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Weeds and Mustard Matt. 13:24-43
CLICK HERE for AI Genderated study page on this sermon
Introduction
I
Charlemagne or Chrarles the Great lived in the late 700’s. He supposedly had long white hair from his youth. He was nearly seven feet tall, a tremendous athlete, a scholar. He doubled the size of his empire. The pope crowned him as “emperor of the Romans. He began the holy Roman Empire. After he died, they left his body on the throne for 100 years. (Imagine being the next guy?)
In his many battles against the pagans, after his victory he would give the pagans a choice: repent, or die. The could either be converted or be beheaded. Sometimes several baptisms would result. Other times, as many as 4500 were beheaded in a single day. Charlemagne thought the kingdom advanced by the sword. But Jesus teaches the kingdom grows in a very different way.
N
“But certainly” we might think, “That kingdom growth could never use me.” Sometimes we feel that our faith is just a tiny unnoticeable thing compared to this world of evil. Why is my obedience seem so fragile, and unimpressive? Is it the case that our
T
In todays passage, Jesus wraps the parable of the weeds and its explanation around some other parables. I believe this is done purposefully to bring out the theme of patient influence.
R
Matt. 13:24-43
O
Conflict (vv. 24-30), Contagious (vv. 31-35), and Consummation (vv. 36-43).Conflict (vv. 24-30)Matthew 13:24–30ESV
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”Revelation
Focus on the mixed community of the world – surprising. The man sows good seeds. We know this seed no longer refers to the message, like in the previous parable, but here to people. The good seed, Jesus will explain, represents those who believe in him.
The weeds sown by the enemy is the word
Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testamentζιζάνιον
ζιζάνιον
This actually refers to the plant darnel. This plant is almost indistinguishable from wheat in its early stages. When the ear of this plant appears, it’s obvious which is which. But if darnel is consumed it could poison the one who eats it and possibly lead to death.
The surprising part of the parable is that the owner says to wait. Not to bring up the weeds until harvest day. What this means is that, as one commentator points out,
The Gospel of Matthew7. Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (13:36–43)
Within “the world” believers and unbelievers continue to exist side by side even after the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven and Jesus’ assault on the kingdom of Satan
This would have been difficult. What sort of kingdom secures a victory and allows it enemies to continue on? But Jesus says this is the nature of the kingdom in the world. Believers will continue to live life with nonbelievers. There will be an ongoing mixed global community.Relevance
The command given to the servants is “wait.” Sometimes we want to take drastic action. There has been so much violence in the world motivated by religion. But Christ’s command is not violence. We do not violence to the weeds nor do we manipulate them. The call is not to behead the unrepentant unbeliever. In fact, you have to wonder how many who did get baptized actually believed or just wanted to save their skin. In a great irony, Charlamagne’s weed pulling caused more confusion as to who was really the weed and the wheat. Bridge
Just because the victory of the kingdom is not final until the future does not mean that its influence is insignificant.Contagious (vv. 31-35)Matthew 13:31–35ESV
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” 34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”Revelation
In both the mustard seed and the leaven, the idea is something small, even hidden, growing into something large and influencing. The small seed becomes a gigantic and useful tree. The small portion of leaven influences the whole lump.
Jesus parables have this same influencing demand of that of the kingdom. Notice again that his parables are not intended to hide anything. Instead they reveal what has been hidden sense the foundation of the world. Instead of hiding things, they evoke response. One commentator notes about the nature of parables:
The Gospel of Matthew6. About Teaching in Parables (13:34–35)
remains elusive, challenging, unsettling, leaving his audience in a dilemma as to what response they should make. And that is what parables do, when given without explanation.Relevance
The call of the kingdom is not the call of the monastery. There are other people in the early church called “pillar saints” who would go beyond a mere monastery. The would live isolated on a pillar.
Imagine a man in the early church, choosing a life unlike anyone else. He climbs atop a tall, narrow stone pillar, and there he stays—day after day, year after year—praying and fasting, trying to live perfectly for God. A rope basket brings him bread and water; a small container takes care of his most basic needs. Rain falls, the sun beats down, and winds whip around him, but he never leaves his perch.
