Growing Weeds

July 13, 2021

Jesus always taught by telling stories. He knew what many teachers fail to understand: people learn best when they can connect something they know with the unknown truth. That’s why Jesus’ stories are called parables; like parallel lines, the spiritual truth is laid alongside the earthly example for ease and clarity of understanding. Matthew 13 records several of his stories, one of which involved someone who sowed weeds in a field recently planted with good seed by a farmer. Jesus’ disciples were trying unsuccessfully  to make the connection, so they asked him its meaning.

“He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

—Matthew 13:37-43 

People who believe they know the truth often make the mistake of wanting to eliminate their perceived enemies. It’s politics par excellence—instead of doing the hard work of formulating a cogent argument, it’s easier to silence or eliminate the opposition. Such tactics are commonplace on those supposed bastions of free speech we know as college campuses, but they are not the strategies of Jesus. “Pull out the weeds? If you do, you’ll ruin a lot of good plants, too. Give God time to deal with it.” 

We often wonder why God allows deceit and outright lies, sorrow and pain to flourish and destroy. It makes no sense to us, but we don’t see the whole picture, and at the right time, God will sort it all out. We’ve made the mistake of pulling flower seedlings in our quest to uproot weeds; when they’re little, they all look alike to the untrained eye. When it comes to people, only God has expert eyes, and even he waits to separate the good from the bad. If God can wait, we should, too.

This parable was captured in verse in 1844 by Henry Alford, 19th century Bible scholar and preacher, in words put to music by George Job Elvey. It has come down to us as a harvest hymn often sung at Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorites.

Come, ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin;

God our Maker doth provide

For our wants to be supplied;

Come to God’s own temple, come,

Raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field,

Fruit unto His praise to yield;

Wheat and tares together sown,

Unto joy or sorrow grown;

First the blade, and then the ear,

Then the full corn shall appear:

Lord of harvest, grant that we

Wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,

And shall take His harvest home;

From His field shall in that day

All offenses purge away;

Give His angels charge at last

In the fire the tares to cast;

But the fruitful ears to store

In His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come,

Bring Thy final harvest home;

Gather Thou Thy people in,

Free from sorrow, free from sin,

There, forever purified,

In Thy garner to abide;

Come, with all Thine angels come,

Raise the glorious harvest home.