Matthew 13:24-41 Another parable put he forth to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man which sowed good seed in his field: 1. Wheat is the product of a rare and choice seed; they are the product of the Holy Ghost. 2. The seed of wheat must first be sown in the earth before it can produce increase, so must the seed of grace be first sown in men's hearts before they can bear God's image or bring forth fruits of holiness. 3. Wheat is a profitable sort of grain. So the saints and people of God are a profitable people to the world (Proverbs 10:21; 2 Corinthians 6:19). 4. Wheat will abide and live in the sharpest winter, when some other grain will not. So true believers do abide, endeavour, and live in the times of sharpest trials, persecutions, tribulations, and temptations. 5. Wheat seems sometimes as if it were quite dead, you can in winter hardly see one green blade, so the saints seem sometimes to themselves as if they were almost dead (Psalm 88:15). 6. Wheat is sometimes, by reason of unseasonable weather in the spring, very sickly, the colour being changed. So in like manner, by reason of Satan's temptations, and the corruptions of their hearts, and evils of the times, poor believers are very sickly and weak. 7. Yet when the sun shines sweetly upon wheat and God sends dry and seasonable weather, it wonderfully on a sudden revives (Hosea 14:7). 8. Wheat needs weeding, and if it be not it will soon be grown over with weeds (Matthew 13:22). 9. Full ears of wheat hang down their heads, being full of corn. So sincere believers are humble and lowly-minded. 10. Wheat is not ripe presently, but must have time to grow to maturity, and receive the former and latter rain before it is fit for the sickle. 11. Tares oft-times are found to grow amongst wheat, which tends greatly to mar its beauty. 12. Wheat, when it is fully ripe, is gathered into the barn. So when Christ sees a believer is ripe for heaven, He gathers it as a shock of corn fully ripe. 13. Sometimes a harvest seems much in bulk, but there is bug little corn. So the spiritual harvest may seem much in bulk — a mighty appearance of a great harvest, but there may be but few sincere believers amongst them. 14. Wheat dies first, before it rises. "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die." Parallel Verses KJV: Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: |
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