of uncertain origin; darnel or false grain:--tares.
Transliteration:zizánion
Pronunciation:dziz-an'-ee-on
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun ζιζάνιον (zizánion), transliterated as "zizánion," refers specifically to "darnel" or "false grain." This weed, *Lolium temulentum*, is notoriously similar in appearance to wheat (*Triticum aestivum*) in its early stages of growth. Its etymological origin is noted as uncertain, but its practical significance in ancient agriculture is clear: it was a persistent and deceptive contaminant in grain fields. Darnel, when ingested, can be toxic due to a fungus that often grows with it, making its presence in a harvest not merely an inconvenience but a danger. The core meaning thus carries connotations of deceptive similarity, harmful impurity, and a challenging distinction from the genuine article.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ζιζάνιον appears exclusively in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically within the Parable of the Weeds (or Tares) and its subsequent explanation by Jesus. Its occurrences are concentrated in [[Matthew 13:25]], [[Matthew 13:26]], [[Matthew 13:27]], [[Matthew 13:29]], [[Matthew 13:30]], [[Matthew 13:36]], [[Matthew 13:38]], and [[Matthew 13:40]].
In this pivotal parable, a man sows good seed in his field, but an enemy secretly sows ζιζάνιον among the wheat during the night ([[Matthew 13:25]]). The problem becomes evident only when the plants mature and bear fruit ([[Matthew 13:26]]). The servants, recognizing the impurity, ask if they should gather the ζιζάνιον, but the master forbids it, fearing that uprooting the weeds would also uproot the wheat, given their intertwined roots and similar appearance ([[Matthew 13:28-29]]). Instead, both are to grow together until the harvest, at which point the ζιζάνιον will be gathered first, bound in bundles for burning, while the wheat is gathered into the barn ([[Matthew 13:30]]).
Jesus' own interpretation of the parable clarifies the symbolic meaning of ζιζάνιον: they represent "the sons of the evil one" (οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ) ([[Matthew 13:38]]). The field is the world, the good seed are "the sons of the kingdom," the sower of the good seed is the Son of Man, and the sower of the ζιζάνιον is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. The gathering and burning of the ζιζάνιον signifies the eschatological judgment, where "all causes of sin and all law-breakers" will be removed from the kingdom and cast into the fiery furnace ([[Matthew 13:40-42]]). The contextual analysis reveals that ζιζάνιον is a powerful metaphor for those who outwardly appear to belong to the kingdom but are inwardly opposed to God, planted by the enemy to cause corruption and ultimately destined for destruction.
### Related Words & Concepts
The term ζιζάνιον is intrinsically linked to a cluster of agricultural and theological concepts within the Parable of the Weeds:
* **Seed (σπέρμα - `{{G4690}}`):** The good seed contrasts directly with the ζιζάνιον, representing the "sons of the kingdom."
* **Sower (σπείρων - `{{G4687}}`):** Both the Son of Man (sowing good seed) and the devil (sowing ζιζάνιον) are active sowers.
* **Field (ἀγρός - `{{G68}}`):** The world, the arena where the good and the false coexist.
* **Wheat (σῖτος - `{{G4621}}`):** The genuine crop, representing true believers, which the ζιζάνιον attempts to mimic and corrupt.
* **Harvest (θερισμός - `{{G2326}}`):** The appointed time of separation and judgment.
* **Sons of the Kingdom (υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας):** The true believers, contrasted with the "sons of the evil one" (οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ), who are the ζιζάνιον.
* **Evil One/Devil (ὁ πονηρός - `{{G4190}}`, διάβολος - `{{G1228}}`):** The enemy responsible for sowing the ζιζάνιον.
* **Kingdom of Heaven (βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν - `{{G932}}`):** The overarching theme and context for the parable, demonstrating its mixed nature in the present age.
* **Angels (ἄγγελος - `{{G32}}`):** The agents of the final separation and judgment.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ζιζάνιον is profound and multifaceted:
1. **Patience of God and Divine Providence:** The parable underscores God's immense patience and sovereignty. He permits the ζιζάνιον to grow alongside the wheat, not out of indifference, but because premature human intervention to separate them could harm the genuine believers. This highlights God's providential control over history and His timing for judgment.
2. **Nature of the Kingdom/Church:** The presence of ζιζάνιον signifies that the visible manifestation of the "kingdom of heaven" (or the church in the world) will always contain a mixture of true and false, genuine and deceptive, until the eschatological harvest. This challenges any notion of a perfectly pure, visible earthly church in the present age.
3. **The Reality of Evil and Deception:** The ζιζάνιον are sown by "the evil one," emphasizing the active, malicious work of Satan in attempting to corrupt and undermine God's work by sowing counterfeit believers or influences within humanity. Their deceptive resemblance to wheat highlights the subtle nature of spiritual deception.
4. **Assurance of Future Judgment:** Despite the current co-existence, the parable provides a strong assurance that a definitive, divine separation and judgment will occur at the end of the age. The ζιζάνιον, representing "all causes of sin and all law-breakers," will be removed and justly punished.
5. **Warning Against Premature Human Judgment:** The master's command not to uproot the ζιζάνιον serves as a crucial warning against human attempts to prematurely judge and purge those perceived as false believers. Such actions risk damaging true believers and usurp God's prerogative to judge.
### Summary
The Greek word ζιζάνιον (zizánion) refers to darnel, a weed deceptively similar to wheat, and is exclusively found in Matthew's Gospel within the Parable of the Weeds. It serves as a powerful symbol for "the sons of the evil one" who are sown by the devil and coexist with "the sons of the kingdom" (true believers) in the world. The parable illustrates God's divine patience in allowing both to grow together until the final harvest, which represents the end of the age. At that time, angels will definitively separate the ζιζάνιον for judgment, while the wheat is gathered into God's kingdom. This concept emphasizes the mixed nature of the visible kingdom in the present, the active work of the enemy, the certainty of future divine judgment, and a divine prohibition against premature human attempts to purge or judge.
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