Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Verse 30. Let both grow together] Though every minister of God should separate from the Church of Christ every incorrigible sinner, yet he should proceed no farther: the man is not to be persecuted in his body or goods, because he is not sound in the faith – GOD tolerates him; so should men. False doctrines are against God – he alone is the judge and punisher of them-man has no right to interfere in this matter. They who burnt Vanini for atheism usurped the seat of judgment, and thus proved themselves to be not less a diabolical seed than the person they thus, without God’s leave, hurried into eternity. MARY, Queen of England, of execrable memory, and the inquisitorial tormentors she employed, were all of this diabolical sowing. See more on this parable at Mt 13:37, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
30, 39. Let both grow togetherthatis, in the visible Church.
until the harvesttillthe one have ripened for full salvation, the other for destruction.(See on Mt 13:39).
and in the time of harvest Iwill say to the reapers(See on Mt13:39).
Gather ye together first thetares, and bind them in bundles to burn them“in the fire”(Mt 13:40).
but gather the wheat into mybarnChrist, as the Judge, will separate the two classes (as inMt 25:32). It will be observedthat the tares are burned before the wheat is housed; in theexposition of the parable (Mat 13:41;Mat 13:43) the same order isobserved: and the same in Mt 25:46as if, in some literal sense, “with thine eyes shalt thoubehold and see the reward of the wicked” (Ps91:8).
Third and Fourth Parablesor Second Pair:
THEMUSTARD SEEDand THE LEAVEN(Mt 13:31-33).
The subject of both theseparables, as of the first pair, is the same, but under a slightdiversity of aspect, namely
THEGROWTH OF THE KINGDOM FROM THESMALLEST BEGINNINGSTO ULTIMATEUNIVERSALITY.
The Mustard Seed (Mat 13:31;Mat 13:32).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Let both grow together until the harvest,…. By “the harvest”, is meant “the end of the world”, Mt 13:39 either of the Jewish world, the dissolution of their church and state, which was near; or of a man’s life, which is the end of the world to him; or rather of this present world, the system of the universe, of the material world, as to its present form and use, and of the inhabitants of it, and of time in it. Now the end of the world is compared to harvest, because the time of it is fixed and settled; though it is not known when it will be, yet it is as certain as the time of harvest; and because as that is in the summer season, in hot weather, so this will be a time of wrath, when the day of the Lord will burn like an oven; and as the harvest time is a time of hurry and labour, so will it be in the end of the world, especially with the angels, who will be gathering the elect from the four winds, and all men, to appear before the judgment seat of Christ; and as at harvest the corn is cut down, the fields cleared, and all brought home, so it will be at the end of the world; the sickle will be thrust in, and the earth reaped, the tares bound in bundles, and cast into the fire, and the wheat gathered into the garner; and as the harvest, as it falls out to be good or bad, is matter of joy or sorrow, so will the end of the world be joy to saints, who will then enter into the joy of their Lord, and be for ever with him, and sorrow to the wicked, who will then go into everlasting punishment. Until this time, wheat and tares are to “grow” together. The “wheat”, or true believers, “grow” in the exercise of grace, as of faith, hope, love, humility, c. and in spiritual knowledge of the will of God, of the doctrines of grace, and of Christ which growth is owing to the dews of divine grace, to the sun of righteousness shining upon them, to the gracious influences of the blessed Spirit, and to the word and ordinances as means. The “tares”, or nominal professors, may “grow” in riches, in credit, and reputation among men, and in speculative knowledge; and oftentimes so it is, that they grow worse and worse, both in doctrinal and practical wickedness: when they are ordered to “grow together”, the meaning is, not that their growth is equal, or of the same kind, nor in the same way, nor in the same things; but this only notes the time and duration of their growth: nor is this suffered and permitted, because of any love God has unto them, or any delight in, or approbation of them; but either because they are not fully ripe for ruin; or for the exercise of the saints, and for their temporal and spiritual good; for it is entirely a tender regard to the wheat, and not to the tares, that they are ordered to grow together.
