Matthew 13 39

Matthew 13:39 kjv

The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Matthew 13:39 nkjv

The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

Matthew 13:39 niv

and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Matthew 13:39 esv

and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

Matthew 13:39 nlt

The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

Matthew 13 verses

Matthew 13 39 Meaning

Matthew 13:39 explicates key elements of the Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat. It reveals the identity of the "enemy" who sows bad seed as the devil, highlighting his malicious work in the world. It defines the "harvest" as the "end of the age," signifying a divinely appointed time of consummation and judgment. Furthermore, it identifies the "reapers" as angels, establishing their active role as agents of God's sovereign will in this final separation. This verse makes clear that the struggle between good and evil, permitted to coexist for a time, will ultimately culminate in a decisive divine intervention and separation.

Matthew 13 39 Context

Matthew 13 is often called the "parables chapter" or "mystery of the kingdom" chapter, as Jesus uses several parables to explain the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven to His disciples and the crowds. The Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (Mt 13:24-30) illustrates the co-existence of true believers and false ones within the world until the harvest, or end of the age. After the parable, the disciples request an explanation (Mt 13:36), and Jesus directly provides it in verses 37-43. Verse 39 is a pivotal part of this explanation, clarifying the identity of key figures and the timeline of future events. This clarity would have been crucial for a Jewish audience, accustomed to apocalyptic and eschatological themes, who might have expected an immediate, physical, and perfectly purified kingdom. Jesus' explanation emphasizes a delayed, spiritual, and divinely administered purification, distinct from human intervention.

Matthew 13 39 Word analysis

• "The enemy" (ὁ ἐχθρός - ho echthros): Refers to the malevolent party. In this context, it implies a powerful, antagonistic force. Its direct identification clarifies who is responsible for evil's inception in the "field" (the world).
• "who sowed them" (ὁ σπείρας αὐτά - ho speiras auta): Highlights active agency and intent. The enemy is not merely passive but proactively introduces the weeds. This links directly to the sowing metaphor from the parable.
• "is the devil" (ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος - estin ho diabolos): Directly identifies the echthros. Diabolos literally means "slanderer," "accuser," or "calumniator." This Greek term highlights Satan's primary activities of opposition, deception, and accusation against God and His people throughout scripture. (Gen 3, Job 1-2, Zech 3).
• "the harvest" (ὁ θερισμός - ho therismos): Metaphorical term for a definitive culmination or reaping. In agrarian societies, the harvest signifies the completion of a cycle and the separation of the desired crop from what is not desired. It inherently implies judgment and collection.
• "is the end of the age" (ἐστιν ἡ συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος - estin hē syntēleia tou aiōnos): This is a crucial phrase. Syntēleia means "consummation," "completion," or "perfection," suggesting the climax or ultimate realization, not just a simple "end." Aiōnos refers to an "age," "era," or "eon," denoting a defined period of time or world-system, not necessarily the destruction of the physical world. Thus, "the end of the age" points to the close of the present cosmic-historical era marked by sin and the present order, ushering in the new heavens and new earth (Rev 21:1). It's a termination of an epoch, preceding God's full and eternal kingdom.
• "and the reapers" (οἱ θερισταί - hoi theristai): Those appointed to execute the harvest. They are the agents.
• "are angels" (εἰσιν ἄγγελοι - eisin aggeloi): Directly identifies the agents of judgment. Angeloi means "messengers." In biblical context, they are spirit beings who serve God and often act as His emissaries and executors of divine decrees, especially in judgment (Mt 24:31, Mt 25:31).

Word-Group Analysis:

• "The enemy... is the devil": This unequivocally attributes the origin of evil and corruption (the "weeds") in the world to Satan, the prime adversary of God. It affirms the spiritual battle against specific, malicious forces, not just abstract concepts of evil.
• "The harvest is the end of the age": This pairing explicitly links a period of reckoning and separation (the harvest) to a specific eschatological point in time – the consummation of the present fallen world system. It underscores God's sovereignty over time and history, implying that current suffering and evil are permitted for a determined duration before ultimate resolution. It differentiates God's ultimate plan from human efforts to purify the world prematurely.
• "The reapers are angels": This group highlights the divine method and agents of the final judgment. It emphasizes that this ultimate separation and judgment will not be carried out by humans but by God's spiritual envoys, reinforcing the supernatural and sovereign nature of these future events, guaranteeing impartial and perfect execution of divine justice.

Matthew 13 39 Bonus section

• The deliberate co-existence of "wheat" and "weeds" until the "harvest" (Mt 13:30) speaks to God's divine patience and long-suffering. This patience allows time for the growth of both (authenticity vs. deception) and prevents premature destruction of genuine believers by human attempts at purification (Jn 13:34-35).
• The phrase "end of the age" contrasts with the Jewish expectation of an immediate messianic kingdom that would completely eradicate evil at its inception. Jesus clarifies that there will be a temporal span, an 'age,' during which the Kingdom grows mysteriously amidst opposition, leading to a future, decisive end of this current order before the full glory of the new creation (Isa 65:17, 2 Pet 3:13) and perfected kingdom (Rev 21:1-4).
• Angels are consistently depicted in the Bible as agents of God's judgment and execution of His will, not only in the final eschatological events but also in various historical instances (e.g., Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh's army, the destruction of Sennacherib's army, Acts 12:23). Their role here solidifies their established function in divine administration.

Matthew 13 39 Commentary

Matthew 13:39 offers an indispensable interpretative key to one of Jesus' most significant parables regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. It systematically unmasks the spiritual realities behind the agricultural allegory. By naming the devil as the sower of the weeds, Jesus squarely places the blame for corruption, false believers, and all forms of unrighteousness within the 'field' (the world) at the feet of a personal, malevolent adversary. This emphasizes the reality of spiritual warfare and the devil's consistent opposition to God's redemptive work. The clarification of "harvest" as the "end of the age" is pivotal; it signifies God's appointed culmination of history where the mixture of good and evil, tolerated for a period, will finally be separated. This refutes the idea of an immediate, man-made utopia or the human elimination of evil prior to Christ's return. Lastly, the identification of angels as "reapers" affirms divine, supernatural agency in this ultimate judgment, underscoring that it will be carried out with perfect divine justice and efficiency, free from human error or prejudice. It assures believers of a coming day of vindication and a purging of evil from the creation. This verse, therefore, establishes critical parameters for understanding present coexistence and future eschatological purification.