Matthew 13:41Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In other instances, Christ notes that the harvest is already present; for instance, He points out to the Samaritans, “Lift up your eyes and see the fields, for the harvest is at hand” (John 4:35). Additionally, He states, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few” (Luke 10:2). Why, then, does He assert that the harvest has already arrived in one place while indicating it has yet to come in another? The term harvest can signify different things. Moreover, when He mentions that “in is he that soweth, and in is he that reapeth” (John 4:37), why does He declare that the sower is Himself here? Because in that context, while speaking to the Jews and Samaritans, He distinguishes the apostles not from Himself but from the prophets, through whom He also sowed. Similarly, at times He may refer to sowing and reaping interchangeably, depending on the intended meaning. When He refers to the receptiveness and obedience of His listeners, He describes it as reaping, indicating the completion of His work. Conversely, when He anticipates merely the outcome of their hearing, He calls it sowing, leading to reaping at its conclusion. Furthermore, how does it state elsewhere that the righteous will be the first to be caught up (1 Thess. 4:16)? Indeed, they will be the first to be taken up at Christ’s return. However, the sinful will face judgment first, followed by the righteous entering the heavenly realm. The righteous are destined for paradise, while the Lord will descend to earth to judge all mankind, delivering His verdict. Then, like a king rising with his companions, He will guide them into their blessed inheritance. Do you perceive the gravity of the punishment? They will face severe consequences—burning and experiencing a separation from glory. But why, at the last, when the multitude has departed and Christ speaks to the apostles in parables? It is so they may comprehend the parables, having been instructed by prior teachings. Thus, when He questioned them after the parables, “Do you understand all these things?” they replied, “Yes, Lord” (Matthew 13:51). In this manner, the parable served to enhance the discernment of the apostles, among other effects.

25:34)—that is, ‘you who constituted a kingdom yet did not reign, come and reign, that which you were in your calling might be realized.’ Therefore, this house of God, this temple of God, this Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven is still in the process of being constructed, continuously being built, prepared, and assembled. There will be dwelling places within, as the Lord is still creating them, and there are already established places, as the Lord has eternally foreseen them.

The devil is labeled as the adversary of humanity, having forsaken his divine status, as expressed in the Ninth Psalm, which states, “Arise, O Lord, lest man be strengthened.” Consequently, the leader of the Church must remain vigilant, so that through negligence the human adversary does not sow weeds, which represent heretical beliefs. The phrase, “Lest, when you gather the weeds, you somehow pluck up the wheat along with them,” allows the sinner time for repentance and advises us not to hastily sever ties with a brother, as one who is currently misled by false doctrine may regain clarity and begin to uphold the truth. However, the subsequent directive to allow both to grow until the harvest appears to conflict with the command to “Remove evil from your midst,” and the instruction to refrain from associating with those who are labeled as brothers, yet behave as fornicators or adulterers. If removal is forbidden and tolerance is permitted until the harvest, how can those among us be expelled? Between the wheat and the weed that resembles it, often referred to as ‘cucolus,’ there exists a significant likeness, and either no distinguishing characteristics are apparent, or the signs are extremely subtle. Thus, the Lord cautions us against rushing to judgement in uncertain matters and entrusts the final judgement to Him, so that at the time of judgement, He will expel not merely one who is suspected of wrongdoing, but the clear offender. His declaration that the sheaves of weeds will be cast into the fire, whereas the wheat will be gathered into the barn, unmistakably indicates that heretics and those hypocritical in their faith will face the fires of Gehenna, while the saints, likened to wheat, will be welcomed into their heavenly dwellings.

The tares, as we can observe, serve no beneficial purpose; on the other hand, the wheat is valuable for all things. Likewise, the wicked contribute nothing of value, while the godly are beneficial in every way. The tares, deemed unfit, are gathered into bundles and burned at the time of harvest, while the wheat is stored in the barn. In the same manner, the wicked shall be gathered at the end of the age, bound in bundles, and destined for eternal fire. Those guilty of fornication, adultery, impurity, and intoxication will constitute their bundle. Thieves, predators, and robbers, who take what belongs to others, will form another. The deceitful, cunning, and shrewd will make up yet another. Slanderers, gossips, and those who curse will also add to their collective. The hypocrites, appearing righteous outwardly while harboring wickedness within, will likewise be included. These lawless individuals, unfruitful to their Lord, will be cast into eternal fire to be consumed. In contrast, the godly—the righteous, holy, and good—who produce the fruit of God's word patiently, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold, will be gathered into the heavenly kingdom, as wheat is harvested into the barn. "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age: the Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear" (Matthew 13:37-43). O sinners, let us turn in repentance! May we avoid being consumed by the eternal fire like the tares, striving instead to produce worthy fruits of repentance. By God's grace, may we become the wheat gathered into heaven’s barn. "O God of Power! Restore us, and shine your face upon us, and we shall be saved" (Psalm 79:4).