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"Just as, therefore, the darnel is gathered together, and by fire is burned, so will it be
in the consummation of the ages: The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they
will gather together out of His kingdom all cause of offence (skandalon means more than
a stumbling stone--literally it is 'the catch of a trap'), and those that are doers of
lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and
gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their
Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
This is the inspired explanation of the parable. It does not deal with the gospel, but
with the hearers of the gospel. In the parable of the Sower the seed typifies "the word of
the kingdom," while the ground represents the hearts of the various hearers. In the
parable of the Tares the whole case is altered. The seed no longer represents the word,
but the sons either of the kingdom, or of the wicked one. The ground no longer
represents the hearts of the hearers, but the world. Commentaries are worse than
valueless, they are positively harmful if they ignore the interpretation given by the Word
of God itself.
The parable tells us that the prime cause of the defection and apostasy of Israel is to be
seen in the attitude and work of satan. Throughout the course of the ages satan has
sought to overthrow the purpose of God in Christ. The primeval promise of
Gen. 3: 14, 15 introduces the reader to the conflict of the ages. "I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel." The purpose of the ages centres in Christ (Eph. 3: 11,
R.V. margin). The antagonism of satan is directed against this purpose. Every step of the
way this opposition is seen.
Adam and Eve are placed in the garden. Dominion is given them. They are tempted
and fall, and if the penalty had fallen upon them, the coming of the seed must have been
frustrated. Cain slays Abel, and God gives Seth "instead," thereby showing his brother
that "Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother because he was righteous,"
was the tool in the hand of satan who sought to prevent the coming of the Seed. The
irruption of the "sons of God," and the corruption of the seed of man, ending in the flood
(Gen. 6:), was another attempt to prevent the coming of the Seed. As yet satan did not
know through which family of the descendants of Adam the promised Seed should come,
so he sought to pollute the whole race. Immediately after the flood Noah utters a
prophetic word, which pointed out Shem as the chosen one.
Soon Abraham is called, and the promise of the land and of the Seed is given to him.
Satan now centres his attack upon this man and this land. Taking advantage of the delay
mentioned in Gen. 11: 31, the evil one peopled the land of Canaan with the Nephilim, the
Giants, the Sons of Anak and the Rephaim. The reading of Gen. 11: 31 with 12: 5, 6 is
very solemn:--
"And they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of
Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there."
"And they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they
came. . . . and the Canaanite was then in the land."