The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who 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 grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
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?’
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?’
But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
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.” ’ (Matt 13:24-30)
Within this parable, Jesus gives one of the most sobering descriptions of the present spiritual condition of the visible people of God. The parable of the wheat and the tares reveals a profound truth: until the final judgment, the kingdom community on earth will contain both genuine believers and false ones who look almost identical.
- The Field and the Seeds
Jesus later explains the symbols in this parable:
• The sower — the Son of Man (Christ)
• The good seed — the sons of the kingdom
• The tares (weeds) — the sons of the wicked one
• The enemy — the devil
• The harvest — the end of the age
• The reapers — angels
This means the parable is not merely about agriculture; it is a revelation of the spiritual battlefield within the visible kingdom of God.
Christ plants true believers.
But Satan plants counterfeit ones in the same field (weeds analogy in the parable).
- The Tares Look Like Wheat
The weed Jesus refers to closely resembles wheat while growing. Early in its development it is almost impossible to distinguish from true wheat.
That is the core of the parable.
False believers often look exactly like real ones.
They may:
• Attend church
• Speak Christian language
• Serve in ministry
• Sing worship songs
• Even believe themselves to be genuine
Jesus later warns similarly:
“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord…’” (Matthew 7:22)
The outward appearance can be nearly identical.
This is why Jesus teaches that the church on earth will always be a mixed field.
Inside the same congregation may be:
• genuine disciples
• spiritual infants
• hypocrites
• wolves
• deceived people who believe they belong to Christ
Externally they grow together.
- The Servants Want Immediate Removal
When the servants see the weeds, they react the way many believers instinctively do:
“Do you want us then to go and gather them up?”
Their instinct is purification through immediate separation.
But the farmer refuses.
- Why the Farmer Says “Leave Them”
The farmer gives a surprising reason:
“Lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.”
There are several layers to this wisdom.
- Roots Become Intertwined
In real fields, wheat and weeds grow intertwined underground. Pulling weeds too early can damage the wheat.
Spiritually, people in a church are deeply interconnected:
• families
• friendships
• discipleship relationships
• new believers learning the faith
Prematurely trying to root out every suspected false believer can damage real believers around them.
- Human Judgment Is Limited
At early stages it is difficult to distinguish genuine faith from false profession.
Some people appear spiritually dead but later bear fruit.
Others appear passionate but eventually fall away.
Only God sees the heart.
- Premature Removal Can Cause Division
Attempting to purge people too early can create:
• suspicion
• accusations
• factions
• church splits
Ironically, the attempt to protect the church may damage it more than the presence of the weeds themselves.
The enemy would gladly use such conflict to wound the body.
- Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
Elsewhere Jesus warns:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing.” (Matthew 7:15)
This aligns directly with the parable.
Some weeds are not merely immature believers.
Some are wolves pretending to be sheep.
They may:
• introduce false teaching
• stir division
• manipulate others
• undermine spiritual authority
• promote worldly priorities inside the church
Yet even here Jesus does not command immediate mass purges. Instead the church must walk a careful path of:
• discernment
• patience
• discipline when necessary
• but humility about final judgment
- The Day the Difference Appears
The most important line in the parable comes early:
“When the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.”
The difference becomes visible at the stage of fruit.
Wheat produces grain.
Tares do not.
Eventually a life reveals its true nature.
Jesus taught the same principle:
“By their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:16)
When Jesus says, “Judge not,” He is not forbidding discernment or correction. The passage itself shows that believers are expected to help remove the speck from a brother’s eye. The issue is not judgment itself but hypocritical judgment.
The problem Jesus addresses is when someone condemns another person while ignoring greater sin in their own life. Such judgment is blind and self-righteous.
Jesus’ instruction actually follows a clear order:
1. Examine yourself first.
2. Remove the plank from your own eye.
3. Then help your brother with his speck.
So the teaching is not “never judge,” but rather “judge rightly, humbly, and after examining yourself.”
This interpretation becomes even clearer just a few verses later when Jesus commands believers to practice discernment.
Jesus Immediately Calls for Discernment
A few verses later, Jesus says:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–16)
Recognizing false prophets requires judgment and spiritual discernment. Believers must evaluate fruit, teaching, and character.
This connects directly to the discussion of wheat and tares in Matthew 13. Jesus warns that false believers, false teachers, and wolves can exist among the people of God. Discernment is therefore necessary.
However, the final and perfect separation does not belong to human beings.
It belongs to God.
How This Connects to the Wheat and the Tares
The parable of the wheat and the tares explains the tension believers live in:
• We are called to discern fruit.
• We are warned about wolves in sheep’s clothing.
• Yet we are also warned against prematurely trying to uproot everyone we suspect.
Human beings cannot perfectly see the heart.
Some people who appear weak in faith later grow into strong believers. Others who appear righteous may eventually reveal corruption.
Because of this, Jesus teaches patience until the harvest.
The church must therefore walk in discernment without arrogance, correction without hypocrisy, and patience while trusting God’s final judgment.
At the end of the age, the difference between wheat and weeds will no longer be hidden. The Lord Himself will separate what human eyes could not fully distinguish.
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