24Another parable he put before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants of the householder came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?' 28He said to them, `An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Are we the wheat or are we the weeds that will eventually be gathered for burning? The wheat and the weeds coexist in this life. But they are seperated in the next. The readings this week have focussed on the light. Once it shines on you, then you better make the decision to choose it rather than turn away from it. Christ's statement “blessed are those who believe without seeing” makes me think maybe there is something special about those people who follow the ways of Christ without ever having that post-resurrection burning of Christ in their hearts. Christ is like a tatoo for post-resurrection believers. I think of the apostles who thought this man had been a phony and eaten away 3 years of their life. None of them are to be seen at his crucifixion. Peter deies him. But after the resurrection and Christ encountering each of the 12 personally, they are transformed. Christ shines through their being and there is no escape from him. Without Christ etched in your heart, you are unlikely to die for what Christ stod for.. Indeed, when it is convenient to do so, you’ll turn away from him. We saw this from Peter so if he is succeptible to it, why not the rest of us. How then do we become the wheat and not the weeds? We constantly reorient our aim upwards.
ReplyDeleteStrengths:
DeleteYou've made a strong connection between the parable and the idea of personal choice and commitment.
You've identified the contrast between those who follow Christ and those who don't.
You've highlighted the transformative power of encountering Christ personally.
Areas for Improvement:
The parable emphasizes the separation of good and evil at the end times, rather than focusing solely on individual choice. It's important to consider the role of God's judgment in this process.
While the image of Christ as a "tattoo" is striking, it might be helpful to explore deeper spiritual implications of Christ's presence in a believer's life.
The parable also speaks to the patience of God in allowing both good and evil to coexist until the final judgment.
Additional Thoughts:
You might explore the idea of the "harvest" in the parable and what it might represent in a believer's life.
The contrast between the disciples' initial disbelief and their later transformation could be seen as a model for personal spiritual growth.
Overall, your response is insightful and demonstrates a strong understanding of the parable.