Seeking Greater Tolerance And Patience
Preaching
The Parables Of Jesus
Applications For Contemporary Life
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' He answered: 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at the harvest time I will tell reapers, collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' "
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The man who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of the fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"
Theme
We live in an intolerant and impatient world. We almost demand things and we "request" them on our own terms. Many people will not stand for anything less. A minimum period of reflection, however, tells us that God's ways are not our ways, and God's time is not our time. In the parable of the wheat and tares we are challenged to allow God to act in the world, to be more tolerant of others and patient as we wait, always trusting in the end that God will triumph over evil.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
First-world nations like the United States are blessed with such an abundance of everything that there is a great tendency toward specific expectations. Expectations of situations, people, and events lead to disappointment or even anger when things do not turn out as we plan. Unfulfilled expectations demonstrate the impatience and intolerance which many people display, simply because we have grown accustomed to certain things. This is found in the routine and mundane as well as the more critical aspects of life. When the mail or daily paper "always" arrives at a specific time and for some reason the time lapses on a particular day, we become impatient. "The mailman is supposed to be here," we declare to ourselves. If we are accustomed to viewing a certain program each week on television and on one occasion there is a change, we become intolerant, frustrated, or angry. More importantly, we become intolerant with people (individuals or groups) simply because they are different, disagree with our ideas, or somehow don't fit our model of what is right and proper.
Impatience and intolerance are the root causes of many social sins, including racism, poverty, and nativism. As a nation of immigrants one might think that Americans collectively would be more tolerant of diversity than other peoples, but sadly this is not the case. Racism and nativism that target immigrants and ethnic and religious minorities have long and infamous histories in our nation. Slavery, anti-Semitism, racial segregation, and anti-Catholicism illustrate how America as a nation has at times failed its own citizens. While the nation has made great strides in the past few generations to eliminate many of these evils, their root causes will always present a challenge. We need to be mindful of where we have been in order to proceed forward in a manner that will help us walk as true disciples of the Lord.
The parable of the wheat and tares presents our contemporary world with a great challenge to root out impatience and intolerance from our individual lives and that of the Christian community as a whole. Jesus tells us that we must be patient with the weeds; there is a chance that they may change and be converted. We cannot live as an exlusive community, but one that welcomes all in a true spirit of Christian love. When we look at our world and its many problems -- violence and war, sickness and ignorance, corruption and crime, insensitivity and non-cooperation -- we may become discouraged and say, "Why should we try?" The parable tells us, however, that in the end God will triumph and evil will be vanquished. Our task, therefore, is to stay on the road, persevere, and never lose hope. We are called to a change of heart in being more patient and tolerant with ourselves, others, and ultimately God.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. Joseph Girzone, the popular priest-author, tells the following story in his parable Joshua and the Children.1 Over a hundred years ago in France a butler worked for a wealthy family. He knew where the family kept all their money, hidden in a vault underneath their chateau. The butler methodically plotted to kill everyone in the family and steal the money. One night when everyone was asleep, he crept into the house and first murdered the father and mother. Then one by one he began to murder the children. The youngest escaped because he heard noises and could not sleep. When he realized what was happening he quietly slipped out of his bedroom and hid in a closet under a pile of clothes.
For years the boy wandered the streets as an orphan. He eventually entered the seminary and became a priest. After several years he was assigned to Devil's Island as a chaplain. One afternoon one of the convict inmates came running in from the fields, frantically calling for the chaplain. "There is a man dying out in the field, Father. Come quickly."
The priest ran out with the inmate and reached the dying prisoner. Kneeling down beside him, the priest lifted the man's head onto his lap and asked if he would like to confess his sins. The dying man refused. "Why, my son?" asked the priest. "Because God will never forgive me for what I have done. I could never be acceptable to God."
"But what have you done that is so bad?" the priest continued. And the man went on to tell the story of how he had killed the whole family for whom he had worked so that he could have their money. Only a little boy escaped because he could not find him.
