdom; but, as we will
see, there are some on the inside as well.
3. Clearly, the Lord now exercises authority over the world and
all must submit to His law. Matt. 28:18; Acts 17:30
C. Vs. 38b-42
1. The devil has his own doctrines and ministers. 1 Tim.
4:1-3; 2 Cor. 11:13-15
a. Untold thousands today are influenced by the wicked
one rather than Christ.
b. Whatever is amiss today in our lives, homes, or the
church, we can rest assured that it is from the wicked
one and not Christ.
2. The great harvest comes at the end of this age.
a. As the farmer who left the tares and wheat to grow
together until the harvest, so there will be a
co-existence of the good and bad until the end.
3. The angels will work with the Lord at the end. They are
coming with Him when He returns. 2 Thess. 1:7-9
4. The punishment of the wicked is one of the main points of
the parable.
a. "Furnace of fire" - One of Jesus' expressions for the
eternal hell fire.
b. "Wailing and gnashing of teeth - Because of the intense
pain and suffering.
c. Jesus' teaching should cause us to utterly fear hell. We
should do all we can to avoid going there.
5. Vs. 41 - The angels will gather:
a. "Out of kingdom all things that offend." Those who
cause offenses. Matt. 18:6-7; Rom. 16:17-18
b. "Those who practice lawlessness." Any who practice
lawlessness (going against law, acting without law),
whether in or out of the kingdom, will be cast in to the
furnace of fire. Matt. 7:22-23; Rom. 2:6-9
D. Vs. 43 - In contrast to the punishment of the wicked is the
glorious splender that the saints will receive. Dan. 12:3; Rev.
21:3-5
1. "He who has ears" - In other words, "Folks, listen up!"
Listen closely. Listen attentively. These words are
important.
III. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PARABLE.
A. The premillennial theory cannot be true. Vs. 38-41
1. People who receive and obey the gospel are the sons of the
kingdom in this age now.
2. Thus, there will be no outside interference with the present
situation on earth until the end of this age. At the end of
this age, the great harvest comes. Actually, Jesus said,
"The harvest IS the end of the age." Vs. 39
a. The Lord did not teach that the rapture, battle of
Armageddon, or thousand year reign will come at the
end. These ideas come from man, not God.
B. The kingdom is spoken of in both the present and future. Vs.
38, 41-43
1. There are sons of the kingdom now. Vs. 38; Col. 1:13; Heb.
12:28
2. After the judgment, there will be the eternal kingdom. Vs.
43; 2 Pet. 1:11
C. "Once saved always saved" cannot possibly be true. Vs. 41
1. The Son of Man will gather out of His kingdom all things
that offend.
2. The wicked in the kingdom are sons of the kingdom, but
accursed sons. 2 Pet. 2:14
D. God is longsuffering. Vs. 39, 28-29
1. The wicked are not immediately punished. God could easily
strike the wicked dead if He so desired.
a. He did so in a few cases to teach us lessons. Examples:
Nadab and Abihu, Ananias and Sapphira.
b. Also, all of us are given time and opportunity to repent.
2 Pet. 3:9
2. God's longsuffering is in consideration of the righteous as
well. Matt. 13:28-29
E. Though the good and bad remain together in this world, yet
there is coming a great day when they shall be parted.
1. All who practice lawlessness will be cast into the lake of
fire.
a. Let us, knowing the terrors of the Lord, not practice
iniquity.
b. Let us avoid hell at all cost.
2. In that great day, the righteous will shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their father.
a. They shall shine by reflection of light radiated from the
great Fountain of Light. Rev. 21:23; 22:4-5
b. Let us seek to be found of that happy number.
Concl.
A. As we said, the parables of Jesus teach eternal truths in a way
that all can understand.
1. Even a small child can understand this parable.
B. The parable of the tares gives an overall view of now and the
hereafter. In this simple parable lies all of God's dealings
with the human race.
1. Through the teaching of His Son, people become sons of the
kingdom.
2. Through the influence of the devil, people are sons of the
wicked one.
3. There will be this co-existence of good and bad until the
end.
4. In the end, the great harvest will come.
a. The righteous will shine in glorious splender, but the
wicked will be thrown into the furnace of fire.
C. In view of all these things, in the great words of the apostle
Peter, "What manner of persons ought we to be?" 2 Pet. 3:11
D. Remember, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one
is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God." John 3:5
1. Are you a son of the kingdom? If not, why not become one
now?
Chart #1
The angels will gather:
I. "Out of kingdom all things that offend."
A. Those who cause offenses. Matt. 18:6-7;
Rom. 16:17-18
II. "Those who practice lawlessness."
A. Any who practice lawlessness (going
against law, acting without law), whether
in or out of the kingdom, will be cast into
the furnace of fire. Matt. 7:22-23; Rom. 2:6-9
Chart #2
Lessons learned from the parable:
I. The premillennial theory cannot be true. Vs.
38-41
II. The kingdom is spoken of in both the
present and future. Vs. 38, 41-43
III. "Once saved always saved" cannot possibly
be true. Vs. 41
IV. God is longsuffering. Vs. 39, 28-29
V. There will be two final abodes after the great
harvest. Vs. 41-43
A. All who practice lawlessness will be cast
into the lake of fire.
B. The righteous will shine forth as the sun
in the kingdom of their father.