In this parable Jesus is simply affirming the reality that there are some people who submit to the influence of the Word of God and there are others who respond to the influence of the lies of Satan. And in the end God judges between who was right and who was wrong. Until then let’s not give ourselves over to trying to judge others but let’s realize that there are people who now love God and people who do not love God. This does not mean that some people are born for destruction and others are born for relationship with God, but that some people are currently listening to the enemy and others are listening to God. The message was spoken to the disciples encouraging them to recognize that some people respond to the word of God in a positive way and others do not. It does not mean that a person can never repent and is locked into relationship with whoever (God or Satan) got to them first.
It’s also helpful to remember that in context Jesus has just had another encounter with the Pharisees, the religious leaders in Mt. 12 and was accused by them of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul. Though Jesus had just done a wonderful miracle, these religious leaders were so hardened against God that they’d strive every way they could to dismiss/denounce Jesus and His message of grace, love, and judgment, and even accuse Jesus.
“40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Yes there shall be judgment, fiery judgment where what we have done is life will be judged with the good being purified and the evil being burnt up. Those truly righteous shall shine like the sun and those who are wicked will suffer terribly with weeping (repentance) and gnashing of teeth (terrible angry remorse). Also note that this wording was a means of referencing the Pharisees theological metaphor of judgment, Gehenna, which the Pharisees used to warn of Judgment to come, and primarily referenced a type of purgatory though they argued over whether or not those they considered “irredeemable” would be annihilated or continue to suffer indefinitely long as God saw fit.
So what should we draw from the parable?
- There are good and bad people in this world, and it’s often not obvious to us who is who.
- Let’s leave the judging to God.
- Let’s live our lives being watchful as to what influences we are submitting to.
- Let’s live our lives knowing that one day we shall all be judged and there will be rewards and punishments as God sees fit and needed.
- Let’s be busy about planting good seeds and let God worry about judging others.
- Let’s not be like the Pharisees who were actually opposing God, acting as enemies of the most High.
This parable does not affirm that some people are born enemies of God and others are born of God; rather it does affirm that some do currently submit to God and others are influenced by the enemy. This parable is not meant to communicate that people cannot change, repent. And it is not meant to be a full teaching on judgment and Gehenna, but references them as side notes, concepts his audience would have already understood.
Also note that through judgment, those things in our lives that are evil will be burnt up and those things in our lives that are good shall be purified. And thus we shall shine like the sun. Judgment is fearful but necessary for us all. We shall all face judgement and need to live our lives accordingly.