her parable, somewhat closely related to the foregoing as to the
actual story, dealing again with seed and sowing, and, like the first,
accompanied by an interpretation, was delivered by the Master as
follows:

"The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good
seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed
tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was
sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares
also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him,
Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then
hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The
servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather
them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye
root up also the wheat with them. 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."[621]

When Jesus had retired to the house in which He lodged, the disciples
came, saying: "Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field."

"He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son
of man; the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the
kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy
that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and
the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and
burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of
man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall
cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of
their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."[622]

By the Author's explication, the sower was Himself, the Son of Man; and,
as the condition of wheat and tares growing together was one that shall
continue until "the end of the world," those who were ordained to carry
on the ministry after Him are by direct implication also sowers. The
seed as here represented is not, as in the last parable, the gospel
itself, but the children of men, the good seed typifying the honest in
heart, righteous-minded children of the kingdom; w