Matthew - Week 42

Time of Harvest 

READ 

Matthew 13:39 

39 “The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.” 

When the Son of Man sowed good seed in the world the weeds grew up with the good grain. Who planted those weeds? Jesus said that it is the devil. Jesus also indicated when the harvest would take place to separate the wheat from the weeds—“the end of the world.” The word in the Greek text of Matthew for “the world” refers to “the age.” This would refer to the time just before Jesus returns at His second advent to the earth to set up His kingdom on earth.  

REFLECT 

“The weeds” refer to those “who belong the evil one.” Be cautious about unbelievers infiltrating groups of believers. 

RESPOND 

Are you studying Matthew with a friend and talking about these matters? Use the opportunity to help others grow spiritually in their knowledge of the Word of God. Read Ephesians 1:15-18 to see how Paul prayed for believers. 

Removed from the Kingdom 

READ 

Matthew 13:40-41 

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” 

During the age of Christendom between the two advents of Jesus, there will be both believers and non-believers. They will be separated at the end of the age when the wheat is separated from the weeds. When Jesus returns to earth the second time, no unbelievers will be allowed to enter His 1000-year reign on earth. 

REFLECT 

Think about how Jesus taught about prophecy even in the parables He told. 

RESPOND 

Someday there will be a complete separation of believers and unbelievers. Urge others to place their trust in Jesus before it is eternally too late. 

Destiny of the Wicked 

READ 

Matthew 13:42-43 

42 “And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” 

Jesus referred to the destiny of the wicked in verse 42. The “fiery furnace” is another expression for hell, seen in Revelation 20:11-15. It is referred to there as the “lake of fire.” It is complete and eternal separation from God. On the other hand, believers enter His kingdom and experience the benefits of eternal life with their Lord and Savior.  

REFLECT 

Ponder the blessed destiny of believers and the awful destiny of unbelievers. 

RESPOND 

The separation of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13 is comparable to the separation of the sheep and the goats at the end of the seven-year Tribulation, as recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. At the end of the age, the unbelievers will go into “eternal punishment” and believers into “life eternal.” 

Treasure in a Field 

READ 

Matthew 13:44 

44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” 

There is disagreement about what this hidden treasure is. The figure of a “man” in this parable is likely the same as in Matthew 13:37, which is the “Son of Man,” the Lord Jesus Himself. The “field” is the world (Matthew 13:38). Those should be kept in mind in the parable of the hidden treasure. Jesus was most likely referring to the believing remnant of Israelite believers while He was on earth. He was the one who bought them with His blood. 

REFLECT 

Think about Jesus giving everything, even His life, to purchase redemption for others.  

RESPOND 

With a believer, consider John 1:11. Notice He came to His “own” and His “own” did not receive Him. In the Greek text the first “own” is in the neuter gender referring to “things,” perhaps His creation. The second “own” is masculine and refers to people. He came not only as the Messiah of Israel but also for the entire world.  

Pearl of Great Value 

READ 

Matthew 13:45-46 

45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” 

Jesus continued to tell what Christendom would be like between His two advents to earth when the king was absent. The “merchant” in this story pictures Jesus Himself who found a “pearl.” A pearl is formed inside something else. The Church came out of the sufferings of Christ who gave His life to provide salvation for all who would believe in Him.  

REFLECT 

As a believer in Jesus, you are part of the Universal Church, which is the body of Christ. Hopefully you are also part of a local church. 

RESPOND 

It is necessary to distinguish between local churches and the Universal Church. Local churches may have both believers and nonbelievers, but the Universal Church includes only believers. At salvation, the believer is baptized into the body of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Read Ephesians 4:15 and Colossians 1:18 to see that Christ is the head of the Church.