Traps&Trojans

                                                Matthew 13: 24-30
                      This is a rough draft of a chapter for a larger work titled;  "Traps and Trojans." A work in progress.!   
                      

                                 The wheat and the Tares

 24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'

28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'

29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn

them, but gather the wheat into my barn."  NKJV

Definition of a tare; spurious wheat, darnel; a plant that grows in Palestine which resembles wheat in many ways but is worthless. Strong's Concordance

The King James Version and the New King James Version has it right in the Translation calling them  "tares"

It is the correct translation. A tare is much more than a weed in your tomato patch. The following will give you an idea how bad this plant is:

"The tare abounds all over the East, and is a great nuisance to the farmer. It resembles the American "cheat (chess)," but the "head" does not droop like cheat, nor does it branch out like oats. The grain, also, is smaller, and is arranged along the upper part of the stalk, which stands perfectly erect. The "taste" is bitter, and when eaten separately, or even when diffused in ordinary bread, it causes dizziness, and often acts as a violent emetic. Barn-door fowls also become dizzy from eating it. In short, it is a strong soporific poison, and must be carefully winnowed, and picked out of the wheat grain by grain, before grinding, or the flour is not healthy. Even the farmers, who in this country generally "weed" their fields, do not attempt to separate the one from the other. They would not only mistake good grain for them, but very commonly the roots of the two are so

intertwined that it is impossible to separate them without plucking up both. Both, therefore, must be left to "grow together" until the time of harvest." - (Thomson) "The Land and the Book," vol. ii. pp. 111, 112

Here's a dilemma. The tare in the kingdom is not only a hypocrite (Ancient Greek ὑποκριτής hupokritḗs,  it means actor),but  they spew out dissension and heresy in the Christian fellowship.

 ( heresy is in this context,  another gospel. i.e. Jesus plus something it could be any ritual. Any work of the flesh that is trying to do to be righteous. The true good news of Jesus is "not of works so no man can boast." Ephesians 2:8,9)

 They infect every fellowship they join.  Sometimes they are very hard to distinguish from a true believer. What does an actor do? they act a part. Some of these tares a very good actors! They are not the real deal, they are only playing the part.
But, I want to be careful here to also mention not only the hypocrites but also those that are sincere but they are deceived. This group is different. They are the ones that are the "true  believers". These  are those that the "tares " have deceived with false teaching and practice. And, the deceived, following the tares instruction, miss the true grace of God the Father and the real fellowship with Jesus though the work of the Holy Spirit. Those that are led astray become  tares themselves. They then teach others the heresy. (There's good word "heresy" Look it up!)

"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Timothy 4:3 NIV

 So, what can the christian do?

 First wait on the Lord.  Before going off where "the action is" wait on the Lord.

"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint". Isaiah 40:31

None of us like being left behind. quite often we jump into things and suffer grief. All because we don't wait on the Lord. We are commanded to "try the spirits"

"Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good"   1Thessalonians 5:19,20 ESV    

Remember, Satan appears as an Angel of light. However we have the God of of heaven and earth living in us,if we have the new birth. What is the evidence of that fact?  " And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" Ephesians 4:30 ESV

He the Holy Spirit guides us to all truth:  " 15“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you"  John 14 :15-17 ESV and  " ......25“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" vs 25,26 John 14 ESV

"Teach you"  with what? Ninety nine percent of the time he uses  the written word of God. The Lord uses the preaching and teaching of men and women that are filled and  controlled  by the Holy Spirit and given a ministry to the church. (Many times  in a testimony of a brother or sister The  Spirit will confirm a truth that applies to you).

There will be more on the "wheat and the tares."in up coming posts