Matthew 13:34-43, Prophecy and the Parable of the Weeds Explained

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.”

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.

Comments

Matthew saw all of the Old Testament as prophetic about who Jesus will be and what he will do. He quoted Psalm 78:2 to explain why Jesus spoke in parables. He then explained the Parable of the Weeds, showing that the sons of the evil one and sin itself will have no place in the kingdom when it is fully consummated.

A parable is a form of speech, either a story or saying, used to illustrate a point. Parables may be divided in three classes: true parables, story parables, and illustrations. The true parable is an illustration taken from daily life, and its teaching is universally acknowledged. Examples of true parables are a sheep separated from the flock and a coin lost in a home. Story parables refer to a particular event that took place in the past and centers on one person in particular. Examples include the shrewd manager who redeemed himself after wasting his master’s possessions and the judge who eventually administered justice in response to the persistent widow. Illustrations are stories that project an example to be imitated such as the good Samaritan that ends with Jesus saying, “Go and do likewise.” Jesus’ parables are not allegories. Instead, they employ metaphors and similes, but are never removed from reality and never convey fictitious ideas. They are stories taken from the world in which Jesus lived and are told for the purpose of relating a spiritual truth.

[Taken from the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology]

Prayer

Father, your Son speaks, and I listen. Through your Spirit, help me understand.