34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. - P78
37He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people 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.
- P79
40"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
42They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
- P79
Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed that becomes a treeand to yeast spreading through flour. He speaks in parables to fulfill prophecy.
Later, He explains the parable of the weeds to His disciples: the good seed arepeople of the kingdom, the weeds are people of the evilone, and at the endof the age, angels will separate them. - P79
Jesus tells two more parables about the kingdom of heaven. He likens it to a small mustard seed which grows into a tree where birds flock. He then likens it to yeast mixed into flour, which spreads through the whole dough. Through these parables, Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God begins small but grows with unstoppable influence. - P80
Lord, thank You for reminding me that Your kingdom is growing, unseen yet unstoppable. Strengthen my faith when I am discouraged by the evil I see in this world. - P80
When Jesus leaves the crowd, He explains to His disciples the meaning ofthe parable of the weeds. The good seed represents those who belong toGod, and the bad seed represents those who follow the devil. Both growtogether until the harvest the end of the age-when Jesus will return tojudge the world. The righteous will be gathered into His eternal kingdom,
while all who do evil will face judgment. - P80
This passage reminds us that thepresent world is a mixed field of good and evil, truth and falsehood, lightand darkness. God allows these realities to coexist for now, but He willremove all sin in the end. Today, because He is patient, He gives peopletime to repent. - P80
Help me to trust Your process, stay faithful to Your Word, and believe that You are at work. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P80
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