Justice in Judgment – Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40

By David Woods

The idea of judgment and hell is a very controversial and prickly subject for the Church today.  On one hand, some Christians preach fire and brimstone constantly and often display an attitude that seems so filled with hate that they are not truly like Christ.

On the other hand, some Christians shy away from teaching about hell or question the Church’s historical position about God’s judgment and hell that they appear to be unorthodox doctrinally.  The motives of such Christians often is that they believe a fatalistic, harsh manner of preaching drives more people away from the Gospel that toward it.

So today we have a great opportunity.  We have the opportunity to actually study the Scripture to see what Jesus says about judgment and Hell.

In order to properly understand the point of this parable, we should first look at Jesus’ explanation of the different elements of the parable.

Note that “the field is the world.”  This fact is significant.  It is very tempting to interpret this as lesson concerning sinners – hypocrites – in the church.  But the setting is the world, not the church.

Therefore, to properly apply this parable our concern should not be those other church people that we think are not spiritual enough – that we believe to be “tares”.  Rather, our focus will be on the world.

Secondly, in order to understand this parable, we need an understanding of what the “tare” is.  Fausset’s Bible Dictionary says that the tare is…

Not our vetch, but darnel; at first impossible to distinguish from wheat or barley, until the wheat's ear is developed, when the thin fruitless ear of the darnel is detected. Its root too so intertwines with that of the wheat that the farmer cannot separate them, without plucking up both, "till the time of harvest." The seed is like wheat, but smaller and black, and when mixed with wheat flour causes dizziness, intoxication, and paralysis; Lolium temulentum, "bearded darnel", the only deleterious grain among all the numerous grasses.

Thirdly, we should remember that parables typically teach one spiritual principle and are analogies.  Therefore, we must be extremely careful not to “spiritualize” the parable, for analogies are typically unable to totally represent the larger picture.

Discussion: Considering the tares’ resemblance to wheat, how do unrighteous people often resemble followers of Christ?

Read Genesis 18:22-23

Discussion: What was Abraham’s reason for why God should spare Sodom?

Read Matthew 13:29

Discussion: If God immediately judged all the wicked in the world, what would it be like?  Do you think Christians would escape the calamity God caused?

Discussion: Looking at it another way, is it fair that God not judge the unrighteous right now?

Discussion: Why does God delay His judgment?

(This is where the analogy falls down.  Tares cannot become wheat, but sinners can become saints through God’s grace.)

Discussion: Why do some Christians seem so caught up in thinking and teaching about judgment and Hell?

Discussion: What are some problems that accompany this fascination?

Discussion: What are the dangers of not teaching about the Judgment?

Read Matthew 13:30, 40

Discussion: What confidence can we have about the end of time?

Big Idea: Our true spiritual condition will eventually be revealed before God.

Discussion: If (and since) we believe that unbelievers will go to Hell where they will be punished eternally, how should that affect our priorities in life?

Discussion: What will you do differently this week because you believe those who have unconfessed sin in their lives will go to Hell?