And in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, the angels,
Mt 13:39
gather ye together first the tares; that is, formal professors, hypocrites, and heretics; whom he will have removed out of his kingdom, his church, his field, in the world: and this order shows, that the angels will have a perfect and exact knowledge of these persons; and that their work will be to separate them from the righteous; when the churches will be pure, and without spot, or wrinkle: and this will be done first; that is, these wicked men will be first removed out of the church, before their more severe punishment takes place:
and bind them in bundles to burn them: which denotes the power of angels over these persons, the certainty and inevitableness of their ruin, their association together, and their destruction in company with one another; which will be an aggravation of their misery, which is expressed by “burning” with fire; not material, but metaphorical; the wrath of God, which will be a consuming fire, and be everlasting and unquenchable.
But gather the wheat into my barn; meaning the kingdom of heaven, which is as a garner or repository, in which none but wheat is put, and where it is safe, and lies together: so none but righteous, pure, and undefiled persons, are admitted into heaven; and being there, they are safe, and out of the reach of all enemies; and what adds to their happiness is, that they are together, enjoying all satiety and fulness; and are in Christ’s barn, or garner, which he has made, and prepared for their reception. The gathering of them into it designs the introduction of the saints into heaven by angels, as their souls at death, and both souls and bodies, at the last day, when their happiness will be perfect and complete.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
My barn ( ). See already Matt 3:12; Matt 6:26. Granary, storehouse, place for putting things away.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Let both grow together until the harvest,” (Aphete sunauksanesthai amphoters heos tou therismou) “You all leave them to grow together, until the harvest time,” the time of death and judgment, till the fruit of their good and evil deeds and influence have been matured, 2Co 5:10-11; 2Ti 4:1-2.
2) “And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,” (kai en kairo tou therismou ero tois theristais) “And in the harvest season I will instruct the reapers,” the angelic reapers, who are sent forth as explained Mat 13:39-41.
3) “Gather ye together first the tares,” (sulleksate proton ta zizania) “You all collect first (in priority) the tares,” the wicked ones, Joh 5:28-29; Ecc 12:13-14; Rom 2:16.
4) “And bind them in bundles to burn them:” (kai desate auta eis desmas pros to katakausai auta) “And bind them into bundles to burn them,” or bring them in restraints, or reserve, to the great white throne judgement, Rev 20:11-15.
5) “But gather the wheat into my barn.” (ton de siton aunagagete eis ten apotheken mou) “Then you all gather or collect the wheat into my barn” 1Th 4:13-18. Not one grain of wheat, one child of God, will ever be burned. But the tares only, the unredeemed, unsaved, children of the Devil shall be burned, Mat 10:28. This parable does not deal with church discipline as is surely taught elsewhere, to keep a church morally, ethically, and doctrinally pure. But it shows the deceitfulness of the Devil and anger of good angels at his attack on the church and her work, Mat 16:18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
30. Let both grow together until the harvest Let the probationary state remain until the judgment day. Then shall the final separation of the good and the evil take place. The evil shall be sent to hell, and the righteous to heaven. Gather ye first the tares gather the wheat Upon the same gathering both tares and wheat are sent each to their own place. We remark here:
1 . We have here a very clear contradiction of the millenarian theory that there are two resurrections, one of the righteous, another of the wicked, a thousand years apart.
2 . We have also a very express condemnation of the doctrine that God will first destroy the wicked, and allow the saints to reign on earth a thousand years before the final judgment. The wicked and the righteous will both continue undestroyed during the time of probation. This belongs to the very nature of the probation.
3 . Nor does this parable contradict the doctrine that men will be generally converted for ages before the judgment. It is destruction, not conversion, that the parable intends to deny. Men will be permitted to be wicked even in the millennium. They will be of the same depraved nature as now. Only the main mass will be saints by conversion and sanctification.
