"Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 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 good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 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." - Matthew 13:24-30
Understanding the parables that Jesus spoke about requires the reader to dive deep into Scripture. Similar to the parables of the Virgins and the Ten Talents, reading the surrounding parables gives us insight into what each parable is about. Understanding the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God is also vital (see lesson).
Keep in mind that the Gospel of Matthew is about the Messiah and His Kingdom on Earth a.k.a. the Kingdom of Heaven. Whenever Jesus mentions the Kingdom in Matthew, it is the Kingdom of Heaven. Luke and Mark discuss the Kingdom of God. Sometimes the parables overlap. The Parable of the Sower, which is the parable immediately preceding the parable of this lesson, is an example of this (Matt. 13:3-23, Mk. 4:3-20).
The Parable of the Sower is explained by Christ. He describes the seed as the news of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 13:19) and as the news of the Kingdom of God (Mk. 4:11). He describes in detail four types of people that hear the Word of God (Matt. 13:19-23).
The two parables both deal with the Word of God. However, the Parable of the Sower describes four types of believers from the end of the Old Testament (when the parables were given) until the end of the Tribulation (when Christ returns). The Parable of the Wheat and Tares is specifically referring to the end of His Millennial Kingdom.
As established from the preceding parable, the seed is the Word (Mk. 4:14) and the Word is Jesus. John wrote "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1, 14). When we receive the Word, we receive Jesus. Notice that in the Gospel of Salvation, it says "according to the Scriptures..." (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Jesus Himself explains the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares in Matthew 13:37-43, and mentioned that He is the one that sows the good seeds. This cannot be referring to any other dispensation other than the Millennial Kingdom!
The Law was given to Moses by God, but taught to Israel by man (Deut. 4:14). The Gospel of Salvation was given to Paul, but spread throughout the world by man (1 Cor. 9:16). The Gospel of the Coming Kingdom during the Tribulation period is shared by the 144,000 Jews (Rev. 7:4), the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:3), and an angel that flies around proclaiming Jesus' return (Rev. 14:6-7). This is the time when Jesus Himself will teach the world His Laws.
Jesus said that He will send His angels to "gather out of His Kingdom..." (v.41). Jesus has not returned to establish His Kingdom yet, and won't until after the end of the Tribulation (Rev. 19:11). We know that the time period that Jesus is speaking about is at the end of His 1,000-year reign because of two specific clues. The first clue is found in verse 39 when Jesus said that it is Satan that sows the tares.
Revelation 20:3 and 7-8 show that Satan will be bound in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. At that point, he will be released and will deceive mankind one more time before. It is during this short period that Satan will sow his tares.
The second clue that tells us this time period is found in verse 43. Jesus said "then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father." During the Millennial Kingdom, it is only those that accepted the Gospel prior to the Tribulation that will have glorified bodies which reflect His righteousness (see lesson). The Kingdom of their Father (everyone that wasn't apart of the rebellion) is mentioned in great detail in Revelation chapter 21. Look at the following verses:
"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God." - Revelation 21:3
"And I saw no temple therein (speaking of the New Jerusalem): for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it." - Revelation 21:22-24
This parable, although describing a very brief moment in time, is important to understand because it further emphasizes that mankind will ALWAYS need Jesus to wash away their sins. Even after Jesus returns, people will be born with a desire to sin. They will turn on Him in one final rebellion and will fail, and it is then, that "the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43).