THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Growing and Harvesting: Mt 13,24-43
Three Parables: 13,24-35
This part of the discourse begins with a story of an enemy sowing weeds among the good wheat. Verse 34 would suggest that Jesus is again speaking to the crowds.
For the parable itself, the emphasis is on the present. There is wheat and weeds, believers and unbelievers in this world growing together. The emphasis comes in verse 29 and 30, letting them grow together.
Two short similies follow in verses 31-33: the kingdom of heaven is like mustard seed and like leaven.
Both similies are about growth: the mustard tree which grows visibly to all while the leaven works invisibly within the dough. Thus the overall message of these three parables is about growth.
The story parable told in verses 24-30 speaks about the realities of growth: that there are weeds in plenty as growth of the wheat takes place. Yet in the end the kingdom will win out as the weeds are gathered first and burnt.
Verses 34-35 are then an aside by the evangelist to the reader, that is to us. Parables are there for their lessons to be learnt, for us just as for the crowd on the Galilee lakeshore.
The evangelist quotes from the beginning of Ps 78 which is actually a psalm about learning the lessons of history.
This comment could have been placed after verse 36 and addressed to the disciples as before. It's placing here makes it a parable for us.
Now return to read Jesus' explanation to the disciples.
Explanation of the Parable: 13,36-43
13,36 sees a change of audience and of place. I would usually take this to be a major boundary. Here, as I have explained, it seems better to keep the explanation with the parable.
The emphasis now shifts to the end of the parable, 13,30, and the harvest
The harvest is the classic symbol of the final judgement as can be seen in the quotations from Joel and Hosea as well as the Apocalypse.
The details of the allegory therefore are as follows:
- Sower = Son of Man (v.37)
- field = world (v.38)
- good seed = children of the kingdom (v.38)
- weeds = children of the evil one (v.38)
- enemy = devil (v.39)
- harvest = end of age (v.39)
- reapers = angels (v.39)
In verse 43 we hear the fulfillment of the beatitudes (5,6.10). The righteous shall shine in the kingdom of heaven.
Now return to continue our reading.