Matthew 13:24-28: a reflection

24He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away. 26But when the blade sprang up and produced grain, then the darnel weeds appeared also. 27The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’ 28“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

In the parable of the weeds, Jesus tells how a man sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone slept, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, so that the two grew up together. While people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away, Jesus says; and when the blade sprang up, the weeds appeared also. And when the servants asked where the weeds came from, the master answered, an enemy has done this. The parable reveals a sober reality: that in the field of the world, and even among God's people, good and evil grow together, the good sown by God and the evil sown by an enemy, often unnoticed, while people sleep. Evil is sown alongside the good, by an enemy, and the two grow together. This shows the sober reality that evil is sown alongside the good, and the two grow together. Evil is sown alongside the good in the world. Good and evil grow together; an enemy has sown the weeds. Not all that grows in the field is from God. Be aware that an enemy sows evil among the good.

Notice what the parable reveals about the presence of evil. The man sowed good seed; but an enemy came, while people slept, and sowed weeds among the wheat, so that as they grew, good and evil grew together in the same field. And when the servants were puzzled at the weeds, the master explained: an enemy has done this. This holds a sober realism about the world and even the community of God's people. Good and evil are found growing together; the good that God sows and the evil that an enemy sows are mixed in the same field, often indistinguishable at first, both growing up together. This helps us understand something we often find puzzling: the presence of evil alongside good in the world, and even among God's people. Not all that grows in the field is from God; an enemy has sown weeds among the wheat. This does not mean we should be cynical or suspicious of everything; but it does call for a sober realism, an awareness that evil is sown alongside the good, often unnoticed, and that we should not be naively surprised to find it mixed in. And it comes with a note of watchfulness: the enemy sowed while people slept. We do well to be aware that an enemy sows evil among the good, and to be watchful, neither naive nor cynical, but soberly realistic. Be soberly aware that evil is sown alongside the good in the world. Not all that grows is from God; an enemy sows weeds. Be watchful, for the enemy sows while people sleep. Do not be naively surprised to find evil mixed with good.

That is worth taking to heart, for evil is sown alongside the good in the world and even among God's people, by an enemy, and we do well to be soberly aware of this, neither naive nor cynical. We can be naively surprised to find evil mixed with good, or grow cynical because of it; but the parable teaches that good and evil grow together, the evil sown by an enemy while people slept. An enemy sows the weeds. Do not be naively surprised to find evil among the good, nor cynical because of it; be soberly aware and watchful, knowing an enemy sows evil alongside the good. Be soberly aware that evil is sown alongside the good in the world and even among God's people, by an enemy, remaining watchful without being naive or cynical, as Jesus in the parable of the weeds told how a man sowed good seed in his field but while everyone slept an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, so that the two grew up together, and when the servants asked where the weeds came from the master answered, an enemy has done this; for the parable reveals a sober reality, that in the field of the world and even among God's people good and evil grow together, the good sown by God and the evil sown by an enemy, often unnoticed while people sleep, which helps us understand something we often find puzzling, the presence of evil alongside good in the world and among God's people, since not all that grows in the field is from God but an enemy has sown weeds among the wheat, which does not mean we should be cynical or suspicious of everything but calls for a sober realism, an awareness that evil is sown alongside the good often unnoticed and that we should not be naively surprised to find it mixed in, and it comes with a note of watchfulness, since the enemy sowed while people slept, so that we do well to be aware that an enemy sows evil among the good and to be watchful, neither naive nor cynical but soberly realistic.

Lord Jesus, in the parable of the weeds, you tell how a man sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone slept, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, so that the two grew up together. While people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away, you say; and when the blade sprang up, the weeds appeared also. And when the servants asked where the weeds came from, the master answered, an enemy has done this. The parable reveals a sober reality: that in the field of the world, and even among God's people, good and evil grow together, the good sown by God and the evil sown by an enemy, often unnoticed, while people sleep. Show me what the parable reveals about the presence of evil. The man sowed good seed; but an enemy sowed weeds among the wheat, so that good and evil grew together in the same field. And when the servants were puzzled, the master explained: an enemy has done this. This holds a sober realism about the world and even the community of your people. Good and evil are found growing together, often indistinguishable at first. This helps me understand something I often find puzzling: the presence of evil alongside good in the world, and even among your people. Not all that grows in the field is from you; an enemy has sown weeds among the wheat. This does not mean I should be cynical or suspicious of everything; but it does call for a sober realism, an awareness that evil is sown alongside the good, often unnoticed. And it comes with a note of watchfulness: the enemy sowed while people slept. Take that to my heart, for evil is sown alongside the good, and I do well to be soberly aware, neither naive nor cynical. Keep me from being naively surprised to find evil mixed with good, or cynical because of it; help me be soberly aware and watchful, Lord, knowing an enemy sows evil alongside the good, while trusting that you will finally sort the wheat from the weeds.