The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-11
THE WHEAT AND THE TAREs.
international Sunday school Lesson
for March IL. 1898.

H6aQ the WnOle cndQIer.
GOLDEN TEXT.-He that soweth the
good seed is the Sen of Man.-Matt. 1881.
TIME.-Autumn, A. d. %.
PLACE.-On the shore of the Sea of CAL
Nee, near Capernaum.
EXPLANATION.
Note first, in reading over this chap
ter of parallels, why Jesus now began
this method of teaching, connecting it
with chapter 10, which we studied last
week, the chapter of opposition. Keep
in mind always the life of Christ as
a whole, and note the bearing of each
lesson upon the development of His
work. Keep in mind the general sub
ject of each chapter or division; for
Matthew's history is different from
the others, in that it describes more the
internal progress and development,
and is less chronological history.
Each chapter or section has its own
special subject, collecting together a
number Of similar incidents bearing
upon that subject.
The group of eight parallels spoken
at this time (seven in Matthew and
one other in Mario were concerning
the Kingdom of Heaven in various
aspects, and should be read and stud
led as a group, in order to obtain
view of the drift and burden of Jesus
teaching at this time. Note that these
parallels are followed by group of
miracles, as was the Sermon on the
Mount. in the record given by Matthew,
as if on purpose to confirm the teachers
authority for the great truths He
spoke.
The Parable of the Tares Jesus first
told to multitude that had gathered
to hear Him. After the people had
gone away the disciples asked Jesus to
explain it. We can do no better than
relate the parable in Jesus own words,
and give His ownmatchless interpreta-
ton of it:
"a. Another parable put He forth unto
them. saying: The Kingdom of Heaven Is
hkened unto a man which sowed good seed
in his field
Is. Byt while men slept his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat and
went his way.
&c. But when the blade was sprung up
and brought forth fruit. then appeared the
tares also.
q. 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?
2S He said unto them: An enemy hath
done this. The servants said unto him:
Wilt thou then that We go and gather
them up?
20. But he said: Nay: lest while We gath
er up the tAres ye root up also the wheat
with them.
80. Let both grow together until the har-
vest; and in the time of harvest will say
90 the reapers: Gather We together first
the tares and bind them in bundles to burn
them but gather the wheat into my barn.
sc. 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.
81. He answered and said unto them:
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of
Man.
IS. The field is the world; the good seed
are the children of the kingdom; but the
tares are the children of the wicked one.
SO. 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
angels. and they shall gather out Of His
kingdom all things that offend and them
which do iniquity;
A. And shall cast them into furnace of
fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing Of
teeth.
IS. Then shall the righteous shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Who hath ears to h1ar, let him hear.
This could probably be reviewed in
no better way than under its separate
heads thus: "a The field is the world.
vs.. "a, 50. (2) The sower (God and the
good seed. VS.. "a. 50. 90 The enemy
sowing tares (while men slept, i. e., at
night in secret.) VS.. 1921, IS. 80. ~
Wheat and tares growing together. VS..
$3.50. 80 The two harvests. VS.. 80.
39-43.
The main emphasis of the lesson is to
be put upon the facts, which are to be
sharply distinguished here from any
speculations we ourselves or others
may have regarding those facts. One
of the facts is'that both wheat and tares
have been sown in the same field. An
other is that both will be allowed to
grow together until the harvest. A
third is that the tares viii be in the
end absolutely destroyed. And last
is that the wheat shall be gathered to-
gether where no tares can come: "Then
shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of their Father"
Bad men are found in the church, in
every reform, in every good cause, and to
the apparent retarding OF progress in
the cause of righteousness and reform.
Jesus gives the simple explanation:
LEST while We gather up the tares, We
root up also the wheat with them"
Christians themselves are educated and
disciplined by contact with the tares.
They would not be nearly so good If
shut off in community by themselves.
Tares would still come in. If the wheat
does not seek to change the tares into
wheat, the wheat will degenerate into
tares.
QUESTIONS FOR ANSWERS.
/ Relate the parable in your own words.
Who is the sower of the good seed2 2 What
and where IS the field? g. Who are repre-
cd he NJ ha ac fha