Then the priest said to the dying man, "If I can forgive and accept you then certainly God can forgive you. And I forgive you from my heart. It was my family you killed, and I am that little boy."
The convict cried and told the priest how he had been haunted all his life over what he had done, though no one else knew about it. Even the authorities never found out. The two men cried together. As the priest was giving the dying man absolution, the prisoner died with his head resting on the priest's lap.
This powerful story, which I have heard in other places and know to be true, speaks clearly of the great compassion and love which God has for us, no matter what has happened or when it occurred. God accepts us totally; we, in turn, are challenged to accept others, especially those who might appear to be unacceptable.
2. A story is told of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. When he had completed his masterpiece, the "Mona Lisa," he went to a nearby tavern to celebrate the event with his friends. While in conversation and sipping a little of the local wine, Leonardo noticed that many in the tavern were making sport of an ugly fool who made his living going from tavern to tavern, entertaining patrons for a spare coin or a crust of bread. This man truly was an ugly person; he seemed to be more a troll than a man. His small beady eyes were not centered in his oversized head. His ears were like cauliflower and his nose was as large as a gourd, with an ugly mole on its tip. His mouth and jaw were locked in a perpetual grimace.
As those in the tavern continued to mock the fool, a contentious rival artist hurled a challenge to the great da Vinci. "You are a master," said the man. "Can you make in paint a beauty of this ugly fool?" Leonardo could not avoid the challenge, for to do so would forever place him in doubt with his followers. "Why not?" responded Leonardo. "If I can paint the most beautiful woman in the world in my Mona Lisa then I can certainly make an Adonis of this ugly fool. Return here tonight at the call of vespers and I will reveal the work I have done." Leonardo had little time, far less than normal for such a project, so he began in earnest.
Several hours later the bell in the cathedral church rang for vespers and the crowd began to assemble at the tavern. It was filled to overflowing; it seemed that the whole city of Florence had heard the challenge and had come to see what the master had accomplished. Leonardo stood before his new painting, which was covered by a curtain, and called for quiet. Patrons continued to murmur -- What would the painting reveal? Would the fool's eyes now be blue and centered in his face? Would his nose be noble and Roman? Would his lips be gentle but firm? Would his large ears now be petite and soft? When the noise subsided Leonardo called out, "Behold my masterpiece!" He slowly withdrew the curtain to reveal his work; the crowd held its breath. The painting was an exact image of the ugly fool -- not one hair or expression was out of place. The silence in the tavern was deafening. The rival artist cried out, "The ugly fool was too much of a challenge, even for the great Leonardo da Vinci." "Not so," responded Leonardo. Then, pointing to the face of the fool, he said, "This face was painted by the hand of God and only a fool would dare presume to change or replace the work of the Master." Leonardo da Vinci had used a fool to shame the proud. If we are not careful, God may do the same with us.
We often become enamored by the powerful, beautiful, and wealthy in our society. We almost naturally gravitate toward those things and people which we perceive will bring us the most fulfillment or will best meet our needs. In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus challenges us to think about how we treat others, the prejudices we hold, and the ways we need to be converted to a life of greater patience and tolerance.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. How do we treat people who are different than us? Do we demonstrate our intolerance and impatience with family, friends, neighbors, and associates at work? This parable calls us to ponder a change of heart.
2. What are our expectations of others? Do we possess deep-seated animosity, prejudice, or feelings of resentment? Why do we feel this way?
3. Do we always want to take control of the situation and settle the issue now? Can we be patient enough to allow God to act as the Lord may dictate? What is the root of our lack of trust in the Lord?
4. Do we believe in the power of conversion in our lives and those of others? Can we give people the benefit of the doubt that God can bring about metanoia in them?
5. What role can we play as individuals and community in making systemic change and removing the causes and manifestations of social sin in our world? What is God's call in our lives as the Lord's disciples? God calls us to act to make the world a better place now and for those who will follow.
