Parable of the Tares
From Sensus Plenior
- Mt 13:24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
- Mt 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
- Mt 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
- Mt 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
- Mt 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
- Mt 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
- Mt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Hidden wisdom
- Man: Christ
- Seed: The Word of God, Christ.
- Field: The word field שדה is the same as a concubine or wife שדה. It is those who are to be 'harvested'. The bride of Christ has a dual nature. The flesh nature has no inheritance, as represented by the concubine. The bride is a co-heir of Christ.
- The Hebrews were supposed to harvest a field but leave the corners unharvested. The circle of harvest was the circumcision. The sojourners (outside of the circumcision) among them were permitted to harvest the corners. The field included Jews and Gentiles.
- Slept: Christ received his bride through his death just as Adam received his bride through his sleep. Men slept: They had not yet been redeemed.
- Wheat: חתה is the same as 'snatch up' חתה. The wheat is to be harvested by God.
- It is a pun to חטא meaning both 'sinner' and 'purify'. The wheat is purified sinners.
- Tares: As the second part of two (wheat and tares) it is the earthly manifestation of the spiritual wheat. Our nature is both wheat and tares. Adam was first accepted, then sinned. Paul said he was alive until the law came, then he died. As children we are accepted by Christ, then we are convicted of sin.
Retelling the mystery
- Mt 13:24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Christ revealed himself to the people he had chosen. [1]
- Mt 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
While men were dead in sin, the flesh, and the system of the world (mammon) tempted them.
- Mt 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
When the spirit was revived, the flesh came along with it. Paul said that when the law came, he died, and he did not do the things he wanted to do.
- Mt 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
The servants of God asked where the sinful nature came from.
- Mt 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
The enemy of God (mammon) has done this. They asked if they should gather them up.
- Mt 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
The wheat and the tares are inseperable until the day of his coming. They are the two natures that we have; flesh and spirit.
- Mt 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Paul cried out, Ro 7:24 "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Christ delivers us at the time of death.
