Jesus told the parable of the weeds and the parables that went before and after it, from a boat.

He was staying at someone’s lake house. When he went outside to sit, large crowds gathered so he hopped into a boat and taught while they stood on shore.

As I mentioned in the previous post, Jesus’ parables were meant to be explained. After he got out of the boat, he went into the house and his disciples followed. They asked for an explanation.

Imagine elbowing your way through a packed room, hoping and praying that you can understand what your master is saying. This is what he said:

“The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man (Jesus). The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 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. They will throw them into a fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:37-43

These passages of scripture explain, from the Messiah himself, that there is a hell and unbelievers and evildoers will be yanked from the face of the earth. 

Passages like this make my heart beat a little faster. How do you respond?