4 . Let us from this parable understand the divine government, and never wonder at the sparing or even the prosperity of the wicked.
This is the season of probation, but the day of judgment will show a different state of things. Verily there is a just God over all.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 13:30. Gatherthe tares, and bind them in bundles The word tares does not seem to express the meaning of the original : for tares, with us, are not noxious weeds, but a serviceable kind of pulse, of great use for cattle, and very easily distinguished in their growth from wheat; whereas the original expresses somewhat (and the scope of the parable demands it) which is of no service at all; fit only to be burned, and which cannot easily be distinguished from the good corn till both are grown up; and to these particulars answer either what are called the deaf ears in wheat, which cannot be discerned till the time of harvest; or rather a weed called darnel, the infelix lolium, which grows up with wheat, and unless gathered out of it before it be reaped, is very prejudicial to the corn. Dr. Johnson, indeed, in his Dictionary, says, that “tares (from teeren, Dutch, to consume) are a weed that grows among corn.” The original word, as some very able Grecians tell us, is not found except in the Evangelists, and certain of the fathers; and they give it different derivations.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 13:30 . ] without the article, Winer, p. 118 [E. T. 147 ff.].
.] (see critical remarks): bind them into bundles . For this construction of . with two accusatives, considering the resemblance between it and the root of ., comp. Khner, II. 1, p. 274.
The explanation of the parable, which latter is different from that given in Mar 4:26 ff. (in answer to Holtzmann, Weiss), is furnished by Jesus Himself in Mat 13:37 ff. It is to this effect. The visible church, up till the day of judgment, is to comprise within its pale those who are not members of the invisible church, and who shall have no part in the kingdom that is to be established. The separation is not a thing with which man is competent to deal, but must be left in the hands of the Judge. The matter is to be understood, however, in a broad and general way, so that it cannot be said at all to affect the right of individual excommunication and restoration. In regard to individuals, there remains the possibility (to which, however, the parable makes no reference whatever): “ut qui hodie sunt zizania, eras sint frumentum,” Augustine.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Ver. 30. Bind them in bundles, &c. ] This shall be the angels’ office at the last day, to bundle up swearers with swearers, drunkards with drunkards, &c., that they may suffer together, as they have sinned together, and pledge one another in that cup of fire and brimstone that shall then be poured down their throats, Psa 11:6 . As in the meantime, brimstone is here scattered upon their habitation,Job 18:15Job 18:15 , every moment ready to take fire, if God but lighten upon it with the arrows of his indignation, Psa 18:14 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 13:30 . : before or after cutting down the crop? Not said which; order of procedure immaterial, for now the wheat is ripe . ; the , omitted in some MSS., is not necessary before a noun of same meaning with the verb. Fritzsche thinks the expression without preposition more elegant. Meyer also omits, with appeal to Khner on verbs with double accusatives. This parable embodies the great principle of bad men being tolerated for the sake of the good. It relegates to the end the judgment which the contemporaries of Jesus, including the Baptist, expected at the beginning of the Messianic kingdom (Weiss-Meyer).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
grow together. Greek. sunauxanomai. Occurs only here.
reapers. Greek. theristes. Occurs only here, and in Mat 13:39.
in = into. Greek. eis.
bundles. Greek. desme. Occurs only here, in this form.
