Matthew 13:39
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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The most striking thing here is that the reapers aren't human church leaders, but angels. This means the final, perfect separation of good and evil isn't our job to force right now; it's a divine, cosmic event.
Jesus is explaining the parable of the wheat and the tares, revealing that the "enemy" who sowed the bad seed is the devil. This parable isn't just about agriculture; it's a prophecy about the cosmic struggle between good and evil, culminating in a future judgment where divine beings will separate the righteous from the wicked.
Ever wonder who's behind the 'tares' – those things that look so much like believers but aren't? Jesus gives us a chillingly clear answer.
Jesus identifies the 'enemy who sowed them' as the devil. This isn't just some abstract force of evil; it's a personal enemy actively working against God's good seed. The parable contrasts the devil's sowing with Jesus' own 'sowing' of the good seed (believers). The devil's work is to corrupt, divide, and destroy what God is building. His goal is to mimic God's work, sowing doubt, heresy, and sin within the community of faith, making it hard to distinguish between the genuine and the counterfeit.
What exactly is this 'harvest' Jesus speaks of, and why does it matter so much?
The 'harvest' Jesus describes is not just any harvest; it's the 'end of the age' (or 'end of the world' in older translations). This signifies a definitive culmination, a point of final separation and judgment. It’s the conclusion of the current era, preceding the ushering in of a new, eternal age. This isn't a gradual process but a distinct, divinely appointed time when God will bring His purposes to completion. The imagery of harvest points to a time of reaping what has been sown, where what appears mixed now will be eternally separated.
Who are the 'reapers' in this divine agricultural process, and what does their role reveal about God's justice?
Jesus reveals that the 'reapers' are angels. This highlights that the final separation and judgment are not human endeavors but are carried out under divine authority by God's celestial agents. The angels, who serve God faithfully, will be the instruments of His perfect justice. They will meticulously separate the 'tares' (the wicked) from the 'wheat' (the righteous). This isn't a task for human church leaders or any earthly authority, but a divine mandate executed by angels at the appointed time of the harvest.
Understand the original words
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.
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.
This parable was spoken by Jesus during his earthly ministry, but its explanation points to future events of the end times, involving the devil, angels, and a final judgment.
c. 27-30 AD
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus begins teaching and healing throughout Galilee and Judea, gathering disciples and attracting large crowds.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus Teaches Parables
During his ministry, Jesus frequently used parables to explain the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven, including the parable of the tares.
c. 33 AD
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem, and according to Christian belief, resurrected on the third day, marking a pivotal moment for his followers.
c. 40s-60s AD
Early Church Growth and Letters
The gospel spreads rapidly, leading to the formation of numerous Christian communities, prompting apostles like Paul to write letters offering guidance and correction.
c. 70 AD
This passage describes a heavenly scene with 'thousands upon thousands' serving God and the 'books being opened,' which resonates with the angelic involvement in the final judgment and separation described in Matthew 13.
1 Corinthians 5:5Paul instructs the Corinthian church to 'hand this man over to Satan' for destruction, showing that while a final separation is reserved for the harvest, there are also immediate disciplinary actions within the church to address severe sin.
John 15:6Jesus warns that unfruitful branches will be cut off and thrown into the fire, echoing the idea of separation and judgment that is central to the harvest imagery in Matthew 13.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-8This passage speaks of Jesus being revealed with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel, aligning with the role of angels as reapers at the end of the age.
Revelation 14:15Here, an angel cries out to another to 'put in your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe,' directly paralleling the harvest imagery and angelic action described by Jesus.
pulpitMatthew 13:39: "The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."
Verse 39. - The enemy that sowed them (ὁ σπείρας); contrast ver. 37 (ὁ σπείρων τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα). Ver. 37 states what is ever true; ver. 39 merely refers back to the enemy spoken of in the parable. Is the devil (Matthew 4:1, note). (For the thought of this and the preceding clause, see John 8:44; 1 John 3:8, 10.) The harvest is the end of the world; literally, as the marg…
meyerMatthew 13:39: "The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels."
Matthew 13:39 . Συντέλεια τ . αἰῶνος ] not found in any of the other Gospels: the close of the (current) age ( Matthew 13:22 ), i.e. of the, pre-Messianic epoch; the great catastrophe that is to accompany the second coming, and which is to introduce the Messianic judgment, 4 Esdr. 7:43; Bertholdt, Christol . p. 39; comp. Matthew 13:40 ; Matthew 13:49 ; Matthew 24:3 ; Mat…
The most striking thing here is that the reapers aren't human church leaders, but angels. This means the final, perfect separation of good and evil isn't our job to force right now; it's a divine, cosmic event.
Jesus is explaining the parable of the wheat and the tares, revealing that the "enemy" who sowed the bad seed is the devil. This parable isn't just about agriculture; it's a prophecy about the cosmic struggle between good and evil, culminating in a future judgment where divine beings will separate the righteous from the wicked.
Jesus is explaining the parable of the wheat and the tares, revealing that the "enemy" who sowed the bad seed is the devil. This parable isn't just about agriculture; it's a prophecy about the cosmic struggle between good and evil, culminating in a future judgment where divine beings will separate the righteous from the wicked.
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The Roman Empire destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, a cataclysmic event that significantly impacted Jewish society and early Christian self-understanding.
"and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels." — The most striking thing here is that the reapers aren't human church leaders, but angels. This means the final, perfect separation of good and evil isn't our job to force right now; it's a divine, co…
