Satan opposes the work of God by sowing counterfeit Christians, encouraging false growth, and introducing false doctrine. The Parable of the Wheat and Tares, as spoken by Jesus in Matthew 13:24-30 and explained in verses 36-43, reveals Satan as primarily an imitator, working against the church and God's people. This parable shows a mixed character within the church, culminating in the ultimate separation of the true from the counterfeit at the end of the age. In this teaching, there are two sowers, two kinds of seeds, and two harvests—one good and the other bad. Jesus, the Son of Man, is the sower of the good seed, while His enemy, the wicked one, the Devil, sows the tares among the wheat. While the servants slept during the normal time of night, the enemy sowed his seed in a field not his own, revealing Satan's sly nature in choosing darkness for his deceptive work. He sows the wicked among the good, aiming to cause problems, confusion, and disrupt peace within the church. The tares, resembling wheat until maturity, cannot be separated early without uprooting the wheat as well, for their roots are intertwined. Only at harvest, when the wheat has matured, can the tares be detected, gathered into bundles, and destroyed by fire. Jesus illustrates that the field represents the world, containing all types of soil interspersed throughout. The tares, though not originally from the wicked one, develop character under his influence, becoming his children. No one but the Lord of the Harvest can distinguish the superficial from the real, and human attempts to remove the tares often fail, fostering spiritual pride and hypocrisy. Jesus' intent is to enlighten and warn the saints of this reality, not to expose the tares now, for God will root out the bad seed when the good has matured. The parable exposes the problem of evil intermingled with good within congregations, just as it affects nations, communities, and homes. God's church, though spiritual and unified with saints, visibly contains both wheat and tares—true believers and deceiving unbelievers—until the final separation at the harvest.

To a multitude gathered before Him, Jesus spoke the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, revealing the work of the mystery of sin against the church and the extent to which the evil one is allowed to oppose it. In this parable, there are two sowers, two kinds of seed, and two harvests: one good, the other bad. The field, which Jesus says represents the world, contains all soils interspersed over its entirety. The first sower is Jesus Himself, the owner and the Son of Man, while the other sower is His enemy, called the wicked one and the devil, who sows in a field not his own during the night while the servants sleep. This enemy chooses the darkness for his deceitful work, sowing the wicked among the good. The tares, sown by the enemy, are not easily distinguishable from the wheat, as they are darnel, a seed hardly identifiable from wheat seed, and immature wheat and darnel look alike. To destroy the darnel would risk destroying much of the wheat, and separating them is beyond the servants' abilities. Only when the wheat has matured can the tares be detected, gathered together in bundles in the field, and destroyed by fire. This parable exposes the problem of evil intermingled with good within congregations, just as it confronts nations, communities, and homes. The genuine and counterfeit wheat are always together in the church, and the presence of sin is often a mystery to people. Jesus prophesies that the church of God on earth would be imperfect, with members who have the Holy Spirit yet possess personal defects, alongside unconverted individuals who recognize the truth but are there only for association. His intent is to enlighten and warn the saints of this fact, not to expose the tares at this time, as God will root out the bad seed when the good seed has matured. The good seed, the wheat, and the sons of the kingdom refer to baptized members of God's church in whom the Holy Spirit dwells—the saints, the elect, the righteous. The Son of Man, as the Sower, sows only good seed, those who are righteous by walking worthy of God and living His way of life. It is His will that Jesus Christ the Redeemer sow His redeemed ones in this world of sin and misery for training and testing to become true witnesses for Him in preparation for the Kingdom. Therefore, He has placed Christians where He wants them, expecting them to bear fruit in their corner of the field of this world in which He has sowed them.

In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the second parable of Matthew 13, Jesus presents a narrative of wheat and tares sown together in the same field by different sowers. He explains to His disciples that the field represents the world, encompassing a broad scope beyond any limited assembly. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, planted by the Son of Man, who are revealed as righteous and glorified at the end of the age. Conversely, the tares are defined as the sons of the wicked one, sown by the enemy while men slept, a state symbolizing obliviousness or inattention. Jesus further illustrates that at the conclusion of the age, all who offend and practice lawlessness will be gathered out of His Kingdom, which spans the whole world. The righteous, in contrast, will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. This parable underscores a historical contention between the righteous, planted by God throughout time, and the offspring of the adversary, who bear his spiritual image. Even within the nation of Israel, leaders like the Pharisees are depicted as tares, bearing the likeness of their spiritual father, the devil. Despite their presence, Jesus commands His servants to leave these tares in place until the fulfillment of His purpose at the harvest, when the true sons of the kingdom, from the beginning of history, will be made perfect together.