to burn = in order to burn.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 13:30. , grow together) Growth in good and evil takes place simultaneously, sometimes in the case of individuals, and generally in that of men taken collectively; and the further that ages proceed, the more conspicuous do they both become.- , …, in the time) Then it will at length be the right time to do so.-, first) that the godly may behold the punishment of the ungodly; the ungodly not see the glory of the godly. Thus in ch. 25, though the Judge addresses the righteous first, yet afterwards in the last verse the ungodly are banished into eternal fire before [the godly are admitted into heaven].-, bundles) As from ; (a standing place, station, etc.) comes (a carpenters rule, etc.), and from (physical or moral filth, etc.) comes (outrage, etc.), so from (a band or bond) are derived (a bond), and (a bundle); see Eustathius. They will have no choice: those of like kind will be joined together.-, to burn utterly) They will be burned, and that utterly.-, but) Then the separation will have been effected.-, collect) and bring.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
1 Gather
The gathering of the tares into bundles for burning does not imply immediate judgment. At the end of this age (Mat 13:40) the tares are set apart for burning, but first the wheat is gathered into the barn.; Joh 14:3; 1Th 4:14-17.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
both: Mat 13:39, Mat 3:12, Mat 22:10-14, Mat 25:6-13, Mat 25:32, Mal 3:18, 1Co 4:5
to the: Mat 13:39-43, 1Ti 5:24
and bind: 1Sa 25:29
burn: Mat 25:41, Isa 27:10, Isa 27:11, Eze 15:4-7, Mal 4:1, Joh 15:6
but: Mat 3:12, Luk 3:17
Reciprocal: Deu 28:8 – storehouses 2Ki 10:23 – the worshippers Job 39:12 – gather Psa 37:38 – General Isa 17:5 – as when Jer 51:33 – the time Eze 22:19 – I will Mat 13:40 – General Mat 13:48 – and gathered Mat 22:11 – when Mat 22:13 – Bind Mar 4:29 – he putteth Rev 14:14 – a sharp Rev 14:15 – harvest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
GROWING TOGETHER
Let both grow together until the harvest.
Mat 13:30
Our Lord emphasises the final separation at the last between the wheat and the tares (Mat 13:41-43). Meanwhile, both grow. Sin grows, and grace grows.
I. Sin grows.Of all figures in the picture-gallery of history, none is so appalling as the portrait of Judas Iscariot. He began by being a thief; he ended by being a traitor. He became what he was by degrees, like all other lost souls, into whom when besetting sins are unresisted, Satan enters.
II. Grace grows.The righteous shall flourish like the palm trees; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (Psa 92:12). It has been well said that there are three steps in the Christian lifethree steps in spiritual growth.
(a) The first step is when a man cares for his own soulwhen he is wakened up from wrath to flee. The grace of God has touched the innermost springs of his life. He cries, O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul. He longs to be holy.
(b) The second step is to care for the souls of others.
(c) The third step is to care for the honour of Christ.
One thing is certain: if we are living Christians, we shall be growing Christians; we shall learn more of Christ, of His kingdom, power, and glory, and desire to give our lives more e ntirely to Him.
The Rev. F. Harper.
Illustrations
(1) How does a Christian gain likeness to Christ? By little and little. Have you seen a painter at worksay a portrait-painter? After the main outlines of the picture are placed on the canvas, have you noticed how gradually and how minutely he produces the likeness? A touch of the brush here, then a pause, then another touch and another. Then, at another place, a gentler touch, a little deepening here, a little lightening there, a little lengthening here, and a little shortening there; and so by countless and, to the unskilled observer it might seem, uncombined applications of the brush, the likeness at last is perfected. There is something analogous to this in the production of the likeness of Christ on His peoples hearts and characters by the Divine skill and patience of the Holy Ghost.
(2) A simple-hearted girl heard Gods call to the mission-field, and felt keenly the pain of leaving her lover in one of our great manufacturing centres. She came to her parish priest and said, I cannot bear to give up anything for Jesus grudgingly. So she spent a whole night in prayer that He would help her to make the gift with a smile, and came again to her parish priest, saying, I dont love Jack less, but I love the Lord Jesus so much more that it is easy to go.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
3:30
By harvest time the growth will be completed and hence no harm can be done to the wheat even if it is pulled up. Also by that time the distinction will be clearer so that the reapers whose experience guides them in the harvesting work will be able to make the separation between the things that should not remain together.