People come to look at him. Some marvel. Some mock. But most go away unchanged. The world below keeps spinning: families struggle, neighbors quarrel, injustice persists, and the lost remain lost. From his high pillar, the man’s holiness is pure—but largely invisible. He has preserved himself, but he has had almost no influence on the world around him.
This was the temptation of the “pillar saints”: when your faith feels too small, maybe it’s easier to withdraw, to isolate yourself, to live a perfect life apart from the messy, difficult world. But Jesus calls his followers to a different way—patient influence. Small faith, faithfully lived in the world, can grow, spread, and transform lives over time. Isolation may preserve, but influence changes.
The call of the parables is not just a call to be patient and avoid weeds, but rather to a beneficial influence. Bridge
But you may wonder, “I’ve been working to influence this world, greater men than me have worked to influence this world and great ways. . .but things don’t seem to be getting better. Is this all there is?”Consummation vv. 36-43Matthew 13:36–43ESV
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to 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 is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons 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 gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.Revelation
The explanation again goes directly to the disciples and not to the crowd. And yet, it seems that the disciples are the ones with this knowledge (of the explained parable) who will grow into the great mustard tree and leaven the whole lump. They will, with this knowledge, benefit and influence the whole world.
The focus of the explanation shifts from the fact of life ongoing with unbelievers to the final judgement. Notice the language in v. 41.
Matthew 13:41 “41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,”
The Son of Man is hardly a title of humility here. Some liberal have argued that any time the Son of Man is used its only referring to Jesus’s humanity and his unique status as being now in the incarnation fully human. Here the Son of Man is a figure seated as judge in the final judgement sending out whose angels? His own angels. . .
Jesus’s use of the Son of Man is a clear reference to the figure in Dan 7:13-14 who is a human who is enthroned with the Ancient of Days.
Not only do the angels belong to the Son of Man, but so does the kingdom. He says his angels will gather out of his kingdom “all causes of sin and all law-breakers.” This is:
The Gospel of Matthew7. Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (13:36–43)
directing attention away from the current situation to the coming judgment, when it will be made plain who are the true people of God and who are the “children of the Evil One.” God is not in a hurry, and they must be prepared to wait for his time
So there will be a day when all things will be made right. Though we may want that to be yesterday, all of this is working in God’s economy, his plan. Though is kingdom is here now, its not here in its fullness.
Which glow do you want?
Bridge – the righteous who will shine like the sun are presently called to patient, kingdom influence.Relevance – Application
Where do we see the kingdom in its fulness? Not so much in our present living situation, but in the future harvest.
The call of the text is to patiently influence our present situation as we look to the future coming of the kingdom in its fullness.
Where are you tempted to give up or force results?
One of the things we are called to do, as part of our mission statement even, is discipleship. This command comes from the Great Commission, that we are to “make disciples.”
I think discipleship is wholistic, big picture term. I think you can disciple an unbeliever with the goal of conversion as much as you could disciple a believer with the goal of sanctification. I think the biggest difference between discipleship and evangelism is that discipleship implies and ongoing relationship. Jesus’s model of discipleship is often called “life-on-life.” Jesus spent three whole years with these men discipling them, patiently.
When I was still in Bible college at Truett, I tried discipling a high school guy. My discipleship was very assignment driven. Do this assignment, now do this paper, now do this. Why haven’t you completed this yet?
I think it would be safe to say that my attitude there was not “patient influence” but demanding results.
And maybe you are not tempted with this type of demanding results, or weed pulling. Maybe your temptation is just to withdraw. You do not take the opportunities your life-stage has given you to be an influence on others, you prefer to keep to yourself, make sure your home is upkept the way is should be and your own holiness is in check. You might eat your bread, but your loaf is flat. Jesus’s call is not withdrawal, but beneficial influence.
Look to the example of Christ who has been patient with us.