In Matthew 13, the Parable of the Tares represents the relationship of the church to the wicked one and his agents. This parable, as part of the first pair of stories, illustrates the outward characteristics of the church and the working of the mystery of sin against it, highlighting the extent to which the Evil One is allowed to oppose the church in its day-to-day efforts. Through this parable, Christ conveys a prophetic summary of the historical development of His church, focusing on the challenges it faces from adversarial forces while carrying out His work of announcing the good news of the coming Kingdom of God.

In Matthew 13, Jesus Christ uses parables to foretell situations that would impact God's church through the centuries until His second coming. Among these, the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares reveals that God's work is opposed. This parable stands alongside others in Matthew 13, such as the Parable of the Sower where God's Word is rejected, the Parable of the Mustard Seed where attempts are made to thwart God's plan, and the Parable of the Leaven where God's doctrines are corrupted, all depicting the church's future progress and the challenges it faces from both external and internal forces. Specifically, the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares underscores the persistent opposition to God's work within the church, highlighting the struggle against adversarial forces that seek to undermine His purpose.

In the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, found among the eight parables of the kingdom in Matthew 13, Jesus Christ addresses a profound problem within the realm of God's dominion. Spoken to the multitudes, this parable reveals the dismaying presence of tares among the wheat, symbolizing a corrupting influence that threatens to diminish the harvest. The tares, not planted by God, have a satanic origin rather than a divine one, embodied at the time in the Pharisees and other religious leaders who oppressed those with whom God was working. Their active opposition to the good seed stemmed from corrupt beliefs, shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men and preventing entry to those seeking it. This parable, paired with a later one spoken to the disciples, highlights a problem to which a spiritual solution is provided, reflecting the structured beauty and order of God's Word in its chiastic arrangement.

In the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, Jesus Christ offers vital instruction for Christian life, illustrating how to deal with tares within the church while growing together with the brethren toward God's purpose. Jesus relates this parable in Matthew 13:24-30, likening the kingdom of heaven to a man who sowed good seed in his field, only for his enemy to sow tares among the wheat while men slept. When the tares appeared alongside the wheat, the servants asked if they should uproot them, but the owner cautioned against it, fearing damage to the wheat, instructing them to let both grow together until the harvest, when the tares would be gathered for burning and the wheat stored in his barn. Jesus later explains the symbolism in Matthew 13:37-40, identifying Himself as the sower of good seed, the field as the world, the good seeds as the sons of the kingdom, the tares as the sons of the wicked one, the enemy as the devil, the harvest as the end of the age, and the reapers as the angels. He notes that just as the tares are gathered and burned, so it will be at the end of this age. Within this field, God has established His church, yet the devil has sown false brethren and ministers, creating counterfeits that appear religious but lack true understanding or love. The parable highlights the challenge of distinguishing wheat from tares during growth due to their similar appearance, emphasizing that only at maturity, by their fruit, can they be identified—wheat with large, golden berries and tares with small, gray ones. Attempting to uproot tares prematurely risks harming the wheat, so God permits both to grow together, reserving the separation for Himself at the harvest. This parable carries warnings for the church. First, it acknowledges the reality of tares—counterfeit members and false ministers—within God's church, urging vigilance to avoid being led astray by their deceptive attitudes or teachings. Second, it cautions against hasty judgment of others, as even true wheat may act improperly while growing, and some tares may hide their corrupt hearts. God alone knows who belongs to Him, allowing both to grow together as a test of patience and love among brethren. Jesus Christ also sets a personal example of how to treat tares, as seen in His interactions with Judas Iscariot, a tare among His disciples. Despite knowing Judas' corrupt character, Jesus allowed him responsibilities and showed him kindness, never revealing his nature to the others, even washing his feet in humility. By not exposing Judas, Jesus protected His other disciples from potential harm, demonstrating love and courtesy toward an enemy. As Christians mature, their responsibility is not to remove or expose tares, a task reserved for God, but to grow in kindness, patience, and godly love, producing good fruit and reflecting the perfect image of their Savior, Jesus Christ.

The church constitutes Christ's treasure, hidden in the world, purchased and redeemed with Christ's blood. The Pearl of Great Price depicts a rich merchant (Christ), the only one who had the means to redeem His church. The Dragnet symbolizes the scope of God's calling while the separation process indicates God's high standards of selection, indicating a time of righteous and impartial judgment. The Householder parable shows the responsibility of the ministry to be authoritative interpreters of scripture, using what they have learned and experienced to instruct the people.