Bible Study series: Matthew 13:36-43. As noted in the companion post, leave judgment of the world up to God. Don’t cut down the weeds that look like wheat. You may damage the wheat.
A warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together. I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 13:36-43
36 At that time he dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 In reply, he said, “The one who sows is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world. And the good seed are the sons and daughters of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons and daughters of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the harvesters are the angels. 40 So then just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man shall send out his angels, and they shall gather from out of his kingdom all causes of sin and those practicing lawlessness. 42 And they shall throw them in the fiery oven; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 At that time the righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Anyone who has ears—let him hear!” (Matt. 13:36-43)
Comments:
The fact that God delays the final harvest and judgment, despite all the evil we see around us, is gracious. He wants all people, everywhere, to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1 Tim. 2:4).
36-43:
Sower of Good Seed = Son of Man (It both means the powerful, divine Son of man [Dan. 7:13-14] and the human son of man—Ezekiel himself—in the book of Ezekiel [numerous references]. Jesus was and still is in heaven both divine and human.)
4. Titles of Jesus: The Son of Man
Field = World
Good Seeds = Sons and Daughters of Kingdom
Sower of Weeds = The Devil
Bad Seeds = Sons and Daughters of Evil One (Devil)
Harvest = End of Age
Harvesters = Angels
Weeds = Causers of Sin and Doers of Lawlessness
Fate of Weeds = Burned in Fiery Oven, with Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
Fate of Good Seeds = Righteous Shining like the Sun in their Father’s Kingdom
Some interpret the field as the church, but here Jesus actually says it is the world. There are differences between the church and the kingdom.
Questions and Answers about Kingdom of God
Bible Basics about the Kingdom of God
Now we have a mighty struggle between the kingdom of the Son of Man and those who belong to the evil one in his domain. Satan has his people in his prison-kingdom; the weeds. Recall from vv. 24-30, it is a plant that looks like wheat and whose seeds are poisonous. It is called the darnel. We should not partake of their worldly ways and eat their poison. However, our job, which is not mentioned in this particular parable, is to go out and rescue them, by preaching and making disciples (Matt. 28:18-20). Let’s not judge them prematurely and cast them into the fiery oven before the angels can harvest!
“Note that there is no emphasis in this parable on the church as the force by which the kingdom reaches the world. God is the power behind the spreading power of the kingdom” (Osborne, comment on 13:38).
“fire”: other verses speak of outer darkness (Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). So some ask: how can fire, which produces light, coexist with farthest or outer darkness? They cannot. Therefore, some interpreters conclude that punishment in the afterlife takes on different dimensions: fire in one place, and darkness in another. Still another interpretation is possible. Charismatic theologian J. Rodman Williams (d. 2008) says fire and darkness are just metaphors, which cannot be taken literally, for separation from God and punishment: However, if you want to take the images of darkness and fire literally, you may certainly do so. It’s up to you.
“close of the age”: The final harvest is the end of the age. The Greek word which I translate “close” is the noun sunteleia (pronounced soon-teh-lay-ah) or synteleia (pronounced sin-teh-lay-ah), and it is used in Matthew’s Gospel five times (13:39, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20 and once in Heb. 9:26). It has taken on a specialized sense of a brand new age that closes out one age and begins the Messianic Age. This word will play a key role in my interpretation of the Olivet Discourse in Matt. 24.
Matt 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 (and 17) in Parallel Columns Are Finally Clear
Matthew 24:4-35 Predicts Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Matthew 24:36 to 25:46–From Second Coming to New Messianic Age
The fuller exegesis has now been moved to this post:
What Jesus Really Taught about End Times
“sons and daughters”: As I note in my comment on 8:12, Carson says the phrasing means “belonging to” or “destined for” “those who belong to” God. But I like the family clarity here. Also I translated it as “sons and daughters,” because in this context, the term is generic and inclusive.
Maybe these verses in Matt. 7 can clarify what is happening here:
21 Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one doing the will of my Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? And in your name expel demons? And in your name do many miracles?” 23 And then I’ll declare to them, “I never knew you! Depart from me, you practitioners of lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:21-23)
The key parallel between these verses are the practitioners or workers of lawlessness.
“in that place”: The Greek says ekei (pronounced eh-kay), which means “there” or “that place.” Unfortunately most translation don’t pick up on the ambiguity of their translations: “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Here it is more awkwardly but accurate: “The weeping and the gnashing will be there.” The clearer translation is as I have it.
So where is “that place”? Matthew uses the metaphor of a fiery oven. It is verses like this one that prompt nonliteral interpretations of darkness (8:12) and fire (v. 42).
“weeping and gnashing”: Keener says that weeping means mourning over damnation, and gnashing of teeth may indicate anger or a strong emotion similar to it. Carson says weeping may indicate suffering, and gnashing indicates despair, and Osborne agrees. In any case, existence in punishment is unhappy and produces despair and even anger. Perhaps the gnashing can also mean cursing in anger. (See these verses for gnashing: Acts 7:54; Job 16:9; Pss. 34:16; 36:12; 112:10; Lam. 2:16). Since weeping indicates remorse, it is not quite accurate to claim that hell is locked from the inside as if people want to be there, though maybe only the enraged do want this.
It is best to avoid such punishment, whatever it entails, by putting your faith in Christ and staying in union with him.
See my posts about Satan in the area of systematic theology:
Bible Basics about Satan and Demons and Victory Over Them
Bible Basics about Deliverance
Magic, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Fortunetelling
Here is a multi-part study of angels in the area of systematic theology, but first a list of the basics.
Angels:
(a) Are messengers (in Hebrew mal’ak and in Greek angelos);
(b) Are created spirit beings;
(c) Have a beginning at their creation (not eternal);
(d) Have a beginning, but they are immortal (deathless).
(e) Have moral judgment;
(f) Have a certain measure of free will;
(g) Have high intelligence;
(h) Do not have physical bodies;
(i) But can manifest with immortal bodies before humans;
(j) Can show the emotion of joy.
Angels: Their Duties and Missions
Angels: Their Names and Ranks and Heavenly Existence
Angels: Their Origins, Abilities, and Nature
GrowApp for Matt. 13:36-43
1. This is a sobering parable about not judging people in the world too quickly. Can you think of ways you need to let God sort out people’s behavior and not prejudge them?
2. The weeds speak of poison. Read 1 Cor. 15:33. How do you separate from the poisonous influence of the world and yet reach out to people caught there?
RELATED
9. Authoritative Testimony in Matthew’s Gospel
1. Church Fathers and Matthew’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 