This Lent series has been titled, “Jesus Who”…who is this Jesus really? In Matthew 13 we get a glimpse of a Jesus who is a wonderful teller of truth in a relative way…you get to think about and relate to what he is saying.
In this particular parable, Jesus is relating a story about 2 sowers, one good - one bad. Unlike the parable before with 4 types of soil, this soil is one where growth takes place…good and bad. There is a weed that grows in Israel that looks very much like wheat when it is maturing. The word that is being used here is the Greek word for weed or “zizania”… which is referring to a type of weed called darnel. Before it matures completely, it is very similar in appearance to wheat…helping us to understand the command that the “zizania”should be left to grow until the harvest. The darnel looked so much like the wheat, the men were told to leave the weeds. Verse 29 says "because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them." Those that were in close enough proximity to hear Jesus speaking in Matthew 13:24-30, included some of the Pharisees that considered themselves to be so holy, they could judge everyone else…Jesus points out that there was a bad sower, “daibolos”, or the accuser, deceiver, liar, and betrayer, that put some others up to planting the “darnel” or weeds in with the “good sowers” wheat. Pharisees…pay attention! The “look alike” weeds could have destroyed the crop but the “good sower” saw this and told the caretakers of the field to leave them alone…eventually the bad seed would show itself in the end for what it really was…a “poser”…a fake. Just like true followers of Christ, you will find the seed planted by “diabolos” going to church, praying and reading the bible…but it is just a religious hobby. The opportunity Jesus provides us outside of the parable is this…we do not have to remain seed planted by “diabolos”…we don’t have to stay a“poser”…we have the ability to change by turning the bad seed of our hearts over to the God and allowing ourselves to transplanted as good seed…brining about wonderful results and living spiritually productive lives. Just a thought…where would we fit in the parable Jesus is giving us below? A “poser” or sincere follower of Christ? I invite you to let Jesus be the one planting in your heart and life. Matthew 13:24-30 New International Version (NIV) 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
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AuthorThe Pastors of Cornerstone Wesleyan Church Archives
July 2017
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