Matthew 13:38

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];

{G1161} The field {G68} is {G2076} the world {G2889};{G1161} the good {G2570} seed {G4690} are {G3778}{G1526} the children {G5207} of the kingdom {G932}; but {G1161} the tares {G2215} are {G1526} the children {G5207} of the wicked {G4190} one;

the field is the world. As for the good seed, these are the people who belong to the Kingdom; and the weeds are the people who belong to the Evil One.

The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

Matthew 13:38 serves as a crucial interpretive key to understanding Jesus' Parable of the Tares, also known as the Parable of the Wheat and Tares. In this verse, Jesus directly explains the symbolism of the parable to His disciples, providing clarity on the identities of the "field," the "good seed," and the "tares."

Context

This verse is part of a series of parables Jesus taught about the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew chapter 13. Following the public teaching of the parables, Jesus privately explains their meaning to His disciples (as seen in Matthew 13:36). The Parable of the Tares itself describes a farmer who sowed good seed, but an enemy secretly sowed weeds (tares) among the wheat. The servants were advised to let both grow together until the harvest, lest they uproot the wheat along with the tares. Verse 38 is Jesus' direct answer to the disciples' request for clarification on these mysterious elements.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The World as God's Field: Jesus clarifies that "the field is the world," signifying that God's kingdom and influence extend universally. It is not limited to a specific land or people but encompasses all humanity, where spiritual realities unfold.
  • Two Spiritual Lineages: The "good seed" represents "the children of the kingdom," those who genuinely belong to God through faith and obedience to His will. Conversely, "the tares" are identified as "the children of the wicked one," referring to those influenced by evil and ultimately belonging to Satan. This stark distinction highlights a fundamental spiritual reality of humanity.
  • Coexistence Until Judgment: A primary message is that believers and non-believers, or those genuinely committed to God and those aligned with evil, will coexist in the world until the end of the age. This patience reflects God's forbearance and desire for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), delaying the final separation.

Linguistic Insights

  • The term "tares" comes from the Greek word zizania, which specifically refers to darnel, a weed that looks remarkably similar to wheat in its early stages of growth. This visual similarity underscores the difficulty of distinguishing between true believers and false professors until a later, more mature stage, or the time of judgment. This resemblance also points to the deceptive nature of evil.
  • "Wicked one" translates the Greek ponēros, often used in the New Testament to refer to Satan himself, emphasizing that the origin of spiritual opposition and evil in the world is not merely human failing but a malevolent spiritual force. This aligns with Jesus' description of the devil as a liar and the father of lies in John 8:44.

Practical Application

Matthew 13:38 has profound implications for how believers live in the world:

  • It teaches patience and discernment, reminding us that it is not our role to prematurely "uproot" or judge others. The ultimate separation is God's prerogative at the "harvest," which is the end of the age (Matthew 13:40).
  • It encourages believers to focus on bearing good fruit and living out their identity as children of the kingdom, rather than being preoccupied with identifying and condemning the "tares." Our mission is to spread the good seed.
  • It offers comfort and hope, knowing that despite the pervasive presence of evil, God is sovereign, and a final, just separation will occur, leading to the ultimate triumph of His kingdom and justice for all.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Philippians 3:18

    (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

  • Philippians 3:19

    Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

  • 1 John 3:8

    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

  • 1 John 3:10

    In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

  • Genesis 3:15

    And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

  • Acts 13:10

    And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

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