There are two different sections of JST to pay attention to in the parable of the wheat and tares.  One is part of the parable itself, and the other is in the interpretation given by Jesus.

KJV Matthew 13:30
JST Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together
first the wheat into my barn; and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned.

The major change that takes place here is the order of gathering is completely reversed. Instead of first gathering the tares, the wheat is gathered first.

Now, why would that be?  I think it may be because there is far less chance of false positives of the wheat is gathered first rather than the tares first.  Earlier in the parable, the householder would not let his servants gather the tares up because of concern that they’d root up wheat too (false positives).  There may be just as much danger as there would be at the beginning of rooting up wheat if the harvest takes the wicked first .

In life, if the Lord wants the righteous gathered, He sends prophets and apostles and missionaries and priesthood leaders with the message, and the righteous are gathered while the tares disregard the message.  This isn’t just true about the gathering into the church, but in any future instructions given by church leadership.

Next is the JST of v39-44:

KJV Matt 13:39-42
JST Matt. 13:39-44
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world;
39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; The harvest is the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked.

and the reapers are the angels.
40  The reapers are the angels,
or the messengers sent of heaven.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire;
so shall it be in the end of this world.
41  As, therefore, the tares are gathered and burned in the fire,
so shall it be in the end of this world, or the destruction of the wicked.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels,
42  For in that day, before the Son of man shall come, he shall send forth his angels and messengers of heaven.
and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,
and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire:
43 And they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend,
and them which do iniquity,
and shall cast them out among the wicked; and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
 there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
44  For the world shall be burned with fire.

What do we learn from these changes?

1.     The end of the world and the destruction of the wicked are synonymous.
2.     Messengers of heaven are sent as well as angels, so the messengers are mortals.  (These would have to be duly ordained church leaders sent.)
3.     The removal of the wicked from Christ’s kingdom will happen before Christ comes again. This implies that it can happen through the disciplinary process, if those who do iniquity are not willing to repent.
4.     Those that do iniquity are cast out into the world, rather than into a furnace of fire.  Then there is the warning that the wicked world will be burned with fire, so this is something that may not happen immediately when the iniquitous are cast out, but by and by.

How does this parable help us today?  I think it helps us realize the importance of repenting quickly and removing from our lives all things that offend before we have to be told.  Our place in the Lord’s kingdom and our safety when the Lord comes again are at stake. 

It also helps us realize that the removal of those who do iniquity from the kingdom of God can be happening all along, not at some indefinite period just before the second coming.

Finally, it is yet another reminder of how important it is to follow the counsel of the prophets and apostles and our church leaders. 

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