What is the moral lesson of parable of the weeds?

Answer 1

The parable of the 'wheat and the weeds' is not so much a 'moral' story, as a prophecy. This is what it says: (Matthew 13:24-30) ". . . The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?''An enemy did this,' he replied."The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"(NIV)

Jesus is here prophesying the spiritual conditions that would exist on the earth by the time God's judgment period arrives. The meaning of the prophecy is given by Jesus later in the chapter at: Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus often used 'agricultural' illustrations, since Israel was an agricultural community for the most part, so this information would be easily understood.

The 'weeds' spoken of are most probably "bearded darnel"(Lolium temulentum), a species of the grass family whose seeds are light weight and poisonous because of a fungus growing within them. (If darnel seeds become mixed with wheat kernels after the harvest, this can have a serious effect upon the eater. Dizziness, convulsions and even death).

"Darnel' has a few interesting traits that lend themselves to this illustration.

When they are young, they look very similar to 'wheat'....like a 'counterfeit wheat'. It's hard to tell them apart until they 'mature', at which time, their smaller black seeds make their HEADS wave high above the true wheat, which is full of heavy greenish seeds, causing it's heads to bow down. The 'weeds' then are easily spotted and eliminated.

Jesus was telling his disciples that over the centuries, apostasy(backed by satan) ('counterfeit Christianity') would move in and 'muddy the waters' of the true Christianity Jesus started,(2 Peter 2:1 & 2) and that for many years, it would all grow together(2 Corinthians 11:13-15), as can be noted in history, 'until the conclusion'... God's Judgment day... arrived, and the angels would start the 'harvest work' . AT that time, the 'empty headed' darnel (fake Christianity) would be standing out, haughtily waving prominently in the breeze. At the same time, there would also be people filled with GOOD fruitage, humbly speaking out for TRUE Christianity, who would clearly stand out as different, solidly obedient to God's word (Daniel 12:4, Matthew 24:31, Matthew 7:21-23, John 17:16), and they would survive the end of the system into God's new world. (Proverbs 2:21-22)(Psalms 37:11,29)

Answer 2

The moral lesson of the Parable of the Weeds is that good and evil exist together in the world, and it is not always easy to distinguish between them. It teaches patience and understanding, as well as the importance of letting God ultimately judge and decide what is good and what is evil.