Tares Among the Wheat
Acts 1:17 (NASB) “For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry”
The verse above is in reference to Judas Iscariot and I’d like to offer one of Jesus’ parables where He not only points at a Judas type–a betrayer or a weed among the wheat, that I feel He points to what will be a continuous struggle among His followers.
There is another post titled “Parable of the Four Soils” that uses Matthew 13. However, this post adds a variation where it looks at members of congregations, assemblies, or “church” to expound on the fact that there are be those among us that are not genuine followers of Christ Jesus.
Lets begin with Matthew 13:24-30
24Yeshua put before them another parable. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, then went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads of grain, the weeds also appeared. 27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Then do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, because if you pull up the weeds, you might uproot some of the wheat at the same time. 30 Let them both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to collect the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burned, but to gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
Stern, D. H. (1998). Complete Jewish Bible: an English version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament) (1st ed., Mt 13:24–30). Jewish New Testament Publications.
A little background on Eastern culture:
“Every parable Jesus used was factual in the life of the people. Jesus used the existing incidents to convey a message through it. In the East, when the farmers sow wheat or barley, if they have enemies, they hire some men to watch the field day and night. If a man wants to take vengeance on you, he will wait for you to sow seed in your field. Within three days following the sowing of the seed, the enemy will come to sow tares on an unguarded field. Tares must be sown within three days of the wheat in order to be effective. If he sows tares within three days of the planting, they will come up before the wheat and destroy the wheat; but if later than three days, it won’t work. If they sow tares after three days, they will have no effect.”
Pillai, K.. Eastern Customs and Idioms of the Bible: The Teachings of Orientalisms.
We can see that Jesus’ parable and the Pillai background match, and we can understand that the enemy will continually attempt to plant doubt in our hearts along side the seed (word) that was received when we first believed. This to me is a continual struggle.
One very important point to make is that in our hearts we do not permit, allow, or accept the enemies message to remain; we pluck it out as soon as we detect it.
As the enemy plants doubts, and distractions in our hearts, the enemy likewise plants people among us who are regular weekly attendees but do not engage in Bible studies. Exceptions do occur: For example, I have had people step into a Bible study and raise issues that distract from the study, and in a few cases attempt to prove the Bible is not trustworthy or the teacher not that knowledgeable. I have had people from numerous religious backgrounds attend Bible study and they all had a different point of view. They are not incorrect, they just view the Scriptures differently probably based on their culture or ethnic origins. I have enjoyed the many different perspectives and would not have it any other way in a study.
What do you do with such people who seem detached from the faith? Witness to them, love them, do not pre or post judge them, get to know them. If they accept your hospitality fine, but if these people deny Christ has come in the flesh they should be asked to leave. If they do not deny Christ as come in the flesh, cause issues among you they are to remain just as it states in the parable. We love everyone who enters and we allow the Holy Spirit to work though us so that these people can see Christ in us.
However, there are those who see to everything we are but you sense they are not quite on the same road you are. These could be the tares numbered among us just as the parable like in the parable and if that is the case, they are to remain just like those people who seem like them but are genuinely seeking to understand.
In every assembly there are unbelievers who need to see God’s love in believers. It is up to each of us to present Christ in love and to share our walk of faith to all those who will listen. God willing, and I’m certain He is, those who are not Christians yet will surrender to Jesus and join the family. Those who do not yet remain among us, they are to continue with us.
Anyway, these are just my thought on this topic. There is much more to write about but I’m not thinking of creating a commentary or an in-depth study. I will write more as I am inspired to do so. In the meantime, pray for those who are struggling to believe, accept those who do not, love them equally as God himself does.
Until the next article, grace to all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mike,\
10 January 2022\
The Christian Underground Journal
You can reach me at: thechristianundergroundjournal@gmail.com
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