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By Goshen BaptistCLICK HERE for AI Genderated study page on this sermon
Introduction
I
Charlemagne or Chrarles the Great lived in the late 700’s. He supposedly had long white hair from his youth. He was nearly seven feet tall, a tremendous athlete, a scholar. He doubled the size of his empire. The pope crowned him as “emperor of the Romans. He began the holy Roman Empire. After he died, they left his body on the throne for 100 years. (Imagine being the next guy?)
In his many battles against the pagans, after his victory he would give the pagans a choice: repent, or die. The could either be converted or be beheaded. Sometimes several baptisms would result. Other times, as many as 4500 were beheaded in a single day. Charlemagne thought the kingdom advanced by the sword. But Jesus teaches the kingdom grows in a very different way.
N
“But certainly” we might think, “That kingdom growth could never use me.” Sometimes we feel that our faith is just a tiny unnoticeable thing compared to this world of evil. Why is my obedience seem so fragile, and unimpressive? Is it the case that our
T
In todays passage, Jesus wraps the parable of the weeds and its explanation around some other parables. I believe this is done purposefully to bring out the theme of patient influence.
R
Matt. 13:24-43
O
Conflict (vv. 24-30), Contagious (vv. 31-35), and Consummation (vv. 36-43).Conflict (vv. 24-30)Matthew 13:24–30ESV
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”Revelation
Focus on the mixed community of the world – surprising. The man sows good seeds. We know this seed no longer refers to the message, like in the previous parable, but here to people. The good seed, Jesus will explain, represents those who believe in him.
The weeds sown by the enemy is the word
Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testamentζιζάνιον
ζιζάνιον
This actually refers to the plant darnel. This plant is almost indistinguishable from wheat in its early stages. When the ear of this plant appears, it’s obvious which is which. But if darnel is consumed it could poison the one who eats it and possibly lead to death.
The surprising part of the parable is that the owner says to wait. Not to bring up the weeds until harvest day. What this means is that, as one commentator points out,
The Gospel of Matthew7. Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (13:36–43)
Within “the world” believers and unbelievers continue to exist side by side even after the proclamation of the kingdom of heaven and Jesus’ assault on the kingdom of Satan
This would have been difficult. What sort of kingdom secures a victory and allows it enemies to continue on? But Jesus says this is the nature of the kingdom in the world. Believers will continue to live life with nonbelievers. There will be an ongoing mixed global community.Relevance
The command given to the servants is “wait.” Sometimes we want to take drastic action. There has been so much violence in the world motivated by religion. But Christ’s command is not violence. We do not violence to the weeds nor do we manipulate them. The call is not to behead the unrepentant unbeliever. In fact, you have to wonder how many who did get baptized actually believed or just wanted to save their skin. In a great irony, Charlamagne’s weed pulling caused more confusion as to who was really the weed and the wheat. Bridge
Just because the victory of the kingdom is not final until the future does not mean that its influence is insignificant.Contagious (vv. 31-35)Matthew 13:31–35ESV
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” 33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” 34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”Revelation
In both the mustard seed and the leaven, the idea is something small, even hidden, growing into something large and influencing. The small seed becomes a gigantic and useful tree. The small portion of leaven influences the whole lump.
Jesus parables have this same influencing demand of that of the kingdom. Notice again that his parables are not intended to hide anything. Instead they reveal what has been hidden sense the foundation of the world. Instead of hiding things, they evoke response. One commentator notes about the nature of parables:
The Gospel of Matthew6. About Teaching in Parables (13:34–35)
remains elusive, challenging, unsettling, leaving his audience in a dilemma as to what response they should make. And that is what parables do, when given without explanation.Relevance
The call of the kingdom is not the call of the monastery. There are other people in the early church called “pillar saints” who would go beyond a mere monastery. The would live isolated on a pillar.
Imagine a man in the early church, choosing a life unlike anyone else. He climbs atop a tall, narrow stone pillar, and there he stays—day after day, year after year—praying and fasting, trying to live perfectly for God. A rope basket brings him bread and water; a small container takes care of his most basic needs. Rain falls, the sun beats down, and winds whip around him, but he never leaves his perch.
