Matthew 13:38-39
The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to think the "sons of the evil one" are just bad people, but the Greek word used here, "poneros," can mean "wicked" or "evil" in a more active, malicious sense. This highlights that these individuals aren't just passively flawed; they are agents actively working against God's kingdom. The wording emphasizes a spiritual opposition, not simply a difference in behavior.
Jesus has just explained the parable of the sower and the meaning of the seed, which represents the Word of God. Now, he expands on the parable of the weeds, clarifying that the "field" is the entire world, not just the church or a specific nation. Within this world, both genuine believers ("sons of the kingdom") and false professors ("sons of the evil one") will coexist until the final judgment.
When Jesus talks about a 'field,' what size are we talking about? It’s bigger than you might think, and it’s the setting for a cosmic drama.
Jesus explains that 'the field is the world.' This isn't just about a small, local area. The scope is global. The mission to spread the 'good seed' and contend with the 'tares' isn't confined to one nation or culture. It encompasses all of humanity, everywhere. This highlights the immense scale of God’s redemptive plan and the church’s mission to reach every corner of the globe. It’s a reminder that our faith isn’t meant to be kept to ourselves but shared with the entire world.
We're called 'good seed' and 'sons of the kingdom,' but who are the 'weeds'? Jesus is clear about the two distinct origins and destinies represented here.
The parable distinguishes between two types of people sown into the field:
When Jesus refers to 'the evil one,' who is he talking about? This title carries significant weight and points to a spiritual adversary.
The phrase 'the evil one' (translated from a masculine Greek word) is a direct reference to Satan, the devil. The parable isn't just about good versus bad people in a general sense; it's about the active, spiritual conflict between God's kingdom and the kingdom of darkness, orchestrated by Satan. The 'weeds' are 'sons of' this adversary, meaning they bear his characteristics and serve his purposes. This reveals a spiritual warfare context to the presence of evil and false professors within the world and even within the visible church.
Understand the original words
hoi huioi tēs basileias · Greek Noun phrase
Those who belong to God's redemptive reign, characterized by faith in Christ and obedience to His kingdom's principles.
echthros · Greek Noun
An adversary or opponent; in this context, it refers to the spiritual force of rebellion against God, embodied in Satan.
diabolos · Greek Noun
The supreme adversary of God and humanity, the tempter and accuser who actively works to oppose God's kingdom and deceive the world.
synteleia aiōnos · Greek Noun phrase
The culmination of human history, marked by the final judgment, the vindication of God's people, and the establishment of the eternal state.
This passage clearly distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil, mirroring the parable's core contrast between the 'good seed' and the 'weeds'.
Genesis 3:15This foundational promise of enmity between the woman's offspring and the serpent's offspring echoes the ongoing spiritual conflict represented by the good seed and the weeds in the world.
Galatians 5:17The 'desires of the flesh' and the 'desires of the Spirit' are in conflict, illustrating the internal and external struggles between those who belong to God and those who belong to the evil one.
John 8:44Jesus directly calls the devil the 'father' of those who practice evil, directly linking the 'sons of the evil one' in the parable to those who operate under the devil's influence.
Philippians 2:15The call to be 'blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation' highlights the distinct identity of God's children amidst a world filled with opposing forces.
pulpitMatthew 13:38: "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;"
Verse 38. - The children of the kingdom; the sons, etc. (Revised Version); Matthew 5:9, note. The tares are the children of the wicked one; of the evil one (Revised Version); cf. Matthew 6:13, note. (On the bearing that the evidence of the Old Syriac and the Old Latin versions here has on the masculine interpretation there, see Chase, 'Lord's Prayer,' etc., p…
ellicottMatthew 13:38: "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;"
(38) The tares are the children of the wicked one. —It was, perhaps, natural that theologians, who saw in heresy the greatest of all evils, should identify the tares with heretics. So far as heresy rises from the spirit of self-will, or antagonism to righteousness, we may admit that they are included in the class, but the true definition is that given in Matt…
It's easy to think the "sons of the evil one" are just bad people, but the Greek word used here, "poneros," can mean "wicked" or "evil" in a more active, malicious sense. This highlights that these individuals aren't just passively flawed; they are agents actively working against God's kingdom. The wording emphasizes a spiritual opposition, not simply a difference in behavior.
Jesus has just explained the parable of the sower and the meaning of the seed, which represents the Word of God. Now, he expands on the parable of the weeds, clarifying that the "field" is the entire world, not just the church or a specific nation. Within this world, both genuine believers ("sons of the kingdom") and false professors ("sons of the evil one") will coexist until the final judgment.
Jesus has just explained the parable of the sower and the meaning of the seed, which represents the Word of God. Now, he expands on the parable of the weeds, clarifying that the "field" is the entire world, not just the church or a specific nation. Within this world, both genuine believers ("sons of the kingdom") and false professors ("sons of the evil one") will coexist until the final judgment.
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angeloi · Greek Noun
Supernatural beings created by God who act as His messengers and agents, particularly in carrying out divine judgment and gathering the elect at the end of time.
"The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels." — It's easy to think the "sons of the evil one" are just bad people, but the Greek word used here, "poneros," can mean "wicked" or "evil" in a more active, malicious sense. This highlights that these i…