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The parable of the wheat and tares is, like the story of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23), a parable combined with its allegorical interpretation. Scholars have found this passage more problematic to explain, however, because great debate exists on its origins -- did it come from Jesus or is it a reshaping by the evangelist of material drawn from another source? The answer to the question leads to different interpretations as to the pericope's function in Matthew and its purpose in Jesus' teaching ministry.
Some exegetes comment that the nucleus of the parable was part of Jesus' original teaching, at least in its structure. The general portrait depicted in the parable corresponds accurately with the agricultural life in Palestine -- a large estate operated by slave labor, grain fields that possess a considerable amount of weeds, and the use of weeds for fuel. If the direct source is Jesus then it appears that the parable was directed against exclusive tendencies that began to arise in the Christian community of Israel in the post-Resurrection period. The "purity" of membership in such groups as the Pharisees, Zealots, and Essenes of the Qumran community was gaining popularity among the first followers of Jesus. Zealous believers, under the banner of maintaining true teaching, were causing damage to the community by passing judgment on fellow disciples and cutting them off from the church. Jesus rejected this practice and thus the parable, in allowing wheat and tares to grow together, suggests a more open attitude toward membership. This understanding of the parable indicates that even before Jesus' death the nascent Christian community was experiencing problems with discipleship -- in particular whether it should expel from its ranks those members whose lives were in some way judged as evil.
The parable understood in this way is not a call to passivity, but rather an exhortation to patience. Jesus is not suggesting that his followers should ignore injustice, violence, or other wrongs of society that evil brings, but rather is reminding the disciples that they do not have the ability to rid the world of all its "weeds." Sometimes attempts to remove weeds cause more harm than good. The parable says, however, that evil is temporary and that the weeds will ultimately be destroyed. In an imperfect world we are given the task of living as faithfully and as obediently as possible, confident in the end that the harvest will be pure, differentiating between the good and the bad. People should not take vengeance, but leave such action to God.
Biblical scholars have produced considerable evidence that suggests the parable was not spoken by Jesus. A threefold development of the parable and its allegory has been suggested. First, Mark's parable of the farmer and the growing seed (4:26-29) was written. Next, Matthew amplified the detail and specified the application of Jesus' teaching in Mark to a particular problem present in the community to which the evangelist wrote (generally believed to be Aramaic-speaking converts in Palestine). Last, Matthew added an allegorical interpretation with emphasis on judgment, an issue not in question in the original parable.
The parable itself (verses 24-30), however, poses a difficulty in the unrealistic situations it presents, leading many exegetes to conclude the passage was at least reshaped and possibly totally written by Matthew. First, it was common practice in Palestine to root out darnel (most probably the weed in question) while crops were growing, even more than once. Thus, the landowner's direction was a departure from standard practice. Next, the setting in the passage is a large plantation operated by slave labor, yet the owner sows the seed and "reapers" conduct the harvest. The specific introduction of weeds is not necessary since weeds appear on their own with any operation of sowing. Moreover, the whole scenario with the "enemy" and the "slaves" appears to have been artifically created to prepare for the later interpretation which will attribute the presence of bad people among the good in the church to the activity of Satan. A contrived situation is also apparent in the idea of intentionally sowing weeds, since a process of gathering weed-seed separately would be painstaking at best. Additionally, slaves who worked fields and their landowners would have understood that weeds were natural. There would thus be no need to conclude immediately that an "enemy" was at work.
The allegorical interpretation of the parable, verses 36-43, is most certainly a creation of the evangelist. In the parable, whether it has its origins in Jesus or Matthew, emphasis is placed on patience and tolerance, yet the interpretation makes no reference to these issues. Rather, this allegory applies the original parable to the contemporary church to whom Matthew wrote. The risen Christ sows good seed (people) who establish the church, while Satan sows evil. The evangelist appears to be very disturbed with the mixed state of the church, which contains many who enthusiastically call "Lord, Lord" but refuse to follow the Master's teaching. Matthew's interpretation assures him and his readers that a day of reckoning will come for these "pseudo" disciples. In short order the glorified Christ will send his angels to purify the church and root out and destroy those who disregard the Lord's moral teaching. Thus, the interpretation changes the meaning of the original parable by failing to allegorize the issues of patience and tolerance.
