Matthew 13:28 kjv
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Matthew 13:28 nkjv
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?'
Matthew 13:28 niv
"?'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
Matthew 13:28 esv
He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
Matthew 13:28 nlt
"'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed. "'Should we pull out the weeds?' they asked.
Matthew 13 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 13:39 | The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. | Identifies the "enemy" as the devil. |
| Gen 3:15 | And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head... | Establishes primordial enmity against God's plan. |
| Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7 | Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. | Satan's adversarial role and influence. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. | Describes the devil as an active adversary. |
| Jn 8:44 | You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning... | Devil as the origin of evil deeds and deception. |
| 2 Cor 11:14-15 | And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves... | The deceptive nature of the enemy's work. |
| Mt 13:30 | Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first..." | The master's instruction against premature action. |
| Mt 13:41-43 | The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers... | Final separation at the end of the age. |
| Rev 14:14-16 | Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden sickle in his hand. | Metaphor of harvest for end-time judgment. |
| Mt 25:31-33 | When the Son of Man comes in his glory... He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. | Divine separation and judgment. |
| Lk 9:54-55 | When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them... | Disciples' impulse for immediate, forceful judgment. |
| Rom 2:4 | Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? | God's patience, allowing both to grow. |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish... | God's patience extends the opportunity for salvation. |
| Phil 1:9-10 | And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more... so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ. | Importance of discernment without judgment. |
| Gal 6:9-10 | And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. | Encouragement to continue doing good amidst evil. |
| Isa 5:1-7 | For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant planting; and he looked for justice... | Metaphor of Israel as a vineyard producing sour grapes. |
| Jer 12:13 | They have sown wheat and reaped thorns; they have toiled, but gotten no profit. | Human effort bringing forth unfruitful results. |
| Heb 5:14 | But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. | The need for discernment. |
| Jude 1:4 | For certain people have crept in unnoticed... who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. | False believers within the community. |
| Acts 20:29-30 | I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves... | Prediction of false teachers arising from within. |
| Prov 29:27 | An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked. | The inherent contrast between righteous and wicked. |
| Rev 2:20 | But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess... | Warning against tolerating evil influence. |
| 1 Jn 3:10 | By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God... | Distinguishing children of God from children of the devil. |
Matthew 13 verses
Matthew 13 28 Meaning
This verse reveals the owner's explanation for the presence of weeds in his field, attributing their existence to the malicious act of an enemy. It then presents the servants' immediate and zealous response: a question inquiring whether they should proceed to gather and remove the troublesome weeds. This exchange highlights the clear identification of the source of evil and the human inclination to swiftly eradicate it.
Matthew 13 28 Context
Matthew 13 records Jesus teaching seven parables of the Kingdom of Heaven to a large crowd from a boat, sitting by the sea. These parables progressively reveal different aspects of God's reign and its unfolding in the world. The Parable of the Weeds (vv. 24-30) is the second of these parables. Following the Parable of the Sower, which addresses the different responses to the Gospel message, the Parable of the Weeds speaks to the nature of the Kingdom's development amidst the presence of evil.
The story unfolds in a familiar agricultural setting, easily understood by Jesus's audience. After a man sows good seed in his field, his servants notice the unexpected appearance of weeds, which, especially in their early stages, remarkably resemble wheat. This verse represents a pivotal moment in the narrative, where the master clarifies the cause of the problem and the servants express their readiness to intervene. The immediate question from the servants reflects a common human desire to fix problems and eliminate what is undesirable, setting up the profound teaching in the subsequent verses about divine patience and judgment.
Matthew 13 28 Word Analysis
- He said: Referring to the owner of the field, representing the Son of Man.
- to them: Refers to the servants (Greek: douloi), who represent the faithful workers or those who serve God in His kingdom. Their relationship with the owner implies their loyalty and readiness to execute his will.
- An enemy: Greek echthros (ἐχθρός). This term signifies "hostile," "adversary," or "one who hates." In the interpretation (Mt 13:39), Jesus explicitly identifies this enemy as "the devil." This highlights that evil in the world is not from God or a natural part of creation, but is introduced by a malicious, opposing spiritual force. This counters ancient ideas that God could be the author of evil or that evil spontaneously arises.
- has done this: Implies a deliberate act of sabotage and malice. The presence of weeds is not accidental but a result of direct, malevolent intervention by the enemy. This "doing" (epoiesen, aorist indicative) emphasizes a completed action with lasting effects.
- The servants said to him: Again emphasizing their role as responsive and loyal workers. Their voice signifies the earnest concern and practical disposition of those serving the kingdom.
- Then do you want us: A direct, deferential question showing their desire for permission and clear instruction. They are not presumptuous or independent, but seek the master's authority before acting. The particle "then" (οὖν, oun) suggests a logical next step from their perspective, based on the revelation of the enemy.
- to go and gather them up?: Greek sylléxōmen (συλλέξωμεν) which means "to collect together," "to gather," or "to assemble." This is a proposed immediate solution—to identify and physically remove the unwanted elements. The "them" refers to the weeds (Greek: zizania, likely darnel, Lolium temulentum, a weed almost indistinguishable from wheat in early growth). This question directly anticipates and sets up the master's instruction for patience and deferred judgment in the subsequent verse.
Matthew 13 28 Bonus Section
- The Zizania (Weeds): The Greek term zizania (ζιζάνια) refers specifically to "darnel" (Lolium temulentum), a common weed in the Middle East that, in its early growth stages, so closely resembles wheat that it is virtually impossible to distinguish. Only as both plants mature do their differences become clear, particularly when they begin to bear grain (darnel's heads are thinner and yield fewer grains). This botanical reality underscores the master's instruction to wait, as premature attempts at removal would inevitably damage the valuable wheat. This carries deep implications for discernment and patience within the community of believers.
- Implications for Church Discipline and Judgment: The parable, and particularly this exchange, teaches caution concerning human attempts to definitively distinguish between true and false believers within the visible church before the final judgment. While healthy church discipline certainly involves confronting sin and false teaching, it should be done with care, humility, and always with a view towards restoration where possible. Ultimate judgment and separation are reserved for the "harvesters"—the angels at the "end of the age." This emphasizes that the visible kingdom on earth will always contain a mixture, and God alone has the perfect vision and timing to sort perfectly.
- Avoiding Sectarianism and Premature Purity Movements: The parable serves as a safeguard against misguided efforts to establish a perfectly pure community on earth through human means. History is replete with examples of groups attempting to root out "tares," leading to harsh judgmentalism, division, and sometimes even persecution of perceived heretics or sinners. Jesus' teaching here cautions against such a zeal that outpaces God's patience and method.
Matthew 13 28 Commentary
Matthew 13:28 is a critical moment within the Parable of the Weeds, succinctly capturing both the reality of spiritual opposition and the common human response to it. The master's statement pinpoints the origin of corruption in the "field"—the world—not as an inherent flaw in God's plan, but as a deliberate act of a malevolent adversary, the devil. This absolute clarity regarding the source of evil underscores God's blamelessness in the existence of sin and discord within His kingdom and the world.
The servants' eager question, "Then do you want us to go and gather them up?" reveals an understandable impulse: confronted with what is wrong or damaging, the immediate reaction is often to remove it swiftly and decisively. This reflects a zeal for purity and a desire to see God's will perfectly realized without impurity. It foreshadows a perpetual challenge within the Christian faith: the temptation to prematurely separate the wheat from the weeds, to judge and expel those who appear not to be true believers. This verse sets the stage for Jesus' profound instruction against human-orchestrated, pre-judgment separation, emphasizing divine timing and sovereignty in the ultimate sorting.