Matthew 13:36-43 · Bible study
Matthew 13:36-43 Commentary: The private meaning of the parable of the weeds
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus explains the parable of the weeds to his disciples privately, revealing the final judgment and the triumph of the righteous.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus explains the parable of the weeds, revealing that the church will remain mixed until the final judgment, when the righteous will be vindicated and the wicked punished.
- Key words: ζιζάνιον (darnel/weed), συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος (end of the age), ἐκλάμπω (shine forth, with the prefix ek- suggesting bursting into light).
- Main debate: Whether the furnace of fire is a literal material fire or a metaphorical description of God's judgment; also whether the passage forbids church discipline until the end.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God in allowing evil temporarily, the reality of final judgment, and the future glorification of the righteous.
- Best use: For teaching on patience with hypocrisy, the certainty of divine justice, and the hope of the resurrection.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
36Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.
42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where 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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
36Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”
37He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
38the field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
39The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.
41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and those who do iniquity,
42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. 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 to hear, let him hear.
KJV King James Version 1769
36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
36Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
39and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels.
40As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.
41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,
42and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
36Then having let away the multitudes, Jesus came to the house, and his disciples came near to him, saying, `Explain to us the simile of the darnel of the field.'
37And he answering said to them, `He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Man,
38and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, and the darnel are the sons of the evil one,
39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is a full end of the age, and the reapers are messengers.
40`As, then, the darnel is gathered up, and is burned with fire, so shall it be in the full end of this age,
41the Son of Man shall send forth his messengers, and they shall gather up out of his kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing the unlawlessness,
42and shall cast them to the furnace of the fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.
43`Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the reign of their Father. He who is having ears to hear--let him hear.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
36Then, having dismissed the crowds, he went into the house; and his disciples came to him, saying, Expound to us the parable of the darnel of the field.
37But he answering said, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man,
38and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil [one];
39and the enemy who has sowed it is the devil; and the harvest is [the] completion of [the] age, and the harvestmen are angels.
40As then the darnel is gathered and is burned in the fire, thus it shall be in the completion of the age.
41The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all offences, and those that practise lawlessness;
42and they shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43Then the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears, let him hear.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
36Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field.
37Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man.
38And the field is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle are the children of the wicked one.
39And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.
40Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.
41The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.
42And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 13:36
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage is Jesus' private explanation of the parable of the weeds (tares), given only to his disciples after he sent the crowds away. Clarke notes that those who attend only public preaching may not understand the mysteries of the kingdom; it is in private prayer that truth sinks deep. Barnes states that the explanation is so clear that further comment is unnecessary: the Son of Man sows good seed (children of the kingdom), the field is the world, the weeds are children of the evil one, the enemy is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Calvin emphasizes that the mixed state of the church continues until the end, and believers must exercise patience. All sources concur that Jesus directly identifies each element, making the parable's meaning plain. The final separation at judgment results in the righteous shining like the sun and the wicked being cast into a furnace of fire, a theme that echoes Daniel 12:3. The passage ends with the familiar call, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear', urging all to take it seriously.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal fiery judgment: The language of 'furnace of fire' and 'weeping and gnashing of teeth' is taken as describing actual physical suffering; Barnes argues Jesus would not deceive us with empty threats.
- Metaphorical judgment language: Calvin and others hold that the fire is metaphorical, since the reality of punishment exceeds human capacity to describe; the imagery represents the wrath of God in terms we can grasp.