Matthew's interpretation stresses the eschatological dimension of Jesus' teaching. In many ways this passage may be accurately called the allegory of the harvest where the children of the kingdom and the children of the evil one will be separated and judged. Some scholars suggest that this passage is a prelude to the rest of the chapter and to the evangelist's famous judgment parable in chapter 25.
The interpretation poses a second problem in its understanding of evil. In attributing the presence of tares and the evil they bring to an outside enemy, the evangelist is using a theological consideration uncommon to Jesus in the Synoptics. Verses 36-43 give the impression that there are two kinds of people in the world -- good and bad -- and that all remain in the state they were created. Humans are not seen as individuals with personal characters who are capable of progress or degeneration, but as people belonging to two classes according to their origins. This contradicts the idea that God created all things good and Satan later corrupted some people. It also disagrees with other parables (and the general message of Scripture) which speak of the inclusive nature of the kingdom. This inconsistency gives more evidence to the idea that Matthew reshaped the parable and its interpretation to his needs, in his great fear of outside influences present in the Gentile church.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
The parable of the wheat and tares, as with all the parables of Jesus, presents us with a challenge in daily life. Pentecost or Ordinary Time is the church's opportunity to encourage the Christian community to take the multiple lessons of Scripture, one by one, and apply them to our lives of faith. This parable gives us the twofold challenge of being patient and tolerant, but with the consolation that in the end God will triumph over evil. Following the parable of the sower, this passage continues the church's presentation of the parables in Matthew, chapter 13. Next week the last parable in this chapter will be presented before the church returns to more direct teaching by Jesus on the rule of life.
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the wheat and tares is exclusive to Matthew's Gospel, although some parallels to other inspired writings exist. The connection between this pericope and Mark 4:26-29 has been explored above. While some images are consistent, any significant link between these passages can only be explained through a radical reshaping of Mark's original account. This parable is contained in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas (57) in summary fashion. The fact that Thomas does not have an allegorical interpretation of this parable provides further evidence that verses 36-43 of Matthew's account do not come from Jesus.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Isaiah 44:6-8 or Wisdom 12:13, 16-19. Wisdom literature provides many sources of inspiration for its readers today. In this passage the author speaks of how God cares for people in the Lord's quest for justice for all. The clemency and leniency of God are stressed by the author; there are always grounds for hope that repentance will be received for our transgressions.
This passage connects well with the eschatological aspects of the parable of the wheat and tares. God will judge justly those who have persevered in their lives of trial among the weeds of the world. There is no need for humans to become impatient with the world; God knows the situation and has the right plan for the harvest. What is necessary is human patience and a sense of persistence in walking the road with the Lord.
Second Lesson: Romans 8:12-25. Often people say, "Lord, give me patience and give it to me now!" I suspect that Paul might have used this adage for himself and his dealings with the Romans. He uses the image of human desire to illustrate our need for patience. Creation, especially God's greatest creation, the human race, waits for God. We wait in hope and we wait with patience. We want things now, but time is necessary. Paul wants the Romans to know of the need to be patient and to persevere in all that they do.
People often become frustrated when they do not obtain what they want in the time frame that they deem appropriate or correct. God, however, does not work on the human clock nor under the constraint of human necessity. We must do our best to understand the need for patience, that waiting can assist us, even though at the time we would never believe that such was true. Waiting allows us to be honed and fire-tried and thus made ready for the challenges that God will give us. Paul's exhortation to the Romans must be our lesson as well.
____________
1. Joseph F. Girzone, Joshua and the Children (New York: Macmillan), pp. 9-10.
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The man who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of the fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!"
