Parable of the tares and the wheat
Parable the Tares. Parable of Tares explained.
(The Gospel History, Portions of Sections 51 and 52)
Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of God is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.
Parable of the tares and the wheat
(The Saviour of the World, Vol III Book II Poem XVII)
A man went out and sowed his field
With good seed, should large increase yield:
His devoir done, the good man slept;
Another, watchful vigil kept,—
His enemy, who came by stealth,
Sowed pestilent tares where all that wealth
Of good seed waited sun and rain;
These came ere long the seed had lain,
And both seeds sprouted, wheat and tares,
In multitude, defying cares
Of anxious labourers to clear
The crop had cost their master dear.
They came before their Lord; said they,
“Sir, was it not good seed one day
Thou sowedst in thy field? Then whence
Have tares come up for thine offence?”
The master heard, and taking thought—
“An enemy this mischief wrought
To me and mine,” he cried; said they,
“Wouldst have us gather them?” But, “Nay,”
Said he, “together let them grow,
Nor try to weed out tares, lest so,
Ye wheat as well as tares uproot:
Let both together grow till fruit
Of wheat is ripened in the ear!
Lo, then, my reapers shall appear!
Then will I bid them, Gather first
The tares that spoil my crop; accurst,
In bundles to be burnt, these bind;
But every ear of wheat ye find,
Garner it heedfully, nor lose
A single grain of my just dues.”
The disciples heard and pondered long
How tares should get the wheat among,
And what the tares and what the field
And who the enemy concealed:
A symbol of the kingdom, knew,
But failed to read its import true:
Thrice happy men, these instant bring
To Christ their troubled questioning!
So soon as seated in the house—
“This parable explain to us,”
They cry insistent; He explains:
“The Son of man sows the good grains,
The words of life, with earnest pains.
The field He sows in is the world:—
Wherever seed of truth lies curled
In sheltering folds of hearer’s heart
Behold a man that hath his part,—
Son of the Kingdom who receives
That seed I sow and straight believes.
But there be other sons abroad,
Sons of that Evil One, whose word
Accuseth, hateth, ever lies!
These be the tares that strong arise
In field I purchased for mine own.
The devil, he this crop hath sown;
The wheat and tares alike are green,
Alike are goodly to be seen;
Both show alike the promise good
Of men’s abundant wholesome food.
The harvest is postponèd long;
Till end of the world the reapers’ song
Shall not be heard in field of Mine:
The reapers be Mine angels; then,
Shall they go forth to garner men;
Like as the tares burn in the fire,
So shall those shrivel in the ire
Of the just Son of man who cause
Weak souls to stumble, men to fall
From grace of Him would save them all!—
Who scoff and doubt or souls offend
With evil courses to bad end.
As fiery furnace then shall burn
Their thoughts when they the truth discern
Impotent, they shall gnash their teeth,—
Perceiving all that grace beneath
Whose sheltering they dared transgress;
With cries and tears, they shall confess!
Meantime the righteous enter in
That Kingdom they took pains to win.
“Who hath ears to hear, now let him hear!”
The Master cried; and holy fear
Possessed the hearts of all those men;
Might they be tares, could they again,
Despite of all His fostering grace,
Offend their fellows, bring disgrace
On Church of Christ,—by casual life,
By proud opinions gendering strife,
By holding up, men to mislead,
Alluring lights that dead souls breed?—
And each man questioned in his heart,—
Could his be this so shameful part?
St. Matthew xiii. 24-30, 36-43.