Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke John Calvin (continued)
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
24. He put forth to them another parable, saying, The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man sowing good seed in his field. 25. But while men were asleep, his enemy came, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26. And when the blade sprang up, and yielded fruit, then appeared also the tares. 27. And the servants of the household approaching, said to him, Lord, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it tares? 815 28. And he said to them, An enemy 816 hath done this. And his servants said to him, Is it thy will then that we go away and gather them? 29. But he said, No; lest, while you are gathering the tares, you root out along with them the wheat also. 30. Allow both to grow together till the harvest; and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but collect the wheat into my barn. — (A little after.) 36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and came into the house, and his disciples approached him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. 37. But he answering, said to them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man. 38. And the field is the world. The good seed is the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of that wicked one. 39. And the enemy that soweth them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.
40. So then as the tares are gathered, and are burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this world. 41. The Son of man will send his angels, and will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling-blocks, and those who commit iniquity. 42. And they will east them into a furnace of fire: there shall be lamentation and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then the righteous will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
In order to reap the advantage of this parable, it is necessary to ascertain the object which Christ had in view. Some think that, to guard a mixed multitude against satisfying themselves with an outward profession of the Gospel, 817 he told them, 815"D'ou vient donc qu'il y a de l'yvroye?" — "Whence comes it then that there are tares?" 816"L'homme ennemi, (ou, quelque ennemi;)" — "the enemy, (or, some enemy.)" 817"Pour retirer le commun populaire d'une folle presomption, a cause qu'en apparence externe