Theme
We live in an intolerant and impatient world. We almost demand things and we "request" them on our own terms. Many people will not stand for anything less. A minimum period of reflection, however, tells us that God's ways are not our ways, and God's time is not our time. In the parable of the wheat and tares we are challenged to allow God to act in the world, to be more tolerant of others and patient as we wait, always trusting in the end that God will triumph over evil.
Spiritual Food For The Journey
First-world nations like the United States are blessed with such an abundance of everything that there is a great tendency toward specific expectations. Expectations of situations, people, and events lead to disappointment or even anger when things do not turn out as we plan. Unfulfilled expectations demonstrate the impatience and intolerance which many people display, simply because we have grown accustomed to certain things. This is found in the routine and mundane as well as the more critical aspects of life. When the mail or daily paper "always" arrives at a specific time and for some reason the time lapses on a particular day, we become impatient. "The mailman is supposed to be here," we declare to ourselves. If we are accustomed to viewing a certain program each week on television and on one occasion there is a change, we become intolerant, frustrated, or angry. More importantly, we become intolerant with people (individuals or groups) simply because they are different, disagree with our ideas, or somehow don't fit our model of what is right and proper.
Impatience and intolerance are the root causes of many social sins, including racism, poverty, and nativism. As a nation of immigrants one might think that Americans collectively would be more tolerant of diversity than other peoples, but sadly this is not the case. Racism and nativism that target immigrants and ethnic and religious minorities have long and infamous histories in our nation. Slavery, anti-Semitism, racial segregation, and anti-Catholicism illustrate how America as a nation has at times failed its own citizens. While the nation has made great strides in the past few generations to eliminate many of these evils, their root causes will always present a challenge. We need to be mindful of where we have been in order to proceed forward in a manner that will help us walk as true disciples of the Lord.
The parable of the wheat and tares presents our contemporary world with a great challenge to root out impatience and intolerance from our individual lives and that of the Christian community as a whole. Jesus tells us that we must be patient with the weeds; there is a chance that they may change and be converted. We cannot live as an exlusive community, but one that welcomes all in a true spirit of Christian love. When we look at our world and its many problems -- violence and war, sickness and ignorance, corruption and crime, insensitivity and non-cooperation -- we may become discouraged and say, "Why should we try?" The parable tells us, however, that in the end God will triumph and evil will be vanquished. Our task, therefore, is to stay on the road, persevere, and never lose hope. We are called to a change of heart in being more patient and tolerant with ourselves, others, and ultimately God.
Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life
Sermon Openings
1. Joseph Girzone, the popular priest-author, tells the following story in his parable Joshua and the Children.1 Over a hundred years ago in France a butler worked for a wealthy family. He knew where the family kept all their money, hidden in a vault underneath their chateau. The butler methodically plotted to kill everyone in the family and steal the money. One night when everyone was asleep, he crept into the house and first murdered the father and mother. Then one by one he began to murder the children. The youngest escaped because he heard noises and could not sleep. When he realized what was happening he quietly slipped out of his bedroom and hid in a closet under a pile of clothes.
For years the boy wandered the streets as an orphan. He eventually entered the seminary and became a priest. After several years he was assigned to Devil's Island as a chaplain. One afternoon one of the convict inmates came running in from the fields, frantically calling for the chaplain. "There is a man dying out in the field, Father. Come quickly."
The priest ran out with the inmate and reached the dying prisoner. Kneeling down beside him, the priest lifted the man's head onto his lap and asked if he would like to confess his sins. The dying man refused. "Why, my son?" asked the priest. "Because God will never forgive me for what I have done. I could never be acceptable to God."
"But what have you done that is so bad?" the priest continued. And the man went on to tell the story of how he had killed the whole family for whom he had worked so that he could have their money. Only a little boy escaped because he could not find him.
Then the priest said to the dying man, "If I can forgive and accept you then certainly God can forgive you. And I forgive you from my heart. It was my family you killed, and I am that little boy."
