Weeds and Wheat

Weeds and Wheat (Matthew 13:25-29; 36-40)

Matthew 13:25-29 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27) 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? 28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30) 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 13:36-40 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37) He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (KJV) 

Whenever I have, in the past, read this passage, my mind automatically went into “them and us” mode, with “them” as the tares, naturally.

The word used in the Greek for “tares” is “zizanio”, and more than likely refers to darnel (Lolium temulentum), a weed that resembles wheat, that may be found growing in wheat fields and is regarded as poisonous. Darnel is sometimes called false grain.

When we look at this passage in context, between Matthew 13:29 and Matthew 13:36, Jesus tells two other parables, one about tiny mustard seeds that grow to enormity, and a second about yeast that permeates the entire loaf. Noticably, verse 41 says, “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity”

There are two subjects mentioned in this verse: ‘Things that offend (Gk. “skandalon” – “stumbling-block”)’ and ‘Them which do iniquity (Gk. “anomia” – law-breakers)’.

Based on the content of the accompanying parables and the two subjects of verse 41, I would like to suggest that the wheat and tares are not just referring to people that the Enemy has planted in our midst (them which do iniquity), but to behaviours that we display when we fail to reflect a Christ-like character (all things that offend) especially when this behaviour becomes a stumbling block to ourselves or others.

This means that at some time or other we are all tares for the Devil (See Romans 3:23, 24). I observe that James 3:2 says, “For in many things we offend all.” (offend = Gk “patio” – “stumble” – the NIV says, “We all stumble in many ways.”)

Darnel or false grain produces no usable fruit. So if I desire to reveal the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) I ought not to wait until the sickle is used before using the hoe (see Heb 3:12-15).

In times past when we lost a loved-one through death, we men would wear a black arm-band as a sign of mourning and the women would wear black dresses. The arm-bands or black dresses are historically referred to as "weeds" (from the Germanic word for "garment"). Now-a-days we don't always publicly display our grieving, but endeavour to contain it within ourselves. Likewise we are inclined to be very quick to see weeds around us but fail to see the festering within. I need to remind myself that criticising the weeds in my neighbour's garden does not remove the weeds from my own.

So, what can I do about this?

Firstly, I believe I need to abandon my ‘them and us’ mentality (See Matthew 7:1-5).

Second, I believe I need to invite God’s Spirit to enable me to examine myself in order to weed-out undesirable traits in me (See Psalm 139:23, 24).

Thirdly, I believe I need to reflect on and confess my past judgement of particular individuals as being weeds while I considered myself as wheat (See 1 John 1:9).

And fourthly, I believe I need to follow the admonition of Romans 12:3-21, specifically verse18, “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men”.

May God help me in this endeavour.

-- Lionel Hartley

Psalm 17

Psalm 17 

A prayer of David.

In Verses 1-4, David prays for justice in the controversy between him and his oppressors. In verses 5-6, he requests of the Lord that he might have grace to act rightly while under the trial. From verses 7-12, he seeks protection from his foes, whom he graphically describes; and in verses 13-14, pleads that they may be disappointed; closing his prayer in the confidence that all would be well in the end.

1) A prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

David reminds God and us of the importance of genuine prayer.

2) Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.

David is asking God to examine him and his prayer and give him the words to say. This is a valuable principle. This is why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1)

3a) Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; …

David is not referring to his own righteousness. We may get that impression at first, but when we get to verse 5, we will find that he has no confidence in himself.

3b) … I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

Here is a deliberate choice. Amos 5:14 says, Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

4) Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

God’s word protects. We have here an invitation to pray scripture. What does that mean?

5) Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.  

Psalm 73:2 reads, But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. Asaph the psalmist in this psalm says that when he turned his eyes away from God and looked at the prosperity of the wicked his feet nearly slipped. David in Psalm 17 is telling us that when we turn our eyes to God he guides us on our path (cf Ps 119:105)

David has his own commentary on the fate of the wicked in verse14.

6) I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

Here we have an example of absolute confidence in prayer. How do we get absolute confidence in prayer? This is detailed in the next verse:

7) Show thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.

We can have confidence due to the loving kindness of God that He will be able to save us when we put our trust in Him.

8) Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,

This verse reflects the intimacy that is possible in prayer.

Genesis 1:27 says “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”. God has a feminine side.

(Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 both read, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

Speaking of Jacob, we read in Deuteronomy 32:10-12  He kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12) So the LORD alone did lead him….

David takes up the Deuteronomy theme in this psalm in verse 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings. And Psalm 36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Psalm 57:1 …In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalm 61:4 I will trust in the covert of thy wings. (A covert is a feather covering the base of a bird's flight feather.) Psalm 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Psalm 91:1 & 4 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. … He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust.

9) From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. 10) They are enclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.

These verses point to the selfishness of the wicked. However, whenever we point our index finger at some-one, there is usually an accusing thumb pointing to God (or falsely giving the “thumbs up” to our self-righteous attitude) and, noticeably, three fingers pointing back at us! James 4:3 says,  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Romans 8:26 reminds us,  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

11) They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth; 12) Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a young lion lurking in secret places. 13) Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: 14) From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

Here David is seeking protection from his enemies, but as we shall soon see, this is not his primary petition.

15) As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

This tiny last verse contains several concepts.

-         “As for me”: having put faith in God, David has confidence that God will carry through with his promises.

-         “I will behold thy face”: This is David’s real purpose in this psalm—not the destruction of the wicked, but seeing the works and character of God.

-         “In righteousness”:  We learnt by comparing verses 3 and 5 that David had no confidence in his own righteousness, he “Fully Relied On God (FROG)”.

-         “I shall be satisfied”: Satisfaction comes from seeing God.

-         “When I awake”: There is a belief in the resurrection

-         “With thy likeness”:  Having, once again, the likeness of God is the purpose of righteousness

CH Spurgeon wrote concerning this Psalm, “We have in the present plaintive song, an appeal to heaven from the persecutions of earth. A spiritual eye may see Jesus here.” How is Jesus revealed in this Psalm?

— Lionel Hartley.

God Guiding through the Fog

God Guiding through the Fog

It was 3am and I was driving home over a mountain range in New South Wales, Australia. As I negotiated the narrow tree-lined hair-pin bends in the road a thick blanket of fog enveloped my vehicle like maple syrup on a corn dumpling. The amber glow from the solitary fog lamp that I had installed on the front of the car only a week earlier seemed to strain in a weak attempt to force its light into the seemingly impenetrable wall of mist.
Inching along at a snail's pace, unable to see in any direction more than an arm's reach excepting through the pathetic puddle of light ahead of me, I fastened my gaze on the centre line painted on the road. Although scarcely more than a metre was visible at any given time, this line, worn with traffic and time, became a lifeline. I knew that my destination was ahead of me, although I could only see it in my imagination. I also knew that the thin line, nothing more than fragments of paint along the mountain road, would lead me out off the fog and into the sunrise.
As I write this, it is again about 3am. This time I am in hospital following spinal neurosurgery. Once again there seems to be a fog around me. But just ahead of me the amber glow of the Son of Righteousness, lighting my path. Sure, I can't see very far ahead, but it doesn't matter, as I only need to see enough to put my next footstep. He, like His word, 'is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:115). I don't need fret about the past nor worry about the future with Him guiding the present.
Thank you God.

--Lionel Hartley  Freezine Magazine 15 August 2003