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Messages Embedded Within the Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat

The Parable of the Weeds is one of many parables Jesus used to teach the Gospel. It is also known as The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. The Parable of the Weeds can be found in Matthew 13:24-30 and Matthew 13:36-43. This is one of the several parables relating to the Kingdom of God. 

Summary

Jesus is sitting with his disciples and told them a story about a man who had planted good seeds in his fields. However, when everyone was sleeping, an enemy came to ruin the man’s field by planting weeds among the wheat. Nobody knew this had happened until the weeds began to sprout alongside the wheat. Feeling dismayed, the man's servants came to him and asked where the weeds had come from. The man told his servants that an enemy had come and sowed the bad seeds. The servants asked the man if they should pull up the weeds. The man told them no, as that would also pull up the wheat. He insisted they wait until the harvest at which point they would burn the weeds and bring the wheat into his barn. 

You can read the whole passage here:

In just six short verses, Jesus unearths a powerful message about the Kingdom of Heaven. 

The Breakdown of the Parable 

There are a few concepts that derive from this parable. Let’s begin with the symbolism.

 The Owner and His Field

The man who owns the field is God, therefore the field is Earth. 

 The Owner’s Seeds

The good seeds that were sown represent us, God’s children, and the Gospel and teachings He gives us.

 The Enemy

The enemy is Satan. 

 The Enemy’s Seeds

In contrast to the good seeds, the enemy’s seeds represent the seeds of evil; people who give into Satan’s lies, temptations, selfishness, anger, resentment, jealousy, you name it. The enemy's seeds encompass everything Christ is not. 

The Servants

The servants represent God’s servants. 

 Harvest Season

The time to harvest represents the end times. 

The Harvesters

The harvesters are God’s angels. 

The Wheat

The wheat are the revealed Sons of God.

The Weeds

The weeds are the revealed followers of Satan. 

The Barn

The barn is the Kingdom of God. 

Diving Deeper

Let’s take a look at the servants. The servants in this parable were completely unaware that the enemy planted bad seeds among the good ones until the seeds began to sprout. Up to that point, they assumed all of the seeds had been from the owner. This brings us to the question, “Why were the servants unaware?” The answer is simple, they fell asleep. There was a lack of diligence on their part. The underlying message here is that it can be difficult to discern good from evil. You won't necessarily know if something is bad until it is too late; until Satan has a tight grip on you. This is especially so if you are not always watchful and doing everything you can to steer clear of evil. 

Immediately, they ran to the owner to tell him of the weeds. They asked the owner if they should pull up the weeds. The owner replied no. He told them that they might pull up some of the wheat with the weeds. Here, we encounter another example of the difficulty to discern good from evil. The servants are trying to help the owner. They want to rid the world of bad and make sure only the Word of God and His teachings are able to grow. Often, we think we know a person, but in all reality, we can’t see their hearts as God can. Like the servants, we should do our best to help people who are making poor choices and spread His word, but it is not up to us to cast judgment on anyone. Because we are unable to see the hearts of man fully and truly, it is the responsibility of the harvesters to determine what plant needs to be pulled. Additionally, the servants running to tell the owner that weeds were in his field shows us that despite falling asleep, the servants have good intentions. This just drives home the point even more. We might believe we are on the right path, but we are human, we are weak. Satan preys on our weaknesses. We must examine ourselves and search for any areas we have let Satan slip in. 

The owner tells his servants to let the weeds grow alongside the wheat. That means that evil is continuously growing. The good news is, so is the strength of the Lord and His disciples. This nearby growth of evil means that we need to actively work to distinguish between the presence of good and evil in our own lives. We need to be assertive and stand up to anyone or anything that is luring us away from God. However, being assertive does not mean it is okay to be intolerant. Growing among weeds allows for the perfect opportunity to practice tolerance with others. Being tolerant does not mean you agree with someone, quite the opposite. It just means that you allow someone to be themselves, no matter how much you may not agree with them. Remember, it is not up to us to judge. 

The owner tells his servants that when it is time for the harvest, he will have the harvesters collect the weeds and have them burnt. The harvesters will gather the wheat, and keep it safely in the barn. This reiterates the message that it is not up to us to scrutinize others. This is the job of God and His angels.  Those who are the wheat will make it safely into the barn. For us to be gathered and kept safely in God’s Kingdom, we must be aware of our own actions. We need to examine our hearts, thoughts, and actions and make sure they align with Christ’s example. 

Here you can read Jesus’s explanation to his disciples:

A Bit of Agricultural Background

It is believed that the weed Jesus is referring to is darnel ryegrass. 

The words “Tares” and “Weeds” are used interchangeably. Various versions of the Bible use either one. 

