Matthew 13:24-43
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And 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?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let 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.’”
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:“I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
36 Then 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.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Reflection
The parable of the weeds (Matt. 13:24–30 and 36–43) is especially important for explaining why God does not wipe out all evil from our world immediately. Jesus explains the wisdom of a farmer who will not damage his crop by pulling up weeds growing near the roots of good plants. In the same way, God has not yet removed all of Satan’s influence from the world, so that the people of God may reach maturity. If God were to destroy evil from the world prematurely, it would interfere with his mission of growing the church, preventing untold numbers of people from experiencing the redeeming work of Christ. God is not slow to fulfill his promises—he is patiently giving more time to those who have not yet come to him (2 Pet. 3:9).
Romans 11:11-24
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
Reflection
God has not rejected the Jews (Rom. 11:1–6), even though they have stumbled (vv. 7–10). Surprisingly, this stumbling has a bright side. Even though Israel has refused God’s salvation in Christ, non-Jews have received it, and that makes Israelites jealous (v. 11). Someday, Paul says, Israel will have “full inclusion” (v. 12; see also “their acceptance” in v. 15), which probably refers to a coming time when Jewish reception of the gospel will increase dramatically.
God has not uprooted the Jews; “the root” remains “holy”—set apart for God’s purposes (v. 16). He has, however, broken off Jewish “branches” (unbelieving Jews) and grafted Gentile “olive shoots” (believing non-Jews) into “the olive tree” of God’s chosen people (v. 17; see also v. 24). In other words, God’s chosen people now consist of both Jews and Gentiles (see 9:24). Paul warns the Gentiles not to be arrogant toward the Jews. After all, the church has a rich Old Testament heritage, which Paul celebrates in 9:4–5. Gentiles who get cocky will find that God deals with them just as he dealt with hard-hearted Jews (11:22). God is both kind and severe, depending on how we approach him; to approach him with arrogance is to risk his judgment (v. 23). God can certainly pour out his blessing on those who might seem to have turned away (vv. 23–24), just as he can pull the rug out from under the prideful.
Psalm 86:15
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
God’s patience with us should remind us to rejoice in his patience with others. As we eagerly await Christ’s return, let us make it our habit to pray for the salvation of others while there is still time.