The Weeds among the Wheat

Today's Reflections 

 

The Weeds among the Wheat

13:24-30

²⁴[Jesus] proposed [a] parable to [the crowds]. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. ²⁶When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ ²⁸He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ²⁹He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. ³⁰Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

SOWED WEEDS ALL THROUGH THE WHEAT. In the parable, the weeds (Greek zizania) that grow along with the wheat are sown by “an enemy,” probably an angry farmer who wants to settle a score with the owner of the field. Also known as darnel, it is a poisonous type that in its first stage of growth resembles wheat. To pull the darnel early risks pulling the wheat as well. But darnel matures earlier than wheat, so by harvest time, it can be pulled and the wheat harvested separately and safely.

The parable is a warning to the disciples not to attempt to anticipate the final judgment of God by excluding the “unworthy.” It is only God who knows the secrets of the human heart, and God alone can judge rightly. Moreover, God withholds judgment until the “harvest.” Before such time God allows the sinners and the just to live together and gives sinners the chance to repent and return to God. Instead, the judgment of human beings runs the risk of error, as men and women are influenced by partiality, prejudice, and malice.

A person is not completely good or evil, and in the person both wheat and darnel grow. The Lord gives us the grace to overcome evil by doing good.

The most impressive evidence of tolerance

is a golden wedding anniversary.