What is clear: All traditions agree that Jesus teaches a final separation of the righteous and wicked, with the righteous vindicated and the wicked punished, and that the present state of the church is mixed.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of evil in the world | God did not create evil; it comes from the devil, the enemy who sows tares. | Some traditions emphasize the devil's role as a personal tempter; others focus on systemic evil. All agree evil has a source other than God. |
| Timing of final separation | A final separation of righteous and wicked will occur at the end of the age. | Some traditions see this as forbidding all church discipline now; others argue that excommunication for serious sin is consistent with the parable's warning about false believers, provided it does not uproot true wheat. |
| Nature of judgment (fire) | The wicked will suffer terrible punishment, described as a furnace of fire with weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Some interpreters (e.g., Calvin) view the fire as metaphorical for God's incomprehensible wrath; others (e.g., Barnes) hold that Jesus means real fire, or at minimum that the language points to a real, dreadful experience. |
| Identity of 'sons of the kingdom' and 'sons of the evil one' | The wheat are genuine believers, the tares are those who belong to the evil one by their actions and allegiance. | Some traditions interpret 'sons of the evil one' as unregenerate people in the visible church; others apply it more broadly to all unbelievers in the world. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Galilee, fields of grain were vulnerable to sabotage. An enemy could sow zizania, darnel, a weed that looks like wheat in early growth, to ruin a crop. This practice underlies the parable's realism. The term συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος (end of the age) appears in Matthew's gospel uniquely in this chapter and in 24:3, 28:20, and Hebrews 9:26; it points to the consummation of the present age, not merely the end of the world. The word αἰών denotes a long period with a definite boundary.
The setting shifts from the seaside (v.1) to a house (v.36). This movement from public to private teaching is a pattern in Matthew's gospel. In Mark 4:34, we read that Jesus 'privately to his own disciples he explained everything.' The disciples' request, 'Explain to us the parable', uses the verb διασάφησον, a strong term meaning 'make clear, unfold'. They know that deeper meaning is reserved for those who follow closely.
The phrase 'children of the kingdom' and 'children of the evil one' reflects Semitic idiom: 'sons of' denotes character or belonging. The 'kingdom of their Father' in v.43 emphasizes a familial relationship for the righteous, contrasting with the 'furnace of fire' for the wicked. The image of shining like the sun recalls Daniel 12:3, where the wise shine like the brightness of the sky. This apocalyptic backdrop would have resonated with Jewish disciples expecting a final vindication of God's people.
Calvin calls the fire 'metaphorical' because the reality exceeds human language. Barnes, however, insists that whether literal or representative, Jesus would not deceive, hell is real and dreadful. The passage thus sits firmly in Jewish apocalyptic hope and warning.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Matthew 13:36-43. The passage is well attested across the major manuscript families. The word zizania (darnel) appears consistently, and the phrase 'end of the age' (συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος) is stable. No critical issues are raised by the commentators used in this study.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been read as a key text on the mixed nature of the visible church. Early theologians like Augustine used it to argue that the church must tolerate false believers until the final judgment, cautioning against premature discipline. The Reformation saw extensive use of this text, with Calvin and others emphasizing patience and the certainty of ultimate separation. Wesley and the Methodist tradition stressed personal holiness and the danger of self-deception, urging hearers to examine whether they are wheat or tares. In modern times, the passage is often preached to comfort believers troubled by hypocrisy in the church, while also serving as a sober warning of judgment. The image of the righteous shining like the sun has been a source of hope in hymns and devotional writings across many traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Private Revelation for Those Who Ask, Jesus explains the parable only to his disciples after the crowds leave. This shows that understanding the mysteries of the kingdom requires coming to him personally, not just hearing public teaching.
- The Church's Mixed State Until the End, Good and evil coexist within the visible church. The enemy sows his children among the wheat. We cannot make a perfect separation now without harming the wheat. Patience is the order of the day.
- Final Judgment Brings Justice and Glory, At the harvest, everything that causes sin and all who practice lawlessness are cast into the furnace of fire. The righteous then shine forth as the sun in the Father's kingdom. The end is not confusion but clarity.
Five-point outline
- The shift from public crowds to private house: disciples who press for understanding receive it.
- The identity of the sower: the Son of Man, Jesus himself.
- The field as the world: not just Israel or the church, but the whole inhabited earth.
- The origin of evil: the devil sows false children among the true. Evil does not come from God.
- The two destinies: weeping and gnashing of teeth for the wicked; shining like the sun for the righteous.
Illustration hooks
- A gardener who notices that some of her tomato plants look identical but produce rotten fruit. She waits until harvest to remove them, because pulling early would disturb the roots of the good plants.
