HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 13:24-30
Jesus tells the people the Parable of the Weeds. The kingdom of heaven is like the man who sowed the good seed. But while everyone was sleeping, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat seeds. When both sprouted, the servants wanted to pull the weeds. The man said not to because they may accidentally pull wheat, too. Instead, let them both grow together until harvest. At that time, you can collect the weeds for burning and then store the what in his barn.
SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 13:36-43
The disciples asked Jesus to explain the Parable of the Weeds. Jesus says that the man is the Son of God (him). The field is the world. The good seeds are believers. The weeds are unbelievers. The enemy is the devil. The harvest is at the Second Coming. The harvesters are angels who will weed out sin and evil. Unbelievers will be thrown into the fiery furnace at the end of the age where they will weep and gnash teeth. The righteous will shine in the kingdom.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 5: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
13)
The two sowers: the sower who sowed the good seed is Jesus. The sower who sowed the weeds is the devil.
The good seed: believers
The weeds: unbelievers
The harvest: the Second Coming
The harvesters: angels
14a) Satan comes when you least expect it and when you are most vulnerable.
b) The man said not to pull the weeds because they may accidentally pull wheat, too — meaning they could accidentally cause a believer to fall, or pull a believer and put them in the wrong pile and burn at the Second Coming.
c) Because unbelievers act like believers at times, and believers sin, too. Since we are all human and sin, it’s hard to distinguish those who ask for forgiveness from God and those who do not.
d) God decides who will be His and who won’t. When we focus on growing believers in their relationship with Christ, more good is done for his kingdom and perhaps more unbelievers will turn, too.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 5: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
I liked this parable because it’s pretty clear what Jesus is saying. There will always be weeds/unbelievers amongst the harvest/believers. We can work to make ourselves more distinguishable by trying to be more like Christ every day. Then perhaps the weeds will be more likely to come to Jesus. It’s cool how we get to study the meaning explained by Jesus himself at the same time. I like how BSF does this. Plus, it shows the power we have in our hands of having the privilege of reading God’s word. The early Christians did not have this privilege.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 13, Day 5: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
The devil hopes to destroy the sower’s work/believers with his weeds, or sin, that is growing amongst them.
This parable comes immediately after the Parable of the Sower because people may be wondering if they should separate themselves from unbelievers.
Note that in the Parable of the Sower, the seeds are the Word of God. Here the seeds sprout to wheat, which represents believers. The Parable of the Sower shows how people respond to God’s Word; the Parable of the Weeds shows how believers will be eternally separated from unbelievers at the End Times and how the enemy tries to deceive believers.
The weeds and the harvest would grow together till it would be obvious which was which at tht End Times.
Fun Fact: Those who disliked others would, in fact, plant weeds in their enemies’ fields to sabotage the harvest. This was common enough that a Roman law existed making it illegal to do this.
Note that God divides the people at the End Times.
Many early priests tried to turn this from the world to the church, meaning there were weeds amongst the church. However, it is clear Jesus means the world (including the Gentiles). God will divide; not us. In sum, there will always be unbelievers in the world.
Note the role angels play; they will help sort the unbelievers and believers at the End Times. Pretty cool!
Jesus does not dice words. Unbelievers will burn (note the wailing and the gnashing of teeth we see in Revelation), and believers will shine in eternity. I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of shining!
What the Parable of the Weeds Means to Us
We are to focus on planting seeds, not pulling weeds, meaning we focus on preaching the Good News and bringing others to Christ, not on judging or condemning weeds or unbelievers who still may turn to Christ.
Our job is to bear fruit. What fruit are you bearing?
Contact me today!
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