The convict cried and told the priest how he had been haunted all his life over what he had done, though no one else knew about it. Even the authorities never found out. The two men cried together. As the priest was giving the dying man absolution, the prisoner died with his head resting on the priest's lap.
This powerful story, which I have heard in other places and know to be true, speaks clearly of the great compassion and love which God has for us, no matter what has happened or when it occurred. God accepts us totally; we, in turn, are challenged to accept others, especially those who might appear to be unacceptable.
2. A story is told of the famous artist Leonardo da Vinci. When he had completed his masterpiece, the "Mona Lisa," he went to a nearby tavern to celebrate the event with his friends. While in conversation and sipping a little of the local wine, Leonardo noticed that many in the tavern were making sport of an ugly fool who made his living going from tavern to tavern, entertaining patrons for a spare coin or a crust of bread. This man truly was an ugly person; he seemed to be more a troll than a man. His small beady eyes were not centered in his oversized head. His ears were like cauliflower and his nose was as large as a gourd, with an ugly mole on its tip. His mouth and jaw were locked in a perpetual grimace.
As those in the tavern continued to mock the fool, a contentious rival artist hurled a challenge to the great da Vinci. "You are a master," said the man. "Can you make in paint a beauty of this ugly fool?" Leonardo could not avoid the challenge, for to do so would forever place him in doubt with his followers. "Why not?" responded Leonardo. "If I can paint the most beautiful woman in the world in my Mona Lisa then I can certainly make an Adonis of this ugly fool. Return here tonight at the call of vespers and I will reveal the work I have done." Leonardo had little time, far less than normal for such a project, so he began in earnest.
Several hours later the bell in the cathedral church rang for vespers and the crowd began to assemble at the tavern. It was filled to overflowing; it seemed that the whole city of Florence had heard the challenge and had come to see what the master had accomplished. Leonardo stood before his new painting, which was covered by a curtain, and called for quiet. Patrons continued to murmur -- What would the painting reveal? Would the fool's eyes now be blue and centered in his face? Would his nose be noble and Roman? Would his lips be gentle but firm? Would his large ears now be petite and soft? When the noise subsided Leonardo called out, "Behold my masterpiece!" He slowly withdrew the curtain to reveal his work; the crowd held its breath. The painting was an exact image of the ugly fool -- not one hair or expression was out of place. The silence in the tavern was deafening. The rival artist cried out, "The ugly fool was too much of a challenge, even for the great Leonardo da Vinci." "Not so," responded Leonardo. Then, pointing to the face of the fool, he said, "This face was painted by the hand of God and only a fool would dare presume to change or replace the work of the Master." Leonardo da Vinci had used a fool to shame the proud. If we are not careful, God may do the same with us.
We often become enamored by the powerful, beautiful, and wealthy in our society. We almost naturally gravitate toward those things and people which we perceive will bring us the most fulfillment or will best meet our needs. In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus challenges us to think about how we treat others, the prejudices we hold, and the ways we need to be converted to a life of greater patience and tolerance.
Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder
1. How do we treat people who are different than us? Do we demonstrate our intolerance and impatience with family, friends, neighbors, and associates at work? This parable calls us to ponder a change of heart.
2. What are our expectations of others? Do we possess deep-seated animosity, prejudice, or feelings of resentment? Why do we feel this way?
3. Do we always want to take control of the situation and settle the issue now? Can we be patient enough to allow God to act as the Lord may dictate? What is the root of our lack of trust in the Lord?
4. Do we believe in the power of conversion in our lives and those of others? Can we give people the benefit of the doubt that God can bring about metanoia in them?
5. What role can we play as individuals and community in making systemic change and removing the causes and manifestations of social sin in our world? What is God's call in our lives as the Lord's disciples? God calls us to act to make the world a better place now and for those who will follow.
Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable
The parable of the wheat and tares is, like the story of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23), a parable combined with its allegorical interpretation. Scholars have found this passage more problematic to explain, however, because great debate exists on its origins -- did it come from Jesus or is it a reshaping by the evangelist of material drawn from another source? The answer to the question leads to different interpretations as to the pericope's function in Matthew and its purpose in Jesus' teaching ministry.
Some exegetes comment that the nucleus of the parable was part of Jesus' original teaching, at least in its structure. The general portrait depicted in the parable corresponds accurately with the agricultural life in Palestine -- a large estate operated by slave labor, grain fields that possess a considerable amount of weeds, and the use of weeds for fuel. If the direct source is Jesus then it appears that the parable was directed against exclusive tendencies that began to arise in the Christian community of Israel in the post-Resurrection period. The "purity" of membership in such groups as the Pharisees, Zealots, and Essenes of the Qumran community was gaining popularity among the first followers of Jesus. Zealous believers, under the banner of maintaining true teaching, were causing damage to the community by passing judgment on fellow disciples and cutting them off from the church. Jesus rejected this practice and thus the parable, in allowing wheat and tares to grow together, suggests a more open attitude toward membership. This understanding of the parable indicates that even before Jesus' death the nascent Christian community was experiencing problems with discipleship -- in particular whether it should expel from its ranks those members whose lives were in some way judged as evil.
The parable understood in this way is not a call to passivity, but rather an exhortation to patience. Jesus is not suggesting that his followers should ignore injustice, violence, or other wrongs of society that evil brings, but rather is reminding the disciples that they do not have the ability to rid the world of all its "weeds." Sometimes attempts to remove weeds cause more harm than good. The parable says, however, that evil is temporary and that the weeds will ultimately be destroyed. In an imperfect world we are given the task of living as faithfully and as obediently as possible, confident in the end that the harvest will be pure, differentiating between the good and the bad. People should not take vengeance, but leave such action to God.
Biblical scholars have produced considerable evidence that suggests the parable was not spoken by Jesus. A threefold development of the parable and its allegory has been suggested. First, Mark's parable of the farmer and the growing seed (4:26-29) was written. Next, Matthew amplified the detail and specified the application of Jesus' teaching in Mark to a particular problem present in the community to which the evangelist wrote (generally believed to be Aramaic-speaking converts in Palestine). Last, Matthew added an allegorical interpretation with emphasis on judgment, an issue not in question in the original parable.
The parable itself (verses 24-30), however, poses a difficulty in the unrealistic situations it presents, leading many exegetes to conclude the passage was at least reshaped and possibly totally written by Matthew. First, it was common practice in Palestine to root out darnel (most probably the weed in question) while crops were growing, even more than once. Thus, the landowner's direction was a departure from standard practice. Next, the setting in the passage is a large plantation operated by slave labor, yet the owner sows the seed and "reapers" conduct the harvest. The specific introduction of weeds is not necessary since weeds appear on their own with any operation of sowing. Moreover, the whole scenario with the "enemy" and the "slaves" appears to have been artifically created to prepare for the later interpretation which will attribute the presence of bad people among the good in the church to the activity of Satan. A contrived situation is also apparent in the idea of intentionally sowing weeds, since a process of gathering weed-seed separately would be painstaking at best. Additionally, slaves who worked fields and their landowners would have understood that weeds were natural. There would thus be no need to conclude immediately that an "enemy" was at work.
The allegorical interpretation of the parable, verses 36-43, is most certainly a creation of the evangelist. In the parable, whether it has its origins in Jesus or Matthew, emphasis is placed on patience and tolerance, yet the interpretation makes no reference to these issues. Rather, this allegory applies the original parable to the contemporary church to whom Matthew wrote. The risen Christ sows good seed (people) who establish the church, while Satan sows evil. The evangelist appears to be very disturbed with the mixed state of the church, which contains many who enthusiastically call "Lord, Lord" but refuse to follow the Master's teaching. Matthew's interpretation assures him and his readers that a day of reckoning will come for these "pseudo" disciples. In short order the glorified Christ will send his angels to purify the church and root out and destroy those who disregard the Lord's moral teaching. Thus, the interpretation changes the meaning of the original parable by failing to allegorize the issues of patience and tolerance.