Darnel mimics wheat. They are indistinguishable until the plants begin to mature. Darnel has infamously earned the nickname The Evil Twin of Wheat. 

Darnel is toxic. Much like Satan’s ploys, darnel is harmful to our health. 

This further implicates the difficulty in determining good and evil. Someone or something in your life could, by all appearances, be living a life worthy of Heaven. Satan is the leader of deception. He attracts good people by impersonating good. The weeds are among us, even infiltrating our churches. This is why it is critical you stay awake and enveloped in God’s Word. 

In Closing

We don’t know when the harvest will take place. But we do know that we need to be prepared and ready. It is up to us to nourish and promote our relationship with God. We have to determine if anything in our lives is hurting our sacred relationship with Him. We must submit ourselves fully to God so we can one day be reunited with Him in that special barn.

Read more about the Parables here

- Torrance Church of Christ

27 Bible Verses For Valentine's Day

Love is a prevailing theme throughout the Bible. The Bible teaches us that the most important approach to take in life is to approach it with love. We are commanded to respond to and interact with others and situations wearing love-lensed glasses. Jesus teaches us that loving one another is the greatest commandment. Furthermore, God’s love for us is felt throughout His doctrine. 

In observation of this upcoming Valentines Day, we thought it would not only be fun but also insightful to collect and share Bible verses that highlight His resounding message of love. As an added bonus, we’ve included quotes about love with respect to the Christian lifestyle. 

The Verses

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

-Ephesians 4:2

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Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

-1 Peter 4:8

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Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

-1 John 4:8

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 How beautiful you are and how pleasing, my love, with your delights!

-Song of Solomon 7:6

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Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

-Romans 12:9

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Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

-Proverbs 10:12

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How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!  Your eyes are doves.

-Song of Solomon 1:15

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Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

-Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

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Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

-Proverbs 3:3

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How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!

-Song of Solomon 4:10

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Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

-Mark 10:9

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Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

-Romans 13:10

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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

-1 John 4:18

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Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves

-Philippians 2:3

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 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

-Psalm 85:10

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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

-1 Corinthians 13:4-7

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However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

-Ephesians 5:33

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You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.

-Song of Solomon 4:7

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Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

-Romans 12:10

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We love because He first loved us.

-1 John 4:19

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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

-1 Corinthians 13:13

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 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth- for your love is more delightful than wine.

-Song of Solomon 1:2

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God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 

-1 John 4:16

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A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

-Proverbs 31:10

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Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.

-Song of Solomon 8:7

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And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

-Colossians 3:14

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Do everything in love.

-1 Corinthians 16:14

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The Quotes

Never procrastinate in showing love. Don’t delay. Don’t put it off. Do it now. 

Rick Warren

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Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired. Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. 

Mother Teresa

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Being loved is life’s second greatest blessing; loving is the greatest. 

Jack Hyles

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Real love, the Bible says, instinctively desired permanence. 

Timothy Keller

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When you are filled with love, and you are busy loving, you have no time to fear. 

Michael Caputo

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When couples love God first, they love each other better. 

Brela Delahoussaye

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Do not waste time bothering whether you love your neighbor; act as if you did. 

C.S. Lewis

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The measure of love is to live without measuring.

Saint Augustine

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When God brought the first man his spouse, He brought him not just a lover but the friend his heart has been seeking. 

Timothy Keller

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When God made a woman, He took her from the rib of the man. One function of the rib is to protect the heart. In the same way, women should protect her man’s heart, careful not to use words or do things to hurt it. 

Unknown

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The more we love, the more love we have to offer. So it is with God’s love for us. It is inexhaustible. 

Mary C. Neal

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If we claim to love God, but don’t love each other, our love is nothing and meaningless. 

David Alley

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Faith makes all things possible. Love makes all things easy. 

Dwight L. Moody

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The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now. 

Rick Warren

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The overriding character trait of Jesus is love, and the entire Gospel story is woven with love. Sometimes it’s not easy, and oftentimes it requires sacrifice, but it’s when we love that we are the most like Jesus. 

Steven Furtick

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As God by creation made two of the one, so again by marriage, He made one of the two. 

Thomas Adams

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Where love is, God is. 

Henry Drummond

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Think on these two powerful points: Lean on God in every situation and love others as unselfishly as you possibly can.

Joyce Meyer

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For instance, God teaches us to love by putting some unlovely people around us. It takes no character to love people who are lovely and loving you. 

Rick Warren

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Love is worthless unless it acts out, unless it’s expressed in deed and behavior. 

Dr. David Jeremiah

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Intense love does not measure, it just gives. 

Mother Teresa

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Love has a quality that it becomes stronger as the time passes. 

Adam Green

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To Love another person is to see the peace of God. 

Victor Hugo

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Love is the doorway through which the human soul passes from selfishness to service.

