March 3, 2026
(Craig Kozminski)
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.‘”
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.“
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In a way that is similar to how Pastor Matt uses Pittsburgh sports, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings references in his teaching, Jesus continues his use of parables relevant to agriculture. In other words, he knows his audience, and the use of sowing as a metaphor for the Kingdom of Heaven is one that is understood to his audience. Like yesterday’s parable (Parable of the Sower), Jesus first tells the parable and then proceeds to explain its meaning to the audience. While yesterday’s parable dealt with the reception of the Word in an individual’s heart, this parable addresses the presence of evil within the world (the field).
Jesus begins this parable by describing a master who sows good seed, only for the enemy (Satan) to sow weeds among the wheat under the cover of darkness. Jesus reveals to his followers that the enemy’s strategy is not just to oppose the Gospel from the outside, but to plant “sons of the evil one” (weeds) among the “sons of the kingdom” (wheat). Because these weeds are initially indistinguishable from one another, we are reminded that an outward profession of faith is different from being a “son of the kingdom.” True election is made sure by the appearance of the fruit of the Spirit, something that the “sons of the evil one” cannot produce.
In this parable, Jesus demonstrates his sovereign care for his followers. He cares for them in a way that is patient, gentle, and just. Christ demonstrates his patience in that he will not risk uprooting a single believer for the sake of premature judgement on the wicked. Yet, in keeping with what John the Baptist predicts in Matthew 3, those that do not bear fruit will be cut and cast into the fire. Lastly, the parable reinforces a tension between the already but not yet of the Kingdom of God. Yes, Jesus’ life and eventual death and resurrection mark the realization of God’s redemptive plan, but his holy and perfect plan will not be fully consummated until Christ’s second coming. As Christians, we live in the assurance that the battle is won, even as the war continues until he returns to judge the living and the dead.
While we might initially read this parable as a directive to vigilantly weed the world, our primary comfort comes from the fact that the Son of Man alone is the final and perfect Judge. As his laborers, we are not called to prematurely determine the fruit-bearing ability of every plant but rather to work faithfully and patiently in the field he has assigned to us. We also should look inward, examining our own lives for the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence and work (Philippians 2:12; 2 Peter 1:10-11). If God has made you his child through Christ, then take time today to give thanks that he who is sovereign over the harvest will faithfully bring your growth to completion. If you are not a believer but feel a tug toward Jesus, take heart: even the desire to bear fruit is a sign of the Father’s sovereign grace taking root in your soul.
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An audio version of each devotion will be posted on our church podcast “Life Together at CRPC,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.