Matthew 13:25

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT, HIS ENEMY CAME AND SOWED TARES AMONG THE WHEAT, AND WENT HIS WAY. "The tares are the children of the wicked one." (See Matthew 13:38) Since this sowing could only be "while men slept," no blame seems intended, and certainly none is charged upon "the servants:" it is probably just the dress of the parable. See Matthew 13:39. "The enemy that sowed them is the devil" - emphatically "His enemy" (Matthew 13:25). See Genesis 3:15;...

24-30, 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced. The servants complained to their master; Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? No doubt he did; whatever is amiss in the church, we are sure it is not from Christ. Though gross transgressors, and such as openly oppose the gospel, ought to be separated from the society of the faithful, yet no human skill can make an exact separation. Those who oppose must not be cut off, but instructed, and that with meekness. And though good and bad are together...

Verse Matthew 13:25. _BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT_] When the professors were lukewarm, and the pastors indolent, _his enemy came and sowed_ _tares_, ζιζανια _degenerate_, or _bastard wheat_. The righteous and the wicked are often mingled in the visible Church. Every Christian society, how pure soever its principles may be, has its _bastard wheat_-those who bear a _resemblance_ to the good, but whose hearts are not right with God. He who sows this _bastard wheat_ among God's people is here styled God's _enemy_; and he may be considered also as a _sower_ of them who permits them to be sown and to spring up through his _negligence_. Wo to the indolent pastors, who permit the souls under their care to be corrupted by error and sin! This word does not, I believe, occur in any of the Greek classics, nor in _Dioscorides_; but it may be seen...

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKENED ... - That is, the “gospel resembles.” The kingdom of heaven (see the notes at Matthew 3:2) means here the effect of the gospel by its being preached. The meaning of this parable is plain. The field represents the “world,” in which the gospel is preached. The “good seed,” the truths preached by Christ and his apostles. Matthew 13:25 WHILE MEN SLEPT, HIS ENEMY CAME ... - That is, “in the night,” when it could be done without being seen, an enemy came and scattered bad seed on the new-plowed field, perhaps before the good seed had been harrowed in. Satan thus sows false doctrine in darkness. In the very place where the truth is preached, and while the hearts of p

EXPOSITION A few remarks by way of introduction to the characteristic portion of this chapter (Matthew 13:1). (1) We have here a collection of the Lord's parables, all spoken, as it would appear, at an early period in his ministry, descriptive of the principles of the kingdom of heaven as they make themselves felt in history, and of the way in which those who are brought into contact with the kingdom ought to act. As the chapter stands, it consists of three chief parts, which probably roughly correspond to three stages of development in its composition. (A) Matthew 13:1, also in Mark and Luke, except some characteristic enlargements in verses 10-17. The section contains the parable of the sower and its interpretation, together with a statemen

BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT,.... Good men, ministers, and churches; whose case this sometimes is to be asleep in a spiritual sense: and which sleepiness lies in a non-exercise of grace; in a sluggishness to and in duty; in a contentment in external exercises of religion; in lukewarmness about the cause of Christ; in an unconcernedness about sins of omission and commission; and in a willingness to continue in such a state; and which arises from a body of sin and death; from worldly cares; weariness in spiritual duties; a cessation from spiritual exercises; an absenting from spiritual company; oftentimes from outward ease, peace, and plenty, sometimes from a long expectation of the bridegroom's coming, and the delay of it; and from its being a night season, a time of darkness and security: such a case with the church, and good men, is very dangerous, as it exposes to every sin and snare; renders t...

Matthew 13:24. _Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:_ He knew that it was good. It had been tested: it was unmixed: it was good throughout. Matthew 13:25. _But while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way._ It was a very malicious action. The thing has been done many times. Bastard wheat was sown in among the true wheat, so as to injure the crop. Matthew 13:26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow go

II. THE REJECTED KINGDOM AND THE REJECTED KING. CHAPTER S 13-28. 1. The King at the Seaside. The Mysteries of the Kingdom. CHAPTER 13 1. The King at the Seaside. (Matthew 13:1 .) 2. The Parable of the Sower. (Matthew 13:3 .) 3. The Question of the Disciples and His Answer. (Matthew 13:10 .) 4. The Parable of the Sower Explained. (Matthew 13:18 .) 5. The Parable of the Good Seed and the Tares. (Matthew 13:24 .) 6. The Parable of the Mustard Seed....

MATTHEW 13:24; MATTHEW 13:36. THE WHEAT AND THE TARES. Mt. only. The parable is a substitute for rather than an adaptation of Mark 4:26 *. We need not deny its genuineness on the plea that the standpoint is that of the Church with its mixed elements. The field is the world, not the Church. As in the parable of the seed growing secretly, the non-interference of man is illustrated. Only the great Assize can determine between good and bad. The genuineness of the explanation is more doubtful than in the case of the Sower, and may be an imitation of it. It is mechanical and conventionally apocalyptic. Matthew 13:31. The Mu

BUT WHILE MEN SLEPT. During sleep is the time of tare-sowing. It is when men sleep that they are most likely to inhale malarious poisons. It is when the church member sleeps that the enemy is wont to sow worldly influences and temptation in his heart. It is when the church sleeps that influences are planted that grow up into evil. It was while Prince Alexander of Bulgaria was sleeping that the conspiracy gathered which hustled him out of his kingdom. It is during the hours of sleep, whether in our souls, in the church, in affairs of state, or the natural sleep of night that the enemy is always busiest. It is. natural touch for the Savior to locate the evil "when men slept." HIS ENEMY CAME AND SOWED. It is by no means uncommon for malice to show itself in this way.. wicked person may do great injury with little chance of detection. Dean Alford in his Commentary states that he was once t...