Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
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Scripture |
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 24 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 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?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ” 36 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.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!”
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Devotional |
By the time this gospel was written down, Matthew’s church had a desire for an explanation of the text. The parable that was to surprise us and evoke a new and challenging meaning for us has been neatly explained. How does the parable challenge us as individuals and as a church? “Let both of them grow together until the harvest.” In the parable, we find emphasis on the place of patience in the kingdom of God . Only God can make the decision of who is in the kingdom and who is out. As impatient persons, we find it difficult to wait for God to decide who is excluded from the kingdom. Possibly more difficult is the possibility of some of the tares becoming wheat. “In the strange world of the parables where separation is graciously postponed, it may even be possible for weeds to become wheat.” 1 Does this parable challenge both our patience as well as our belief? Can we accept the proper time to correct the problem of those who do not belong to our group? Matthew also presents us with a two-kingdom view. The good seed and the bad seed add to the challenge of this parable. “Accordingly, the lesson from the parable of the wheat and tares is primarily a lesson of humility. Christians must realize that in the church and out of the church love and self-love is mixed up in life, much more completely that any scheme of morals recognizes.” 2 How does God expect us to relate to the good and bad both in the church as well as the outside. With patience and humility. How appropriate is our use of patience and humility in relationships with others who are different from us? The practice of patience and humility is so much easier with family and friends who agree with us or hesitate to differ with us. But outside this group, patience and humility can be tested quickly and often. God expects us to relate to the good and bad with the same patience and humility. God has the responsibility of deciding who is in and who is out as well as who is good and who is bad.
1 Douglas R.A. Hare, Matthew, Interpretation. Louisville : John Knox Press, 1993. p. 155 |