Title: Parables #2 & #3: The Parable of the Seed & The Parable of the Tares
Scriptures to Read: Mark 4:26-29; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Commentary:
The Parable of the Seed that is sown (Mark 4:26-29)
The second parable is found only in Mark’s account: the parable of the seed that is sown. And the main point is that the seed will spring to life and grow of its own accord, inexplicably. The growth of the seed does not depend upon the sower. The sower doesn’t even know how it grows, and there is nothing he can do to make it grow. All he can do is harvest it when it is ready. And that is the mystery of regeneration. A simple gospel message accepted suddenly changes the person. He is born again and we see major changes in his or her life. We can observe these changes, but we cannot explain them.
The Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)
The third parable is the parable of the tares.
Elements of the parable
What are the elements of this parable, and what does Jesus say they represent?
1. The sower of good seed is the Son of Man, Jesus Himself.
2. The enemy who sowed the tares is the devil.
3. The field is the world.
4. The good seed are the sons of the Kingdom, the believers.
5. The tares are the sons of the evil one.
6. The harvest is the end of the age, just before the beginning of the Messianic Kingdom.
7. The reapers are angels.
The meaning of the parable
This parable makes three main points.
1. The first point is that a false counter-sowing will follow the true sowing. There will be a counter-sowing of false believers. They claim to be believers, but are not.
2. Secondly there will be side-by-side development of believers and unbelievers as a result of the two sowings. And so in every church we will have people we are sure are believers, although they have all the terms and outward appearance of believers.
3. Thirdly, the judgement at the end of the Mystery Kingdom age will separate the two, with the wheat entering the Messianic Kingdom, represented by the barn, and the tares being excluded and thrown into the fire.
The harpazo 