Matthew 13:26 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

NIV: When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

NASB: And when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident.

CSB: When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.

NLT: When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

KJV: But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

NKJV: But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

This parable of Jesus describes an attack on a farmer's crop. The farmer planted a field with only good wheat seeds. During the dark of night, his enemy came and planted weeds in the field, as well (Matthew 13:24–25). Now Jesus reveals just how effective the attack has been. By the time the wheat plants begin to develop, the weeds are entrenched.

Bible scholars say the weed Jesus describes was likely "darnel," a semi-poisonous ryegrass that closely resembles wheat in the early stages of its growth. These plants are also known as "tares," and the use of that term in translations such as the King James Version is why this is often called "the parable of the wheat and the tares." This is a common plant, and the attack Jesus describes here has historically been one way of sabotaging another's crops.

Only later, after the wheat begins to bear grain, would the difference become obvious. By that time, though, the roots of the weeds and the wheat would likely have been entangled. As Jesus will show, the only good solution was to harvest the wheat and weeds together and then to separate them (Matthew 13:29–30). Later (Matthew 13:36–43), Jesus will explain to His disciples exactly what each element of this parable represents.

Matthew 13:24–30 contains the parable of the wheat and the weeds, also known as the parable of the wheat and the "tares." Christ will later explain this as a metaphor for God separating believers from non-believers in the final judgment (Matthew 13:36–43). He tells the crowd of a farmer who sowed good wheat seeds into a field. His enemy, though, sabotaged the field with weeds. This probably meant planting a worthless plant that looks deceptively like wheat. The farmer sensibly waits, allowing the wheat and weeds to grow together rather than risking damage to the wheat by uprooting the other plants. At the harvest, the farmer will tell his workers to gather up the weeds and bundle them to be burned.

Matthew 13 focuses mainly on a series of parables. Jesus first describes these to a large crowd along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Later, in a house, He explains to the disciples the meanings of the parables of the sower, the weeds, and the fish caught in the net. Jesus then travels to Nazareth, teaches in the synagogue, and is rejected by the people of His original hometown.

Matthew 13 follows Jesus from the overcrowded house at the end of the previous chapter to a crowded beach on the Sea of Galilee. He teaches a large crowd in a series of parables, which He doesn't fully explain. However, He reveals their meaning to His disciples inside a nearby house. Jesus pictures the kingdom of heaven as a sower, a sabotaged field of wheat, a mustard seed, and a pearl dealer, among other things. He then travels to His original hometown of Nazareth where He is rejected by the people He grew up with. This leads Matthew back to depictions of Jesus' miracles, after sadly recording John the Baptist's death.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.