Blessed With More Instruction

After receiving Jesus' explanation of the illustration of the sower, the disciples want to learn more. "Explain to us," they request, "the illustration of the weeds in the field."

How different the attitude of the disciples from that of the rest of the crowd on the beach! Those people lack and earnest desire to learn the meaning behind the illustrations, being satisfied with merely the outline of things set out in them. Contrasting that seaside audience with his inquisitive disciples who have come to him in the house, Jesus says: "With the measure that you are measuring out, you will have it measured out to you, yes, you will have more added to you." The disciples are measuring out to Jesus earnest interest and attention, and so they are blessed with receiving more instruction. Thus, in answer to his disciples' inquiry, Jesus explains: "The sower of the seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; as for the fine seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one, and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels."

After identifying each feature of his illustration, Jesus describes the outcome. At the conclusion of the system of things, he says that the reapers, or angels, will separate weedlike imitation Christians from the true "sons of the kingdom." Then "the sons of the wicked one" will be marked for destruction, but the sons of God's Kingdom, "the righteous ones," will shine brilliantly in the Kingdom of their Father.

Next time: Continue with Blessed With More Instruction

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991