All Theological Questions Answered in Parable of Wheat and Weeds

Jesus “did not say anything to them without using a parable (Mathew 13:34). When asked why, he said “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables” describing his parables are not for those whose “hearts are callous” but for those who want to “heal themselves.” (Mathew 13:11-15) “The Greek word παραβολή (parabole) is made up of two parts—the prefix παρα (para-), which means “next to” or “beside,” and the word βολή (bole), which means “throw.” A parable literally refers to things that are thrown next to one another or compared.” (turningtogodsword com/parables) Thus parables are designed for those who want “to heal themselves” not for those who want to lead licentious life.

Parable of Wheat and Weeds (Mathew 13:24-30) comes as world-history in symbolic short-story format. God is compared to a farmer who sowed wheat which “sprouted and bore grain (karpon),” probably “from the base of harpazo; fruit, literally or figuratively.” (biblehub com) It is the same word used in most important statement of Jesus in Mathew 21:43: “the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit (karpon)” and also is stating “fruit (karpon)” of Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22)

Later wheat is overgrown by weeds, and his servants asked “‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he [GOD] answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Wheat symbolizes the spiritual, those who manifest “image of God in which they were made,” those who remember their Supreme Father is “spirit” (John 4:24) making them also “spirit” (Mathew 5:3) hence manifest “fruit of spirit” (Galatians 5:22, 23)

Weeds symbolize the fleshly, those who believe they are this body, thus do “works of flesh” such as ego and its furits such as “hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy …etc’ (Galatians 5:19-21) who are always “outside” paradise (Revelation 22:15).

Jesus himself was a Jew and also was speaking to the Jews who were familiar with their Scriptures such as Ecclesiastes 1:4, 9, 10 which show earth is “eternal” and the drama of life called “Ages” that are going on this earth too are eternal as it is a never ending series of New Age and Old Age, just like any other micro cycles such as 14 pairs of opposites (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8) which make this life “beautiful” (Ecclesiastes 3:11; 5:18-20) which is missed by the laborious ones who are running after desires unlimited and insatiable (Ecclesiastes 1:8) thus living as though in a literal furnace!

Thus, Jesus’s immediate audience was already familiar with the concept that history is a never-ending series of New Age and Old Age which means Paradise and Hell are rotating on this earth, like DAY and NIGHT. They were also familiar with Jesus’s identity, as defined by Jesus himself, in Mathew 12:42 where he called himself as “Greater Solomon” who is the author of books such as Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, Psalm 72 etc. Hence his audience already knew Jesus and Solomon would resemble in function and teachings. Hence it was not a surprise to them when Jesus earlier compared “Kingdom of God” with “Age to come” preceded by its first phase called “this Age” (Mathew 12:32) and later said in “the Age to come” the spiritual are rewarded “a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” (Mathew 19:27-30)

Concluding verse “many who are FIRST will be LAST, and many who are last will be first” was easy to understand in view of what is taught by Solomon earlier. Those who were “FIRST,” prominent, in their pursuit of ego and greed, thus were lived in the later phase of previous Age as weeds “will be LAST,” would again inherit later phase of each Age. Whenever New Age begins on this earth, the licentious ones are taken out (Proverbs 2:22, Septuagint) as they prefer to join only the later phase of each Age.

In contrast, those who were viewed as “LAST,” less prominent because of their pursuit of egolessness and meekness, thus were manifesting “fruit of Spirit” thus were like symbolic wheat will again be “FIRST” to appear in the New Age and will live throughout each Age as “a tree of life.” (Proverbs 11:30) Thus each Age comes and goes but “whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:17)

Hence he continued to highlight teaching of Solomon by also comparing each Age with “a seed” (Mathew 13:31, 32) which is a symbol of never-ending series of GROWTH and DECAY. When it is a phase of GROWTH it is like pure phase filled with wheat-like spiritual people. And when it is a phase of DECAY it is like impure phase, “leavened” phase (Mathew 13:33) where wheat-like spiritual people are overgrown by the weed-like body-conscious people. Wheat-like spiritual ones are always available on this earth till the calamitous end of each Age (Mathew 24:21, 22) who are also shown as “surviving” into the New Age. (Revelation 7:14; 22:15) Wheat-like ones are happy to be surrounded by the weed-like licentious ones because ill-effects reaped by choices of the licentious is like a University offering free lessons on what to avoid to better enjoy life. (Proverbs 21:18) This explains why evil/suffering is permitted.

Other vital truths highlighted in Parable of Wheat and Weeds

1)God is shown as refusing to micromanage events on this earth during each Age as everything is left to impartial Law of Action and Consequence. (Mark 4:24) His stance is clear and well-grounded: Eternal food-provisions have been made on this earth through seed-tree mechanism which also serve as a spiritual guide as trees are symbol of serving joyfully giving too many valuable things, yet taking only wastes from nature. This is signature mannerism of God Himself, if imitated, would enrich anyone’s life. Humans are also endowed with power of REASON (Romans 12:1) to determine not only what is right and wrong but also what is even more than right as shown by Joseph (grandson of Abraham) who created law against adultery and obeyed it even before law was given. (Genesis 39:6-13)

2. The spiritual and the licentious would not be influenced by each other as each one acts/reacts according to the tendency within which he has been “treasuring” from past indefinite (Luke 6:43-45) just like wheat is not influenced by weeds. In fact, the spiritual would only grow in spirituality and the licentious ones will only grow in presumptuousness as each one is DELIGHTED in his chosen path and is DISGUSTED with each other’s path. (Proverbs 4:18, 19; 29:27)

3. God’s role is only “renewal” of each Age (Mathew 19:28) when it becomes polluted and unlivable through human technology and global wars. (Revelation 11:18; 16:14, 16)

4. The licentious ones hate to live in Paradise as its standards, outlined in Galatians 5:22, 23, are hated by them. The licentious are delighted in works of the flesh described in Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 22:15) Hence they prefer to live in the later phase of each Age where they can pursue their self-importance putting SELF above all which is called “idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). Choosing to live as egoist among egoists is like symbolically choosing to live in the self-made HEAT of hell as everyone is pursuing desires unlimited and insatiable which results in conflicts after conflicts, as being witnessed now. This is symbolized by the concluding statement of God: “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned.” The licentious, faithless ones, are throwing themselves into the later phase of each Age which is figuratively called “darkness” filled with “weeping and gnashing of the teeth” (Mathew 8:11, 12) not a literal place of hell fire.