People come to look at him. Some marvel. Some mock. But most go away unchanged. The world below keeps spinning: families struggle, neighbors quarrel, injustice persists, and the lost remain lost. From his high pillar, the man’s holiness is pure—but largely invisible. He has preserved himself, but he has had almost no influence on the world around him.
This was the temptation of the “pillar saints”: when your faith feels too small, maybe it’s easier to withdraw, to isolate yourself, to live a perfect life apart from the messy, difficult world. But Jesus calls his followers to a different way—patient influence. Small faith, faithfully lived in the world, can grow, spread, and transform lives over time. Isolation may preserve, but influence changes.
The call of the parables is not just a call to be patient and avoid weeds, but rather to a beneficial influence. Bridge
But you may wonder, “I’ve been working to influence this world, greater men than me have worked to influence this world and great ways. . .but things don’t seem to be getting better. Is this all there is?”Consummation vv. 36-43Matthew 13:36–43ESV
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to 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 is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons 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 gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.Revelation
The explanation again goes directly to the disciples and not to the crowd. And yet, it seems that the disciples are the ones with this knowledge (of the explained parable) who will grow into the great mustard tree and leaven the whole lump. They will, with this knowledge, benefit and influence the whole world.
The focus of the explanation shifts from the fact of life ongoing with unbelievers to the final judgement. Notice the language in v. 41.
Matthew 13:41 “41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,”
The Son of Man is hardly a title of humility here. Some liberal have argued that any time the Son of Man is used its only referring to Jesus’s humanity and his unique status as being now in the incarnation fully human. Here the Son of Man is a figure seated as judge in the final judgement sending out whose angels? His own angels. . .
Jesus’s use of the Son of Man is a clear reference to the figure in Dan 7:13-14 who is a human who is enthroned with the Ancient of Days.
Not only do the angels belong to the Son of Man, but so does the kingdom. He says his angels will gather out of his kingdom “all causes of sin and all law-breakers.” This is:
The Gospel of Matthew7. Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (13:36–43)
directing attention away from the current situation to the coming judgment, when it will be made plain who are the true people of God and who are the “children of the Evil One.” God is not in a hurry, and they must be prepared to wait for his time
So there will be a day when all things will be made right. Though we may want that to be yesterday, all of this is working in God’s economy, his plan. Though is kingdom is here now, its not here in its fullness.
Which glow do you want?
Bridge – the righteous who will shine like the sun are presently called to patient, kingdom influence.Relevance – Application
Where do we see the kingdom in its fulness? Not so much in our present living situation, but in the future harvest.
The call of the text is to patiently influence our present situation as we look to the future coming of the kingdom in its fullness.
Where are you tempted to give up or force results?
One of the things we are called to do, as part of our mission statement even, is discipleship. This command comes from the Great Commission, that we are to “make disciples.”
I think discipleship is wholistic, big picture term. I think you can disciple an unbeliever with the goal of conversion as much as you could disciple a believer with the goal of sanctification. I think the biggest difference between discipleship and evangelism is that discipleship implies and ongoing relationship. Jesus’s model of discipleship is often called “life-on-life.” Jesus spent three whole years with these men discipling them, patiently.
When I was still in Bible college at Truett, I tried discipling a high school guy. My discipleship was very assignment driven. Do this assignment, now do this paper, now do this. Why haven’t you completed this yet?
I think it would be safe to say that my attitude there was not “patient influence” but demanding results.
And maybe you are not tempted with this type of demanding results, or weed pulling. Maybe your temptation is just to withdraw. You do not take the opportunities your life-stage has given you to be an influence on others, you prefer to keep to yourself, make sure your home is upkept the way is should be and your own holiness is in check. You might eat your bread, but your loaf is flat. Jesus’s call is not withdrawal, but beneficial influence.
Look to the example of Christ who has been patient with us.