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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_13:24-30
24Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'28And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!'The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'29But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn." '"
Mat_13:24-30 The parable of the wild wheat is unique to Matthew (cf. Matt. 36-43). Here is an interesting paragraph from New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (NIDOTTE), vol. 1, p. 299.
"The idea of the invisible church is found in Augustine, City of God; Wycliffe, De ecclesia; Luther, Preface to Revelation; Calvin, Institutes IV 1 7; and many other writers (see edition of Calvin's Institutes, ed. J. T. McNeill, 1960, II 1022). The thought that is uppermost is not to minimize the importance of church membership, but to recognize the possibility of hypocrisy and deceit. In the last analysis, those who belong to God are visible to God alone. Membership of the true church is a fact which is not visible to man. The idea recalls the statement of 2Ti_2:19; 'The Lord knows who are his.'It extends to the church what Paul says of Israel, that they are not all Israel who belong to Israel, but only "the children of promise" (Rom_9:6 f.). It recognizes the danger, which church members are warned against, of reaping corruption through sowing to the flesh (Gal_3:7; cf. Rom_8:12 f.). Paul recognized the need for discipline in his own life lest he should become a castaway (1Co_10:27; cf. Php_2:12; Php_2:19). The possibility of church members falling away is one of great themes of Hebrews (cf. Heb_2:3; Heb_3:7 to Heb_4:14; Heb_6:1-12; Heb_10:26-39; Heb_12:12-28). It is also suggested by the parables of the weeds (Mat_13:24-43) and the sheep and goats (Mat_25:31-46) and the example of Judas (Matt. Mat_10:4; Mat_26:14; Mat_26:25; Mat_26:47 ff.; matt Mat_27:3; Mar_14:10; Mar_14:43; Luk_6:16; Luk_22:3; Luk_22:47; Joh_13:2; Joh_17:12; Joh_18:22 ff.; Acts Mat_1:17 ff., acts Mat_1:25)."
These warnings do not jeopardize security, but give a balance to excessive confidence in an initial decision and ignores the mandate of discipleship and perseverance.
Mat_13:25 "the enemy" In this context the characterization refers to
1. Satan, Luk_10:19
2. false teachers, Matthew 7; 2 Peter 2
Anyone who distorts the gospel of the Kingdom. Only the grace of God can help believers understand the truth (cf. Mat_13:13; Mat_13:16-17; Mat_13:23) and resist error.
▣ "the tares" Wild wheat (darnel) and domestic wheat looked exactly alike until they bore fruit. The wild seed had a dark grain, while edible wheat had a light brown grain.
Mat_13:27 "Sir" This is an example of the term kurios (Lord) used as a polite address. Remember context, context, context, not a dictionary or lexicon, determines word meaning. Dictionaries list only the way the word has been used in known literature or speech in a given language/culture.
Mat_13:29 "for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them" The context seems to relate this to the religious leaders of Jesus' day. There is no way for humans to know the hearts of other humans. God will set all things straight on Judgment Day. One of Satan's most effective schemes is religion. People seem to be spiritual but they are not (i.e., Mat_7:21-23). The wheat and tares look alike, but time reveals the difference. Many people are fooled by religiosity (cf. Isa_29:13; Col_2:16-23) masquerading as true spirituality (cf. Matthew 7)!
Mat_13:30 "gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn" Ultimate destiny is related to what humans do with the message of Jesus Christ and the person of Jesus Christ (cf. Mat_13:42; Mat_13:50). It is interesting to note that it is Jesus who emphasizes the awesome, eternal consequences of rejecting personal faith in Himself.