365 Days in the Gospels and Spirit of Prophecy

Wheat & Weeds — March 27 ^{[Description]}

Bible discovery

Matthew 13:24-30 365D 86.1

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 365D 86.2

25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 365D 86.3

26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 365D 86.4

27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 365D 86.5

28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 365D 86.6

29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 365D 86.7

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ” 365D 86.8

Spirit of Prophecy Reading

Christ’s Object Lessons pp.70-75: 365D 86.9

This chapter is based on Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:37-43. 365D 86.10

“Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.” 365D 86.11

“The field,” Christ said, “is the world.” But we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world. The parable is a description of that which pertains to the kingdom of God, His work of salvation of men; and this work is accomplished through the church. True, the Holy Spirit has gone out into all the world; everywhere it is moving upon the hearts of men; but it is in the church that we are to grow and ripen for the garner of God. 365D 86.12

“He that sowed the good seed is the Son of man.... The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.” The good seed represents those who are born of the word of God, the truth. The tares represent a class who are the fruit or embodiment of error, of false principles. “The enemy that sowed them is the devil.” Neither God nor His angels ever sowed a seed that would produce a tare. The tares are always sown by Satan, the enemy of God and man. 365D 86.13

The Saviour does not point forward to a time when all the tares become wheat. The wheat and tares grow together until the harvest, the end of the world. Then the tares are bound in bundles to be burned, and the wheat is gathered into the garner of God. “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Then “the Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” 365D 86.14