- A coach who cannot tell which players will ultimately commit to the team until the final game. Early judgments can be wrong; time reveals true commitment.
- A local church that struggles with hypocritical members. The temptation to 'purify' the congregation by exclusion must be weighed against the risk of uprooting genuine but weak believers.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow evil people to stay in the church and cause harm?
- How can I be sure that I am wheat and not a weed?
- Will justice ever come for the wrongs I have suffered from hypocritical believers?
Leading a Discussion
This passage pulls back the curtain on Jesus' private teaching. He explains the parable of the weeds not to the curious crowd but to his disciples, those who came to him with a request. As you discuss, notice that the explanation is direct and almost startling in its clarity. Jesus does not leave room for guesswork about what each element means.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think Jesus sent the crowds away before explaining the parable? What does this suggest about how spiritual understanding is gained?
- Look at the identification of each symbol: field = world, good seed = children of the kingdom, weeds = children of the evil one, enemy = devil, harvest = end of the age, reapers = angels. Which of these surprises you most, and why?
- What does it mean that the enemy sowed weeds 'while men slept'? Is there any blame implied for the servants? How does this shape your view of the church's vigilance?
- Jesus says the reapers will gather out of 'his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and those who do iniquity.' How does this challenge the way we think about judgment now versus later?
- The fire is described as a furnace, and the righteous shine like the sun. What emotions do these images evoke: fear? hope? relief?
- How should this passage affect how you relate to someone in your church whose faith seems questionable?
- Jesus ends with 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' What is the one thing from this passage you most need to hear today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:28 | When he had come into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They told him, “Yes, Lord.” |
| Matthew 13:1 | On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside. |
| Matthew 13:11 | He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. |
| Matthew 14:22 | Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. |
| Matthew 15:15 | Peter answered him, “Explain the parable to us.” |
| Matthew 15:16 | So Jesus said, “Do you also still not understand? |
| Matthew 15:39 | Then he sent away the multitudes, got into the boat, and came into the borders of Magdala. |
| Mark 4:34 | Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that hearing only public preaching cannot unlock the full meaning of God’s kingdom. True understanding requires frequent, fervent private prayer, through which the word sinks deep into the heart and bears fruit. He then focuses Christ’s own explanation: evil entered through a deceitful, vigilant, hidden enemy, the devil.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes insists that Jesus would not use terrifying images of hell-fire to deceive people. If the Saviour spoke of it, hell must be real, and the wicked will truly suffer. This certainty should alarm the impenitent and encourage the righteous with the coming separation.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the mingling of wicked people among believers in the church is not accidental but comes from Satan's deliberate work, so God bears no blame. He also cautions against expecting a perfectly pure church now, urging patience until the final harvest when Christ will separate the righteous and reveal their hidden glory.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary points out that the phrase "the end of the world" literally means the completion of this age — the point where one age ends and another begins. It also notes that the image of the righteous shining as the sun echoes Daniel 12:3.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill provides a highly detailed allegorical reading of the parable, identifying every element with specific persons: the Son of Man sows the good seed, the field is the world, tares are the devil's children, and the harvest is the end of the age. He stresses that hypocrites and heretics within the visible church will be gathered out by angels and cast into fiery judgment, while the righteous will shine in the Father's kingdom.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the “tares” are not the plant called tares today but a noxious weed, probably darnel, sown within the visible Church among Christ’s own people. He warns against misapplying this parable to allow open sinners to remain in church communion, since apostolic teaching requires separation from such.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek verb for "shine forth" carries a compound prefix that pictures a bursting out of darkness that had hidden the righteous. In this present age, the mixture of evil with good obscures their true glory, but they will break into full radiance like the sun emerging from behind a cloud.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the good seed specifically as the righteous, God's own children. He then sharpens the meaning of "all things that offend" to include anything that hindered the good seed from taking root or bearing fruit, whether persons or circumstances. The original Greek word, he notes, is literally "all scandals."