Matthew's interpretation stresses the eschatological dimension of Jesus' teaching. In many ways this passage may be accurately called the allegory of the harvest where the children of the kingdom and the children of the evil one will be separated and judged. Some scholars suggest that this passage is a prelude to the rest of the chapter and to the evangelist's famous judgment parable in chapter 25.
The interpretation poses a second problem in its understanding of evil. In attributing the presence of tares and the evil they bring to an outside enemy, the evangelist is using a theological consideration uncommon to Jesus in the Synoptics. Verses 36-43 give the impression that there are two kinds of people in the world -- good and bad -- and that all remain in the state they were created. Humans are not seen as individuals with personal characters who are capable of progress or degeneration, but as people belonging to two classes according to their origins. This contradicts the idea that God created all things good and Satan later corrupted some people. It also disagrees with other parables (and the general message of Scripture) which speak of the inclusive nature of the kingdom. This inconsistency gives more evidence to the idea that Matthew reshaped the parable and its interpretation to his needs, in his great fear of outside influences present in the Gentile church.
Context Of The Parable
Context In The Church Year
The parable of the wheat and tares, as with all the parables of Jesus, presents us with a challenge in daily life. Pentecost or Ordinary Time is the church's opportunity to encourage the Christian community to take the multiple lessons of Scripture, one by one, and apply them to our lives of faith. This parable gives us the twofold challenge of being patient and tolerant, but with the consolation that in the end God will triumph over evil. Following the parable of the sower, this passage continues the church's presentation of the parables in Matthew, chapter 13. Next week the last parable in this chapter will be presented before the church returns to more direct teaching by Jesus on the rule of life.
Context With Other Gospels
The parable of the wheat and tares is exclusive to Matthew's Gospel, although some parallels to other inspired writings exist. The connection between this pericope and Mark 4:26-29 has been explored above. While some images are consistent, any significant link between these passages can only be explained through a radical reshaping of Mark's original account. This parable is contained in the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas (57) in summary fashion. The fact that Thomas does not have an allegorical interpretation of this parable provides further evidence that verses 36-43 of Matthew's account do not come from Jesus.
Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Isaiah 44:6-8 or Wisdom 12:13, 16-19. Wisdom literature provides many sources of inspiration for its readers today. In this passage the author speaks of how God cares for people in the Lord's quest for justice for all. The clemency and leniency of God are stressed by the author; there are always grounds for hope that repentance will be received for our transgressions.
This passage connects well with the eschatological aspects of the parable of the wheat and tares. God will judge justly those who have persevered in their lives of trial among the weeds of the world. There is no need for humans to become impatient with the world; God knows the situation and has the right plan for the harvest. What is necessary is human patience and a sense of persistence in walking the road with the Lord.
Second Lesson: Romans 8:12-25. Often people say, "Lord, give me patience and give it to me now!" I suspect that Paul might have used this adage for himself and his dealings with the Romans. He uses the image of human desire to illustrate our need for patience. Creation, especially God's greatest creation, the human race, waits for God. We wait in hope and we wait with patience. We want things now, but time is necessary. Paul wants the Romans to know of the need to be patient and to persevere in all that they do.
People often become frustrated when they do not obtain what they want in the time frame that they deem appropriate or correct. God, however, does not work on the human clock nor under the constraint of human necessity. We must do our best to understand the need for patience, that waiting can assist us, even though at the time we would never believe that such was true. Waiting allows us to be honed and fire-tried and thus made ready for the challenges that God will give us. Paul's exhortation to the Romans must be our lesson as well.
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1. Joseph F. Girzone, Joshua and the Children (New York: Macmillan), pp. 9-10.
