Matthew 13:29
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Original Language Analysis
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 13
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἔφη,
he said
G5346
ἔφη,
he said
Strong's:
G5346
Word #:
3 of 13
to show or make known one's thoughts, i.e., speak or say
τὰ
G3588
τὰ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
7 of 13
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἅμα
with
G260
ἅμα
with
Strong's:
G260
Word #:
10 of 13
properly, at the "same" time, but freely used as a preposition or adverb denoting close association
αὐτοῖς
them
G846
αὐτοῖς
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
11 of 13
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Historical Context
Darnel's root system indeed intertwined with wheat roots, making separation before harvest impractical—farmers waited until both were fully mature, then separated during threshing. Jesus applies this agricultural reality to ecclesiology: the visible church will always be 'mixed' until final judgment. This corrected Jewish expectations of immediate messianic purging, preparing disciples for a long church age before consummation.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this parable guard against witch-hunt mentality in churches—zealous purges that harm genuine believers?
- What wisdom does 'lest ye root up wheat' provide for dealing with questionable members whose true nature isn't yet clear?
- Where must you exercise patience rather than judgment—trusting God's final harvest to separate wheat from tares?
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Analysis & Commentary
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them (οὔ, μήποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον)—ekrizōsēte means 'to uproot completely.' The master forbids premature judgment because darnel and wheat roots intertwine underground; pulling tares damages wheat. This reveals divine wisdom: overzealous purging harms genuine believers. Human judgment lacks omniscience—we cannot perfectly distinguish tares from wheat, especially before fruit-bearing reveals character.
This doesn't prohibit church discipline (Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5) but forbids inquisitorial purges seeking absolute purity before final judgment. The parable teaches patience, not passivity; discernment, not naïveté. Final separation awaits harvest (v. 30)—God's judgment, not human effort, will perfectly divide wheat from tares. Until then, the visible church contains both regenerate and unregenerate, known only to God (2 Timothy 2:19).