Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-03-10
THE WHEAT AND THE rAREs.
international sunday school Lesson
for March Ii. 1893

for March I3. IS9S.
BIASED Upon Peloubet's Select Notes1
TIL r Observation-Disclosures lS:24-30; S6-43.
Read the whole chapter
GOLDEN TEXT.-He that soweth tse
good seed is the Son of Man.-Aiatt 1881
TIME.-Autumn. A. d. %.
PLACE.-On the shore Of the Sea of Gal
lice. near Caperna@m.
EXPLANATION.
Note first, in reading over this chap
ter of parallels, why Jesus now began
this method of teaching, connecting it
with chapter ~, 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 a chronological history.
Each chapter or section has its own
special subject, collecting together a
number Of similar incidents bearing
upon that subject. ~.,.z 49,.
The group Of eight parallels spoken
at this time (seven in Matthew and
one other in Mark were concerning
the Kingdom of Heaven in various
aspects, and should be read and stud
led as a group, in order to obtain a
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 1t. We can do TO better than
relate the parable in Jesus own words,
and give His ownmatchless interpreta-
tion of it:
"a. Another parable put He forth unto
them, saying: The Kingdom of Heaven IS
likened unto man which sowed good seed
in his field.
%. But 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.
came and said unto him: Sir ddst 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
%. But he said: Nay; lest while We gath
er up the tares We root up also the wheat
with them.
80. Let both grow together until the har-
vest; and in the time OF harvest / will say
to the reapers: Gather We together first
the tares and bind them in bundles to burn
them; but gather the wheat into my barn.
&c. 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.
49, The field is the world: the good seed
are the children of the kingdom but the
tares are the children of the wicked one.
80. The enemy that sowed them is the
devil: the harvest is the end of the world.
and the reaper are the angels.
40 AS therefore the tares are gathered
and burned in the fire. so shall 1t be in the
end of this world
Al. The Son OF Man shall send forth His
angels. and they shall gather out of His
ngdom all things that offend and them
which do iniquity;
fire; there shall be wail!ag and gnashing OF
teeth.
49, Then shall the righteous shine forth
as the in the kingdom of their Father.
Who hath ears to hear, 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, IS. (2) The sower (God and the
good seed VS.. "a. SO. (3) The enemy
sowing tares (while men slept, i. e., at
night in secretly VS.. 1921, 80. 80. "a
Wheat and tares growing together. VS..
28-3O. (5) The two harvests. VS.. 30,
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 \
third is that the tares will 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 retardilg of progress in
the causc Of righteousness and reform.
Jesus gives the simple explanations
Lest while We gather up the tares. ye
root up also the wheat with them"
Christians themselves arc educated and
disciplined by contact with the tares.
They would not be nearly 50 good If
shut off in a community by themselves.
Tares would still come in. Ifthe wheat
does not seek to change the tares into
wheat, the wheat viii degenerate into
tares.
QUESTIONS FOR ANSWERS.
1. Relate the parable IN your own words
Who IS the sower Of the good seed? q What
and where is the field2 3 Who are repre-
scented the e1aAD 4 ~ ~