Jack Hyles

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Love pays attention. Love listens to the fears and the doubts of others and treats them with respect. Love accepts others the way Jesus accepts us. 

Rick Warren

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Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do. 

David Wilkerson

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To love someone means to see him as God intended him. 

Fyodor Dostoevsky

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Lastly

Spread His love by adding a verse or two to Valentine's cards for a special someone, a friend, or anyone else you feel inspired to uplift. Ruminate on the verses and their meanings. Let His word guide you and lead you down a path of unconditional love. 

- Torrance Church of Christ

David’s Faith and Overcoming Giants

The Record of David and Goliath

Historical Context and Background

Before jumping straight into the story of the battle against Goliath, let’s look over a little background leading up to the battle. 

Saul had been the King of Israel. At this time, the Philistines and the Israelites had been at war with each other for quite a while. During a battle, Saul had been instructed by God to destroy everyone and everything. Saul did not, instead choosing to spare king Agag of the Amalekites and some of the best livestock for sacrifice. This angered the Lord. Saul’s consequence for disobeying God was being replaced as king. 

But Samuel said to him, “I will not go back with you. You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you as king over Israel!”

1 Samuel 15:26

God instructed Samuel to travel to Bethlehem and speak to Jesse. Per the Lord’s instructions, Samuel was to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the new king of Israel. When Samuel arrived, he met Jesse’s son Eliab. Because of his height and stature, Samuel thought Eliab would be a good fit to be king. 

But God warned Samuel:

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

Jesse continued to introduce Samuel to his seven sons that were present. Samuel informed Jesse that the Lord has rejected all seven, and asked if he had another son. Jesse told Samuel that his youngest son, David, was out tending to the sheep. 

So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.

Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”

1 Samuel 16:12

Samuel anointed David to become King of Israel. 

By this time, Saul had become tortured, so one of his servants suggested to Saul that he should find someone to play him the lyre in order to feel better. Saul told his servants to find someone to play the lyre and bring that person to him.

One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”

1 Samuel 16:18

This is how David began working under Saul. 

David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, “Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.”

1 Samuel 16:21-22

The Battle

Chapter 17 of 1 Samuel begins by providing readers with a simple layout of the land.

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

1 Samuel 17:1-3

The Philistines had a champion from Gath, named Goliath. Goliath was about 9 feet 9 inches tall and was decked out head to toe in heavy bronze armor. 

For forty days, Goliath continued to taunt the Israelite camp, saying:

Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”

1 Samuel 17:8-10

This left all of the Israelites feeling discouraged. 

David’s three oldest brothers had followed Saul to battle. David would run back and forth between the Israelite camp and his family home to check on his brothers and tend the sheep. 

One day while David was back at home with his father, his dad asked him to bring food to his brothers and their commander at the Israelite camp. David set out early in the morning to make the journey to the camp. While talking to his brothers, Goliath entered the camp to dish out his daily slew of insults and taunts. Per the usual, the Israelites ran off and hid. 

David heard Goliath and noticed how the Israelites cowered in fear. 

David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

1 Samuel 17:26

David’s oldest brother, Eliab, was angered when he overheard David speaking to the group of men. He accused David of being conceited and insinuated that the only reason David came was to watch the battle. 

Word of this episode spread; making its way back to Saul. Saul called on David. 

David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

1 Samuel 17:32-37

Saul offered David his tunic, coat of armor, bronze helmet, and sword. David tried on the protective gear and quickly discarded it. It was heavy and he did not know how to carry himself while wearing it. Instead, he equipped himself with his shepherds' staff, a few smooth rocks, and a slingshot. 

Remember, Goliath was an excessively large man adorned in heavy-duty armor. Physically, the odds were in Goliath’s favor. 

Upon seeing David, Goliath mocked him. To which David faithfully replied:

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

1 Samuel 17:45-47

Squaring up, David faced Goliath, placed a stone in his slingshot, and planted it smack-dab into Goliath’s forehead, causing Goliath to fall face-first to the ground. After Goliath was dead, the Philistines ran, and the Israelites were victors in the war. 

The Armor of God

David was the underdog who stood tall and conquered the untouchable giant, with seemingly nothing more than a slingshot and a stone. But that is not all David had. 

David wore the Armor of God which gave him the confidence and faith required to defeat Goliath. 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Ephesians 6:10-17

How Does The Account Of David Overthrowing Goliath Apply Today?

The Lord has your back. If you are facing a difficult situation, no matter what it may be, you will be able to face it effectively and seek a solution with more clarity if you put your trust in Him. When we put on The Armor of God, clinging to Him in obedience and faith, we are backed with the love, support, and assurance that we will be able to get through the darkest of times and conquer any giants that stand in our way.

- Torrance Church of Christ