“The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;”
My Notes
What Does Matthew 13:38 Mean?
Jesus interprets the parable with surgical precision: the field is the world. The good seed are the children of the kingdom. The tares are the children of the wicked one. Every element is decoded. The allegory is exact. And the scope is global — the field isn't the church. It's the world.
The distinction between "children of the kingdom" and "children of the wicked one" is categorical: two groups of people, planted by two different sowers, growing in the same world. The children of the kingdom were sowed by the Son of man (verse 37). The children of the wicked one were sowed by the devil (verse 39). Both live in the same field. Both look similar from the outside.
"The field is the world" (kosmos) — not the church. The world. This means the coexistence of wheat and tares isn't just a church problem. It's a cosmic reality. The entire world contains both — good seed and enemy seed — growing side by side until the harvest at the end of the age.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Does 'the field is the world' (not the church) expand how you understand the coexistence of good and evil?
- 2.How do you live as wheat in a field that also contains tares — without becoming paranoid about the weeds?
- 3.Does the children-of-the-kingdom vs. children-of-the-wicked-one distinction feel categorical or gradual?
- 4.Can you leave the sorting to the angels — or do you keep trying to do the harvester's job?
Devotional
The field is the world. The good seed: God's children. The tares: the devil's children. Both growing in the same dirt.
Jesus decodes the parable and the scope is bigger than anyone expected: the field isn't the church. It's the world. The entire planet is the field where God's seed and the enemy's seed grow side by side. The coexistence isn't a local church issue. It's a global reality.
Children of the kingdom — planted by Jesus. People whose origin is divine sowing. Whose presence in the world is deliberate. Whose growth is intended by the one who planted them. The good seed are people. And the sower is God.
Children of the wicked one — planted by the devil. People whose presence in the field is enemy action. Whose growth is the devil's agenda. Whose purpose is to mimic the wheat while corrupting the field. The tares are people. And the sower is Satan.
Both groups grow in the same world. Attend the same schools. Work at the same companies. Live on the same streets. And from the outside — until the harvest reveals the fruit — they're nearly indistinguishable. Tares look like wheat. Children of the wicked one look like children of the kingdom. The similarity is the strategy.
The separation isn't your job. It's the angels' (verse 39 — the reapers are the angels). At the end of the age (verse 40 — the harvest is the end of the world). Your job is to grow. In the same field as the tares. Without being confused for one. And without trying to pull them before the Harvester says it's time.
The world is a mixed field. The wheat and the tares share the dirt. And the sorting belongs to someone else.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
As therefore the tares are gathered,.... As it is represented in the parable, that in the time of harvest, the tares…
Declare unto us - That is, explain the meaning of the parable. This was done in so plain a manner as to render comment…
In these verses, we have, I. Another reason given why Christ preached by parables, Mat 13:34, Mat 13:35. All these…
Explanation of the Parable of the Tares, in St Matthew only
39. the end of the world Literally, the completion of this…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture