13:30Matthew 13:30

Christ sows the good seed as the children of the kingdom, Satan sows the tares as the children of the wicked one, the field is the world and the church in the world, the harvest is the end of the world, and the angels as reapers first gather what offends to burn in fire and then gather the wheat so the righteous shine in the Father's kingdom.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+4

Good and evil, true and false believers, must remain together until the harvest at the end of probationary time, because their roots are entwined and human judgment of heart and motive is too imperfect to uproot the supposed tares without destroying wheat Christ is drawing.ST Feb 9, 1915+4

While green and growing the tares look like wheat and deceive many as mere professors mingle with true followers, but when ripe there is no likeness, for fruit reveals character and those joined to the church without being joined to Christ are made manifest.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+4

The binding of the tares in bundles to burn and the sealing of the wheat for the garner is taking place now as every person reveals by spirit and course which bundle he is binding himself with, the tares uniting with Satan for destruction and the wheat united by truth under the Holy Spirit for heaven.Lt 201, 1902, par. 11–12+4

Therefore no human is given the work of final condemning and uprooting, which belongs to Christ and His angels alone, and each must take heed to himself to be sanctified through truth, bear precious fruit, and be found gathered as wheat rather than bound as tares for the fire.Ms 52, 1899, par. 1–2+4

The verse belongs to a parable in which tares grow alongside wheat and resemble the grain while green and growing, with roots so entwined that pulling the tares would disturb the wheat and destroy its young blades.ST Nov 24, 1887+2 When the servants asked from zeal for their master's honor to pull out the tares, the master refused because uprooting them would also uproot the wheat, and ordered both to remain side by side until the harvest.ST Nov 24, 1887+1 The wheat and tares are therefore to stay together until harvest because earlier removal could uproot the wheat, and at harvest they are separated with the tares gathered and burned while the wheat is brought into the barn.MH 493.2+2 Their presence represents evil seeds sown among the good, as troublesome weeds growing among and resembling the grain.ST Nov 24, 1887+1

The field is the world, and the church of Christ in the world is the field where people are to grow and ripen for God's harvest and garner.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+2 The good seed are the children of the kingdom sown by the Son of man, the tares are the children of the wicked one sown by the devil, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+1 At harvest time the angels first gather out all that offends and them which do iniquity and cast them into a furnace of fire with wailing and gnashing of teeth, and then gather the wheat so the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+1 The gospel calls together in church capacity those who come out from the world, and the kingdom of God must be kept free from the sinful practices of the world.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+1

The chapter is given as a warning and points to the final judgment, when people will face Christ's judgment seat and only those acquitted, with characters free from stain, will stand.Lt 317a, 1905, par. 6–8 The teaching shows two opposing forces and their work, with wheat and tares remaining together until separated at harvest, and its lessons are important for recognizing the enemy's deceptive ways and following Christ's teaching.Ms 115, 1906, par. 21–22 The parable applies to all kinds of people because familiar fields and the work of sowing and harvesting grain made its lesson accessible to everyone through an illustration familiar to ordinary listeners.2SP 253.2–3+2 The lessons of sowing and harvest teach that God works in nature and make plain the things of the kingdom of heaven, with the seed's growth depending on God's power working together with human care and skill.2SP 253.2–3+1

The picture illustrates the things of the kingdom of heaven and the work of the great Husbandman for His people to strengthen the wheat and put it in flourishing condition, that the tares sown among it may not assume the supremacy.Ms 34, 1898, par. 5–7 The kingdom of heaven has laws of government, else it would not be a kingdom.Ms 34, 1898, par. 5–7 The first great sower of evil drew away by deceptive power a part of the holy family of heaven under a lie, and those who apostatized fell because there could be no disloyal ones in the Lord's kingdom, so every disloyal subject was turned out of the blessed abode, the celestial city of God.Ms 34, 1898, par. 5–7 Christ is the sower of the seeds of truth, come to sow the world with truth in the garb of humanity as head of the human race to limit Satan's power and bring restoration by revealing truth adapted to the apostate race as the Word of God in contrast with Satan's falsehood, Himself the Truth minimizing error and magnifying truth, enabling the natural mind by His teaching to understand spiritual things and bring man back to loyalty to God.Ms 34, 1898, par. 5–7

The tare in nature represents the evil that blights and mars, growing alongside objects that reveal the love that restores, from singing bird and opening blossom to rain and sunshine, summer breeze and gentle dew, and from the oak of the forest to the violet at its root.ED 101.2–3 This mingling of evil with good in nature is read aright only in the light shining from Calvary, through Bethlehem and the cross, where good conquers evil and every blessing comes as a gift of redemption, so nature still speaks of God's goodness.ED 101.2–3 Nothing God made is useless, for His creation is a reservoir of means made ready for Him to employ instantly to do His pleasure, but tares were sown by the enemy through the curse bringing confusion and disorder into a world otherwise governed by God where the natural world obeys its Creator.Lt 131, 1897, par. 3–5+2 Rational beings alone cause confusion in the world when they resist God instead of living to Him, honoring Him, and revealing His perfection in themselves.17MR 58.1–59.1+1

When man fell by transgressing the law of God, man's disobedience gave Satan opportunity to sow seeds of evil in the human heart, and the earth was cursed so the ground that in the beginning produced only good began to produce tares.Lt 5, 1900, par. 4 The growth of the tares calls for continual warfare, and the cultivation of the soil enjoined on man becomes a mirror in which man may see reflected and learn spiritual lessons about the work of God upon the human soul.Lt 5, 1900, par. 4 The image of an enemy scattering harmful growth among precious wheat shows what is valuable opposed by briers and thorns that hinder good work, and the enemy ever seeks to scatter them so overcoming that scattering and bringing efforts to success requires earnest labor.Lt 106, 1908, par. 12–13+2 Even wise-looking plans carried out with the best motives still lose the good results sought when they result in friction.2MR 315.2–316.1 The field where Christ sowed the gospel was a world where the enemy had already sown error, with tares growing in the field, without here explaining its harvest and separation.ST Feb 24, 1898

The wheat are the children of the kingdom born of God's word and truth sown by the Son of man, and the tares are the children of the wicked one embodying error and false principles sown by Satan and the devil, not by God or His angels.COL 70.3+2 The field is the world, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels who first gather out all that offends and does iniquity to cast into a furnace of fire with wailing and gnashing of teeth, then bring in the wheat so the righteous shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6+1 The gospel calls together in church capacity those who come out from the world, yet the kingdom must be kept free from sinful practices of the world.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6

Sinners making pretension of piety mingle for a time with true followers and deceive many while the blades are green, for tares closely resemble wheat at that stage.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+1 In the harvest of the world there will be no likeness between good and evil, for when ripe the worthless weeds bear no likeness to wheat bowing under full ripe heads.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+1 Those who joined the church without joining Christ will then be made manifest, judged by words and deeds and character rather than profession, receiving the same sun and rain until Christ separates them.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+1

The tares are false counterfeit Christians always found among true disciples, bearing Christ's name while denying His character, whose conduct misrepresents Christ and the Saviour and dishonors God, putting souls in danger and dishonoring the work.Lt 30, 1895, par. 47–48+2 Some listed as members are not joined to Christ or transformed into His likeness, and their profession and good deeds do not make them Christians, for temptation reveals a different spirit; they are uncircumcised by grace, hypocrites alongside genuine Christians who are genuine without pretense and true in heart and soul and action.Lt 30, 1895, par. 47–48+2 They include the sensual, the proud, the careless in heart, and those opposed to truth who do not love it to be sanctified and refined, who grow with the faithful for a time but carry out the will of the great enemy; their present bundling in unbelief and darkness fits them for last-day fires when they will cry that harvest is past and they are not saved, and after a time the true Watcher who never mistakes character will separate false from true so no soul is excused by another's sin.Lt 135, 1899, par. 22+2

In the parable Christ sows good seed in the human heart while Satan secretly sows seeds of evil and error that can grow abundantly, crowd out and destroy what is good, and spread sin to others, and vice must not be mingled with virtue.ST Nov 24, 1887+1 Satan is a living persevering power working to keep Christ's kingdom from coming and God's will from being done by sowing his tares while the church sleeps.Ms 10, 1892, par. 13 Those tares are the selfish self-centered idle spirit he manifests in professed Christians, with selfishness, pride and self-indulgence showing his seed sown in hearts among God's people, so that with many refusing to shine and do their given work the world is left unenlightened and spiritual growth and power are needed to resist him.Ms 10, 1892, par. 13+1

The righteous and the wicked remain mixed through the ages and as long as time lasts, and their fruit reveals which is which so they can be recognized by the lives they produce.ST Jul 15, 1897+2 Tares among wheat are error mingled with truth and guarded by Satan who seeks to make error grow until it overshadows truth, but Christ sows no error.Ms 30, 1898, par. 5–6 His truth must be clearly set against error so people can recognize and discard the false, and truth planted and cherished in the heart uproots errors cherished as truth.Ms 30, 1898, par. 5–6

The corn is sound teaching grounded in God's word, while cockle and darnel are Satan's corrupting work diligently spread while good doctrine is neglected, including replacing the Bible and gospel with human traditions and religious practices.GC 248.3 Wheat is present truth and pure provender thoroughly winnowed from chaff, meat in due season for the flock, and when truth is taught in its purity no tares are mingled with the seed being sown.Ms 44, 1904, par. 11–12+1 Letting unexamined matter go out would make publishing houses agents for disseminating error, divert minds from essential truth and bear fruit in dissension, so barriers, resolutions and examination by converted judges are necessary to hold back tares until harvest.Ms 140, 1901, par. 32–38

Wheat is truth upholding faith in Christ and the authority and purity of Old Testament Scriptures, and tares include false religious teaching that unsettles faith with questioning, doubt and unbelief, including the argument that Christ was only a man.6MR 268.1–269.3 To publish both from the same press mingles tare-sowing with wheat, brings in sophistry, wastes time worse than wasted, corrupts workers and youth, sends forth educated infidels, and is work God condemns and will not prosper but would cleanse away as defilement.6MR 268.1–269.3

Tares are false ideas, errors, theories, maxims and deceptive satanic theories that Satan sows among people through people who serve him, through false teachers and theories arising among believers, through books teaching errors and fables and human writings opposing God like weeds among God's Word, through teachings leading onto a false track, and through untruth and confusion staining purity of faith.RCNBP 10.3+4 They may appear as light while deceptively mingling with truth, are pressed into minds by specious argument where they ought not to be, mingle with truth and draw away from true service through false interpretations, weaken faith in the heart and draw from the path of truth, and can take root so some give up truth and others become unbelievers bringing judgment.Lt 322, 1905, par. 2+4 They take root in minds, make right and wrong difficult to distinguish, weaken faith, diminish truth's influence, confuse about what is true, hinder piety and corrupt those who teach others, so believers must take heed how they receive human teaching, let Christ's Word abide, remain healthy fruit-bearing branches of the living vine, make His words food and drink, and walk in the light doing even humble duties faithfully.Lt 224, 1906, par. 29

Tares sown among wheat are misleading sentiments and seeds of doubt, unbelief and infidelity placed in the mind by deceptive influence, spread by heretical unbelief through influence and by words and actions especially of those in responsible positions.STMW11 9.2–10.1+4 Falsehoods can take root among those who once rejoiced in truth, skeptical words or infidel influence can take root and cause unhappy reflection that cannot be recalled once gone forth, deceptive teachings can confuse those of genuine experience especially when warnings are rejected and spoil faith and experience, and unbelief sown by men using influence to undermine faith poisons minds, damages the church, takes root and multiplies weakening the faith of others until envy and hatred reveal the sowers as deceivers.STMW11 9.2–10.1+4

Wheat growing among tares pictures God's professed people where truth develops amid error in the churches through the Christian era.1MR 372.1 The wheat is God's flock and the tares are apostasy, unbelief and deception sown among wheat by men entrusted with solemn charge through satanic agencies working mind upon mind, turning men from warnings, manufacturing unbelief and ruining faith and confidence through false assurances while men sleep when warnings are unheeded, where one sinner under deception can spread harm widely and those persisting in departing to seducing spirits and spoiling the flock will have sentence pronounced.Lt 126, 1906, par. 17–18 Tares sown among wheat are untruth and confusion as to what is truth staining purity of faith with confused ideas and impure thoughts that mold physicians, ministers and students into blindness unable to discern who serves God, wrought through influences at Battle Creek and in Living Temple from cherished unholy desire and rebellious purpose, and Satan's agents mixing truth with indecent practices discredit sacred truth and make it ineffective though truth itself remains unchanged.Lt 57, 1906, par. 5+1 Knowing truth or professing faith does not by itself change the heart where tares may remain, for truth must be received with faith working through love and purifying the soul, without which a person is unconverted.Ms 14, 1898, par. 2

Good and evil remain together in the world until the harvest, which is the end of the world, and this rules out a thousand years of universal righteousness and peace or temporal millennium in which the whole world is converted before Christ's personal return.GC 321.1–323.1+2 The righteous and the wicked are allowed to remain together until that appointed harvest because their roots are entwined, so that removing the wicked prematurely would disturb the righteous.Ms 82, 1900, par. 14+3 God alone in pity and compassion will separate them at the right time when character is fully revealed, and finding objectionable people among believers is therefore no cause for surprise.Ms 82, 1900, par. 14+2 At harvest the tares become distinguishable from the ripe grain, for the wicked and righteous may appear alike for a time, but then the wicked, including false professors who mingled with followers, are removed and destroyed while the righteous are gathered safely to trouble them no more.ST May 10, 1877+2

True and false believers are to remain together in the church until the harvest, which is the end of probationary time when true character is fully revealed and separation takes place.ST Feb 9, 1915+2 Human judgment of character and motive is too imperfect to safely uproot those thought to be false, since this may destroy the hope of those Christ is drawing, harm true believers closely connected with them, or cause others who would otherwise remain steadfast to stumble.ST Feb 9, 1915+2 This forbids judging character and motives, though it does not forbid separating those persisting in open sin, and at harvest some who appeared Christian will be found wanting while some judged hopeless will be saved, for people judge appearances but God judges the heart.ST Feb 9, 1915+1 Wheat and tares remain together through a long conflict between divine and satanic agencies in decided opposition continuing till the close of earth's history, revealing how long God has borne with stubborn self-indulgence, and this does not endorse corrupting church associations or tolerating evil in Christian assemblies.Ms 7, 1900, par. 20–22+1 At that harvest the wheat is gathered for Christ while the tares, though they looked like wheat, are rejected, and the time of harvest is when everything shakable is shaken so what cannot be shaken may remain while God tests His people.Ms 7, 1900, par. 20–22+1

Two classes are now ripening side by side for opposite destinies, those faithfully serving God as wheat for God's garner while worldly men ripen as tares for destruction fires.RH Apr 6, 1916+1 Between them a great gulf is fixed, for on God and truth and eternity their thoughts and sympathies are not in harmony, and because their standard of character and end are opposite there can be no unity of purpose or action, so Christ never leads His followers to bind themselves by vows in confidence with those having no connection with God.RH Apr 6, 1916+1 Good and evil continue to grow and contend in the world until the great harvest, in the same field at the same time some sowing evil and error while others sow good by revealing Christ and preparing for His second coming.RH Apr 3, 1900+1 Until harvest Christ's followers are to keep faithfully and diligently sowing good seed for the salvation of souls, while those rejecting truth spread error and darken understanding.RH Apr 3, 1900+1

The harvest is the time when Christ gathers the precious grain, ripened as Christians bear fruit to God's glory and the gospel spreads throughout the world, the last harvest before He comes when He comes to gather His people.COL 69.2+1 Good and evil remain mixed until that harvest, with tares among wheat picturing deception and those led astray, and each person is on trial for eternal life.COL 123.1–2+1 There is no probation after the Judgment, for when the gospel's work is completed separation follows and each group's destiny is forever fixed, and the wicked will not all turn to God before that time.COL 123.1–2+1 The harvest is not a time when tares are transformed into wheat, for tares represent false teachings sown among truth and cannot be changed into wheat by tears or repentance.ST May 10, 1877+3 At harvest the chaff among wheat is exposed, angels gather the wicked including those doing evil and rejecting offered mercy for destruction while the righteous are gathered into the kingdom for eternal life, and those spreading false teaching face the loss caused to people deprived of truth.ST May 10, 1877+3

The final separation gathers the wheat into God's garner while binding the tares for destruction, with wheat gathered in sheaves representing God's people kept by Him and tares bound as fuel for fires of destruction.4SP 447.1+1 At harvest the tares are gathered first and bound in bundles to burn while wheat is gathered into the barn.Lt 201, 1902, par. 11–12+3 That binding is taking place now as transgressors of God's law take sides with Satan the leader of rebellion, yielding to his temptations and binding themselves together in unions and combinations including labor unions formed or to be formed, ready to be consumed by last-day fires.Lt 201, 1902, par. 11–12+2 The wheat are God's people on earth who see the evil of every phase of oppression and injustice and refuse to unite with the enemy in carrying out his plans, and those claiming to be God's children are forbidden to bind up with those unions.Lt 201, 1902, par. 11–12+2

The righteous and the wicked remain together until the harvest at Christ's second coming, when they receive different outcomes, the righteous honored with everlasting life and gathered like precious grain into God's heavenly storehouse, and the wicked cut off and destroyed, gathered like tares for the last-day fire.5T 100.2+1 Until that harvest the righteous encounter the ungodly in the ordinary duties of life, and their godly character is to make the difference visible, showing the excellence of life in God's light.5T 100.2 Wheat and tares picture the final separation of the righteous and the wicked, for at harvest the tares are gathered and separated from the wheat, and truth taught in its purity is not mingled with tares in the seed being sown.DA 333.1–2+1

The verse describes the great day of final ingathering foreshadowed by the Feast of Tabernacles as the feast of harvest, when the Lord of the harvest will send out His reapers to gather the wicked together for burning by fire and to gather the righteous into His storehouse, the wicked destroyed so as to become as though they had not been, and afterward every voice in the whole universe uniting in joyful praise to God.PP 541.2 The harvest is the gathering of the redeemed into Heaven's garner, where Christ will see the saints saved through His suffering and be satisfied, and those who sow truth and develop Christian character through good works will reap in the world to come, their work on earth reaching completion in eternal life.ST Jan 16, 1879 Wheat and tares are to remain growing together until the harvest, when they are separated by fruit, the tares gathered for burning and the wheat brought into the barn, showing final judgment belongs to God who distinguishes outcomes by character of fruit.Ms 104, 1901, par. 21–22+4 This does not forbid present efforts to prevent impurity or to separate the wicked from the righteous in human institutions to protect others from harm, but distinguishes the final harvest-time separation from such present protection.Ms 104, 1901, par. 21–22

The final harvest separates those who reject truth for destruction from those who turn from error to truth for God's heavenly storehouse, the harvest representing the earth's final ripening through the closing messages given especially for the last church, reaching its final division where the closing message ripens people either as sheaves for the heavenly garner or as bundles for the fires of the last day.4SP 211.3–212.1+1 That binding of tares in bundles to be burned and gathering of wheat into the heavenly garner would have come speedily after 1844 at the beginning of the great day of atonement if Advent believers had stayed united in brotherly love, held confidence without wavering, obeyed light from heaven, united in proclaiming the third angel's message, and carried Sabbath reform with power to nations, kindreds, tongues and all countries, but division hindered God's work and delayed that speedy gathering and burning.Ms 194, 1901, par. 5–6 At the end the wheat representing God's people is gathered into God's garner while the tares are bound together as fuel for destruction, coming at the end of the time of trouble which will be shortened and arrive sooner than people expect.GC 630.1–2

Wheat and tares remain together until the harvest separation of rebels from the loyal and true in due time, for God permits rebellion to expose the faithful and reveal those who are spurious, since truth gathers people of every kind but they are not all ultimately pure in heart.5MR 297.2 The harvest and garner picture shows wheat gathered for God's heavenly storehouse, with afflictions and trials as God's workmen testing and refining Christians, separating chaff from wheat, exposing evils in character, and helping prepare them for the heavenly garner as they overcome through God's strength and grace.TCBMP 146.1 The selecting of the wheat from the tares is the work of the third angel, a fearful work with an awful mission that should engross whole mind and attention, and the sealing or binding of the wheat is for the heavenly garner, while those sharing in that work must separate the vile from the precious.EW 96.4+4 The same harvest is the time when wheat is separated from tares, tares gathered for destruction and judgment and wheat gathered into the barn, bound and sealed for that heavenly gathering.SCEV 38.3+2

The command to let both grow together until the harvest calls for the same forbearance toward fellow men that the Lord shows, not condemnation and judgment of others but humility and distrust of self, for not all sown in the field is good grain and being in the church does not prove one a Christian.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+1 The tares closely resemble wheat while the blades are green, and sinners making a pretension of piety mingle for a time with true followers and deceive many, but in the harvest of the world there will be no likeness between good and evil, for when ripe the worthless weeds bear no likeness to wheat bowing under full ripe heads and those who joined the church without joining Christ will be made manifest.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13 This dealing with evil among men and angels is seen in that God did not at once destroy Satan when he sinned, because even loyal angels did not fully discern his character and immediate destruction would have kept them from perceiving God's justice and love and would have left doubt of goodness as evil seed yielding sin and woe, so the author of evil was spared to fully develop his character, and through long ages God bore anguish beholding evil and gave Calvary rather than let any be deceived, because tares could not be plucked without danger of uprooting grain.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13

The tares are in the church and must be left to grow with the wheat until the harvest, and the command not to gather them forbids giving human agents the work of condemning members and purifying the church, because they would make terrible mistakes and root up wheat with them, since all judgment is committed to the Son who lived God's law in humanity and understands temptation for every child.Ms 52, 1899, par. 1–2 No human may measure fellow men's characters or gather the tares, for judgment is given only to Christ who lived humanity and alone understands human weakness and striving for perfection, and at harvest at the end of the world Christ will tell the reapers who are angels to gather first the tares to burn and gather the wheat into His barn.Lt 98, 1896, par. 26–29 Christ forbids servants to uproot those they judge false because imperfect judgment can mistake people Christ is drawing and destroy their hope or cause others to stumble, which does not forbid separating those persisting in open sin but forbids judging character and motives, and the harvest reveals the final outcome where some appearing Christian will be found wanting while some judged hopeless will be saved, for people judge appearances but God judges the heart.COL 71.2–3

Wheat and tares remain together until harvest because people cannot reliably distinguish them though fruits reveal character, at harvest God's angels will separate them without error, and human beings are not authorized to make this final separation.Ms 92a, 1898, par. 14–18+1 The tares so closely resemble the wheat that men cannot read the heart to tell them apart, as with wise and foolish virgins who cannot now be distinguished and whom no one has authority to pronounce wise or foolish though those holding truth in unrighteousness appear outwardly like the wise, and the angels know them by fruit and being commissioned to counterwork those fighting God's word will never mistake the gathering.16MR 270.3–271.2 Wheat and tares are to remain together in the church until harvest and it is not for people relying on human wisdom to uproot those they judge tares because they may destroy wheat as well, applying especially when Satan prompts mistaking wheat for tares, while wisdom from above builds up God's people rather than destroying them and workers are to resist rooting out imperfect Christians.Lt 63, 1893, par. 15–17+1

Good and bad may remain together in the church until God's appointed harvest and servants should not hastily remove those they judge tares because they may harm sincere wheat, the tares representing error spread by Satan whose opportunities increase through negligence and lack of vigilance among receptive unsanctified hearts.TCBMP 143.1–145.1+1 Ministers and churches are therefore called to patience, prayer, careful judgment, self-control and restraint, since difficulties may resolve without premature intervention and forceful efforts to set matters right can loosen or damage wheat, cause divisions and factions, and discourage believers who might otherwise be nourished and established in the truth.TCBMP 143.1–145.1+4 Wheat and tares must be left to grow together until harvest, so those who despise and trample God's truth are to be left in God's hands and not judged by others, God pities poor self-deceived souls under Satan's dominion, the faithful should pity their blindness while restraining wrath and passion, and the right to pass judgment is not given to humans just as Moses was not given authority to pronounce judgment against rebellious Israel.13MR 312.1+1

Trying to uproot tares before harvest is warned against, and punishing people judged evil or heretical through imprisonment, torture or death is not Christ's Spirit but Satan's method misrepresenting God, and using the church's imprisonment, torture and execution of accused heretics as example the verse warns against using civil power to punish supposed wrongdoers.COL 73.1+1 The verse does not forbid present efforts to prevent impurity or to separate the wicked from the righteous in human institutions to protect others from harm, it reserves the final separation for harvest time, and faulty people in the earthly church which is not yet as pure as the triumphant church are not to be removed by force, excommunication or denunciation.RCNBP 6.2+1 The separation of tares from wheat belongs to God not human beings, the church may address disorderly members according to the Bible's rule but cannot make the final separation between true and merely apparent believers, and the gospel gathering is a mixed company where readiness requires the robe of Christ's righteousness which He provides.RH May 8, 1900 The work of uprooting tares is not given to this person, so criticizing and trying to direct others in this way is not his place.Lt 182, 1903, par. 24–26

The gospel gathers those who come out from the world into church fellowship, and God's kingdom must be kept clear of the world's sinful practices.Lt 102, 1901, par. 4–6 Good and faulty members remain together in the church until the harvest, and believers are not authorized to judge and uproot those they deem unworthy, for Christ patiently permits the mixture and will Himself decide who belongs with the saints, judging each by words and works rather than profession, while seeking to lose no soul.Lt 48, 1897, par. 12–23+1 At harvest the ripened character of the wheat will make it distinct from the tares, and angels will make the separation.RCNBP 4.1–5.1 Many sinners in Zion are tares among the wheat and both must grow together until the harvest separation, yet this leaves no discouraging message, for though reproofs, cautions and corrections have been given the church still stands as God's instrument to diffuse light, and God's commandment-keeping people sound a warning to every language, tongue and kindred as a living witness and continual testimony that convinces if accepted and condemns if resisted and rejected.Ms 96, 1893, par. 1 The church militant is not yet the church triumphant, so the presence of people of un-Christian character does not mean the church is to be judged by them or that they are to be expelled, nor does their presence require anyone else to become as tares.SCE 21.2

The presence of the spiritually unfaithful does not make the whole church guilty of their character nor make faithful members tares, and the church should not expel them merely for being present but pity them more than blame them, teaching patience while each remains responsible for personal character and choices.FE 294.2 Inside the commandment-keeping church the true and the false grow side by side as wheat with tares and chaff until the harvest, when the chaff is gathered first and bound in bundles to burn and the wheat is gathered into the garner, but that separation is not to be made now by men but by angels at harvest.RCOC 6.2+2 Therefore pride, self-sufficiency, stubborn unbelief and refusal to yield even when evidence is piled upon evidence, which makes the message to Laodicea apply, does not blot out the church so that it will cease to exist.RCOC 6.2+2 The Lord loves His church, and it is not to be called Babylon, disorganized, or broken up into independent atoms, while those who heed the false call to separate and leaven others will be deceived, prepared for further delusions, and will come to nothing.RCOC 6.2 Wheat and tares, and wheat and chaff, remain together until harvest, so the church is not to be broken up or divided into independent groups because some members are unfaithful, mistaken, proud, self-sufficient, stubborn or unbelieving, for at harvest angels and not people will separate them, gathering the wheat and removing the tares for destruction.1MR 362.2–363.1+3

Throughout the history of the third angel's message harmful men are left mixed among believers as tares among wheat, spots in feasts of charity and wolves among sheep ready to tear and devour, delighting in false witness, lies, and cruelly injuring reputations and tearing down God's servants.STGC 87.2+1 They are not separated now but grow together with the wheat until the harvest, the appointed day when God will judge the world in righteousness and reward everyone according to works.STGC 87.2+1 Then the separation will be made and hypocrites who tried to destroy reputations will be clearly revealed, and by their own lips they will bear testimony that clears from suspicion those against whom they reported evil, showing they knew all along they were dealing unjustly.STGC 87.2+1 Tares must grow with the wheat until harvest in the militant church, which is not yet triumphant, and the unconverted will be found in the church because Christ said it should be so.Ms 49, 1893, par. 25–26 They are to be pitied rather than expelled by unmerciful treatment or made an occasion for accusing brethren and judging the whole church as sustaining them, for their inconsistency comes from not trusting wholly in Christ and not abiding in Him, yet no one must choose them as familiar associates or become a tare because the harvest is not all wheat.Ms 49, 1893, par. 25–26

Wheat and tares remain together in the field until harvest, so the presence of false or unfaithful people does not mean God has no church or that faithful members should leave it, but the church continues its work while they are among it.ST Oct 23, 1879 Their presence is no reason to tear the church apart, but the church should be strengthened with humble devoted service while they remain.RCOC 10.1–2 Wheat and tares, the vile as well as the precious, grow together in the church, for the great house which is the church holds vessels of gold and silver and vessels of wood and earth, vessels to honor and vessels to dishonor, and as the net cast into the sea gathers both good and bad, the church on earth contains both until God makes the final separation.Lt 58, 1900, par. 9–15 Tares will always be among the wheat, so evils will be seen even among Sabbathkeepers, yet their presence does not justify disparaging the church or the people who strive amid temptation and trial, whom God loves.Ms 167, 1899, par. 13–16+3 Sanctified believers will not bring depravity into things small or great and will not perpetuate division, while leaders of every church and managers of every institution are to take up open purification until the transformation of the church becomes a bright light in a dark place so it can shine.Ms 167, 1899, par. 13–16+2

The church of God on earth contains wheat and tares together, the wheat being a consecrated people working with undivided interest, dear to God and loved by Him as they strive amid temptation and trial, and the tares including men whose names are on the church books yet who do not serve God, including those who rob Him as householder by withholding the tithes and offerings required as His portion, which gives no reason to disparage God's church.Lt 126, 1898, par. 26 Good and evil remain together among those who claim to be God's children during probationary time, when Satan can work on human minds and good and evil remain in conflict, so defects should be expected rather than taken as proof that the church is perfect or should be free of evil.Lt 63a, 1893, par. 4–6+1 The church militant is not yet the church triumphant, and the harvest points to a future separation, giving no warrant for suspicion, complaining or faultfinding.Lt 63a, 1893, par. 4–6+1 Tares may grow among the wheat in the militant church, which is not yet triumphant, and the presence of stumbling blocks or of those who misrepresent Christ does not excuse anyone from being a Christian.Ms 2, 1893, par. 7–8 Tares are mingled with wheat inside God's church, yet God loves His church and the Lord knows His own true people within it and knows which are His even while mingled, for the church contains both faithful and unfaithful whose final separation belongs to harvest, when tares are gathered for destruction and wheat brought into God's barn.Lt 80, 1901, par. 14–15+1 Worldly elements mixed with the church like tares sown by an enemy among wheat can gain trusted positions and make unclear the distinction between serving God and not serving Him.STMW6 4.1–2

Letting both grow together until harvest reveals how God deals with evil among humans and angels, for He did not destroy Satan at once when he sinned because even loyal angels did not fully discern his character, and immediate destruction would have hidden God's justice and love and left doubt of His goodness as evil seed yielding sin and woe, so the author of evil was spared to fully develop his character while through long ages God bore anguish at beholding evil and gave Calvary rather than let any be deceived, since tares could not be plucked without danger of uprooting precious grain.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13+2 The same forbearance is required toward fellow men, not condemnation and judgment but humility and distrust of self, for not all in the field is good grain and being in the church does not prove one a Christian, and sinners pretending piety mingle for a time with true followers and deceive many while blades are green, but at the world's harvest there will be no likeness between good and evil when ripe weeds bear no likeness to wheat bowing under full heads and those joined to the church without joining Christ are made manifest.Lt 86, 1907, par. 10–13

The parable shows Satan sowing tares among wheat while people are spiritually asleep to hinder Christ's kingdom while the church sleeps, working deceptively through human minds so that those not continually led and strengthened by God's Spirit may unknowingly do his work.18MR 159.3+1 That sleep is spiritual sleep among God's workers, meaning living far from Jesus, self-exalted and self-sufficient, without constant prayer and watchfulness and without partaking of the divine nature through living faith, while they sleep Satan stays awake to complete his rebellion and the self-sufficient are ensnared by specious devices to adopt enemy-instigated measures that appear right, professing to work for God while serving darkness with understanding blinded by dependence on human wisdom.Ms 40a, 1890, par. 4–5 He never slumbers but sows while men sleep, exulting when he persuades men to take his arm and become agents advancing his plans and increasing woe and misery, watching to take God's standard unnoticed and place his own in their hands, therefore men must awake, cast off his arm, break connection with him, and link with Christ wearing His yoke in meekness and lowliness.Ms 188, 1897, par. 12–13

While men slept tares were sown among good seed, where good seed is truth in the mind and tares are misleading sentiments placed there by deceptive influence unawares during spiritual sleep, forming a yoke and fetter that must be broken by ridding the mind of error and taking a stand on the Lord's side.Lt 116, 1906, par. 12–14 The enemy sows secretly and unnoticed to corrupt the young and draw them into his cause while others fail to recognize his work, warning that neglect and inattentiveness while God's word is spoken can leave room for him to work among what is good.FE 90.1+1 So it was after Paul left Corinth, when evil influences appeared among the faithful like tares among wheat and produced evil fruit as some returned to heathen sins, showing how evil sown among good grows alongside it, takes root over time, becomes evident, and contributes to carelessness.ST Apr 14, 1914+2

Tares grow among wheat when falsehoods take root among people who once rejoiced in truth, weakening faith and diminishing truth's influence, and those spreading them may flourish for a time but God allows their envy and hatred to be revealed so their true character as deceivers and accusers becomes plain.STMW11 9.2–10.1 God suffers tares for a time to reveal true character, as hearts opened to Satan's sowing spring up among wheat until truth loses power, seen in families who lose faith through calamities and falsehoods about loved ones, follow new theories with false zeal, harden against advocates of truth as the Jews did against Christ, and for a season flourish like a green bay tree even to despite the Spirit, so the deceiver stands revealed before the heavenly universe and unfallen and fallen worlds while conflict grows fiercer as Satan takes the field, personates Christ, and perverts everything to deceive if possible the elect.Ms 92, 1897, par. 21–22 He works determinedly to mix error with truth by getting unsoundly converted people received into fellowship, using the degraded class whose appetites and characters were perverted, and though some are transformed many make only superficial change and suppose themselves Christians while remaining unsubmissive, resentful at every slight, cherishing bitterness and sensuality, untrustworthy and unholy, through whom he sows jealousy, dishonesty, criticism and accusing to corrupt others so every marred character creates dissension and cannot be trusted in the last-days work.8T 184.1–2

Sowing tares is the enemy's work on minds through doubts and questionings, as when pickers at straws set up a man of straw such as making an issue of words in testimonies, educating themselves to become Satan's agents passing along suggestions so another doubt follows as fast as one is cleared, while the good seed to sow in response is grand soul-saving truth.Lt 200, 1906, par. 6–9 It is seed sown as ideas of infidelity from school study books made of great interest when the brain is overloaded like an abused stomach with too much study, especially Greek and Latin instead of common-sense philosophy, until a bewitching power works the intellect into a fruitful field of tares, a curse instead of blessing.3MR 358.2 Sowing tares is putting erroneous sentiments into minds leaving no room for truth, with teachers who mix sentiments of infidel authors into education as co-workers with Satan in sowing youth's minds, the seed being words voiced before young and old, and every sower will garner a harvest from the kind sown.Ms 45, 1898, par. 22

The tares are seeds of doubt and unbelief sown by words and actions, especially by those in responsible positions who criticize laborers, reject messages, and counteract work appointed to divine agencies through human agencies, working openly and secretly under evil angels with defective perverted eyesight seeing in false light by satanic inspiration, and unless they repent they will soon find no place for repentance though they seek it with tears.Lt 87, 1896, par. 15 Satan sows while men sleep through mind working upon mind by manufacturing assertions against testimonies, turning from warnings, departing to seducing spirits, and influencing other minds to unbelief, which spoils the flock, ruins faith, leaves souls where no voice will be heeded so they are lost, requiring decided warning without silence and bringing sentence upon those who persist.Lt 126, 1906, par. 19 Two watchers attend every soul, Christ seeking to draw to believe for eternal life and Satan using every power with successive temptations, evil thoughts, worldly desires and lusts to sow tares, estrange and harden the heart until insensible to the Spirit and truth no longer enters the inner sanctuary, compassing its ruin.Lt 23, 1890, par. 38–41

Applied to failing to watch over the church, tares sown while men slept show unwatchful servants become implicated in surrounding wrong, so Christians must watch and oppose evils they can check, for silence sustaining what God cannot approve abets Satan's work and can lose souls, and the harvest image calls for actively checking evils in churches and institutions rather than tolerating them, since allowing them makes people partners in harm and decisive correction is needed so gospel work bears God's character.Ms 128a, 1903, par. 7+1 The enemy sows tares among wheat among those who connect with God's people, doing it now and continuing, and because many look at the kind who join these tares become a great barrier keeping very many from believing.Lt 4, 1900, par. 8–9 Tares among wheat are error mingled with truth and truth and falsehood growing side by side, requiring students to guard against influences leading them away.STE 159.1

Satan has been sowing evil while God's people slept and neglected to work the cities, yet the cities must still be worked despite corruption, and for years he has sown tares among the colored people so neglect has made the field harder than it would have been, underscoring urgency to begin missionary work without delay while keeping out of the cities in the manner instructed.SBAWP 55.2–56.3+3

Both wheat and tares grow together until the harvest when character is fully developed and varied circumstances reveal the spirit prompting each person to action, so everyone reveals the character of the bundle with which he is binding himself.Lt 13, 1892, par. 8–10 The binding is happening now as a time of trial, test and proving when decided positions are taken, the wheat being bound for the heavenly garner as the true, tried, humble people under the Holy One's guidance in thought, word and deed, walking the narrow cast-up path for the ransomed with no self-glorying where self dies.Lt 13, 1892, par. 8–10 The tares are being bound in bundles ready to burn as the true pull apart from them, including those who persist in having their own way, reject counsel and reproof as faultfinding and restraint, refuse warning, become accusers like the rebel in heaven, and forsake true light to walk in sparks of their own kindling.Lt 13, 1892, par. 8–10

Two bundle-bindings are happening now before the harvest with lightning rapidity.EW 4.2–3+1 The tares are the whole world on Satan's train, with Satan as conductor in the form of an angel of light and his agents as engineer and workers in different offices, taken captive and given over to strong delusion to believe a lie, bound together ready for burning and rushing to perdition.EW 4.2–3+1 The wheat are the little company traveling in the opposite direction on the narrow pathway, firmly united and bound together by the truth in bundles or companies, bound or sealed by the third angel for the heavenly garner, care-worn from severe trials and conflicts yet triumphant as light shines because victory is nearly won.EW 4.2–3+1 The tares are gathered and bound in bundles before the wheat is gathered into the barn, and that binding is already taking place as Satan unites the elements of his kingdom to gain control of the world, a work advancing rapidly.5T 384.1

Bundles of tares bound to be burned are Satan uniting his forces for destruction, in contrast to Christ binding His followers together so they can work for good while depending on Him as Head.6T 241.5–242.1+1 The gathering of tares into bundles is Satan uniting his forces by misusing the God-given law of mutual dependence and influence, men drawn together by the enemy uniting to destroy God's image in man and to oppose the gospel by twisting its principles, and this evil confederacy stands condemned to be destroyed.Lt 206, 1899, par. 11 There are two opposing gatherings: the Holy Spirit gathers God's loyal and true children into bundles for the Lord's garner, while Satan gathers his tares from among the wheat into bundles.Lt 38, 1894, par. 10+1 That separation belongs to God's final work, not to human beings condemning or judging one another.Lt 242, 1906, par. 4–15

The wicked being gathered into bundles for burning at harvest is happening now in the turmoil and confusion filling the cities through labor unions and strikes, with men in different trades being brought under bondage to certain unions.7T 84.2–3+2 This combining is not God's planning but the planning of a power to be given no acknowledgment, and it hinders God's work, so God's work is not to be centered in the cities.7T 84.2–3+1 Because the last warning message is now to be given to the world, God's people must preserve their individuality, refuse to unite with secret societies or trades unions, stand free in God looking constantly to Christ for instruction, and make every move with realization of the importance of the work to be accomplished for God.7T 84.2–3+2

Labor unions and similar combinations are the binding of tares in bundles ready to be burned and one of the signs of the last days, and men who join bind themselves together for destruction.2MR 179.1–2+1 Even if they are church members they cannot keep the commandments of God while they belong to them, because belonging disregards the entire Decalogue.2MR 179.1–2+3 The binding is taking place in the forming of labor unions and selfish confederacies in the last days controlled by the cruel power of Satan, requiring men to pledge to serve union interests under penalty and even threat to life, depriving neighbors of freedom of action and robbing the poorer classes of their just advantages in buying and selling.Lt 26, 1903, par. 4–7+2 Those thus bound together are bundles ready to be burned and readied for the fires of the last days.Lt 26, 1903, par. 4–7+2

The binding in bundles for burning is happening now when cruelty, force and misuse of power cause men to unite with confederacies and unions, seen in crowded cities in confusion, strife between labor and capital, hypocrisy in churches, crime, lust of the flesh, pride of the eyes, selfish display, eating and drinking and pleasure-seeking.18MR 40.3–41.2 This is the working of satanic agencies to keep men from meditation, bringing the world step by step to the conditions of the days of Noah and preparing those so bound for the great fires of the last days and eternal death.18MR 40.3–41.2 The binding is the forming of confederacies and unions in all the great cities, through which man rules over other men and demands much of them, and the lives of those who refuse to unite are in peril.3MR 42.3–5+1 This bundling is preparing everything for the last great work to be done by the One mighty to save and mighty to destroy, repeating the unions of Noah's day before the Flood, though never before have such transactions taken place as now in the selection of officers to govern, showing how little confidence can be placed in the rulership of those in highest positions.3MR 42.3–5

The same spirit that moves the unions to become a controlling power moves the desire to bind all medical institutions under the supervision of one power, whereas the work given to God's people is different, to bind up the testimony and seal the law among His disciples and to come out from the world and be separate.3MR 42.3–5+1 The wicked are being gathered together for destruction like tares bound in bundles to be burned at harvest, and the rapid spread of evil and violence, including violence stirred among labor unions, shows people taking sides under Satan's influence.Lt 250, 1903, par. 9–11 When the world's wickedness reaches its limit, God will reveal Himself in majesty and pour out His judgments.Lt 250, 1903, par. 9–11 The harvest when tares are gathered and bound for burning while wheat is gathered into the barn is Satan's work of uniting his followers into sheaves in preparation for the final struggle at the close of earth's history.ST May 8, 1884

At harvest the wicked bind themselves together in bundles and groups ready to be burned, fulfilling God's Word, including those united to oppose God and pervert the gospel who are bound together for destruction like tares.STB 612.2+4 This applies the harvest imagery to people joining together in opposition to God, with bundles destined to be burned.4MR 73.2–74.1+1 The binding in bundles is happening now as all people take sides and bind themselves by their own course of action, deciding whether they are reconciled to God and live and move in harmony with His mind and will.Lt 30, 1897, par. 6 At harvest tares are gathered with tares and wheat with wheat, therefore each person should seek to be found bound with the precious wheat.Lt 31, 1888, par. 29–31

The harvest is now ripe and the binding of tares in bundles for burning is taking place, as the inhabitants of the world under Satan's leadership bind themselves together ready for destruction, and those who stand obstinate and unconvinced by warnings will be bound together with them.Lt 103, 1903, par. 10–11 The judgments of God are already in the land, so there is not a moment to lose, and ministers and church members must go into the vineyard where they will find harvest wherever they proclaim the forgotten truths of the Bible among those who will accept truth and join in winning souls.Lt 103, 1903, par. 10–11 Being bound in bundles means binding oneself together with people in an association that is an offense to God, and such ties are a form of bondage.20MR 282.1 God will not allow His people, if they heed His voice and obey His commandments, to be bound in bundles with the world or lost in skepticism and unbelief, but will lead them out to security and triumph and place them on the Rock where they can stand secure.ST2 1.1–3+2

At the last-day harvest tares are gathered in bundles to be burned, and those who remain connected with secret societies share the tares' fate and are burned with them.20MR 286.2+1 Secret-society members who bind themselves by secret vows are classed with the tares even if they consider themselves pure grain, and are in danger needing separation from the world to stand in the light as God's children.Lt 28, 1888, par. 39 True followers of God and mere professors remain mingled until the harvest, when the tares face God's wrath while God gathers the wheat to Himself, and as God purifies a people zealous for good works Satan binds the tares closely to himself.Ms 10, 1899, par. 2 Satan is now at work to bind up all he can in his bundles with the tares in perilous times by watching for and pressing every least advantage, especially through unbelievers with no respect for truth being connected with God's work and through the commandment-keeping church becoming assimilated to the world.Ms 30, 1891, par. 2

As the harvest approaches tares are gathered for burning while wheat is gathered into the barn, picturing God sifting His people with chaff separated from wheat and tares already being bound in bundles to burn.Lt 92, 1887, par. 2 Near the end circumstances reveal character, and those who have not received truth into hearts and lives expose this through unholy thoughts and actions despite claiming to keep God's commandments.Lt 92, 1887, par. 2

This life is a sowing time in which what is sown produces either tares or a harvest of wheat, and God works with people by giving talents to be used in His strength so labor can yield a precious harvest.CT 491.1+1 People sow either tares or wheat by the course they choose, and the harvest they reap reflects what they have sown, which warns against harming God's people by teaching or example and calls for care to sow what is true and right.Lt 48a, 1900, par. 16 The picture of good seed and weeds growing together shows why children must be taught carefully from the beginning, because evil learned early can be harder to remove later.SG4 298.1 Good and evil may grow together for a time, but this does not teach that good will eventually outweigh evil, for evil can increase faster and harmful impressions in youth are difficult to remove, so in upbringing it is safer to plant good early than to let both take root and hope to correct later.ST Apr 17, 1884+1

The field image teaches that good seed should be sown before evil seed can take root, stressing the use of early years to fill minds with what is good and pure and to form character for God.ST May 20, 1889 Parents should sow good seed in children's hearts leaving no room for bad seed, and when the heart is filled with wheat Satan has less opportunity to fill it with tares.ApM 58.1–59.2+1 An untrained mind is like an uncultivated field in which the enemy sows tares, and in children and youth those tares will spring up to bear evil fruit unless parents keep watchful guard.RH Jan 30, 1913+1 The safeguard is to preoccupy the soil by cultivating the mind with unceasing care and sowing it with the precious seed of Bible truth, teaching children to reject trashy exciting tales and turn to sensible reading that leads to interest in Bible story, history and argument and throws light upon the Sacred Volume.RH Jan 30, 1913+1

When parents fail to plant truth, love and heavenly qualities in children's hearts, Satan sows harmful traits there instead, including stubbornness, selfishness, love of pleasure, pride and sinfulness.ST Aug 6, 1912 When a father sleeps to sacred responsibility and neglects children at the tender age when they most need love and care, he opens the door for Satan to work, and the enemy diligently sows tares in their hearts.Lt 23, 1890, par. 23–24 Those tares are an evil growth that must be uprooted and replaced by sowing the good seed of the kingdom, a work requiring determined persevering effort and longsuffering patience from the father, with a mother's tender love and Christlike patience toward mistakes, which hirelings cannot bear in his place.Lt 23, 1890, par. 23–24 Satan watches for opportunity to sow seeds of tares in a child's heart, and if parents do not educate and train, Satan will educate.Ms 5, 1896, par. 7–8 Leaving a child to train himself, to have his own way and choose his own employment, to love pleasure and games above all, and to form habits of selfishness, passion and idleness contrary to Christ gives Satan his opportunity, and a harvest of tares springs up when parents neglect carefully training every capability for the Lord from babyhood and leave children to pick up education here and there, giving Satan time to preoccupy the heart and control them.Ms 195, 1901, par. 2–3+1

What happens when children are left to themselves is like an unworked field overrun until weeds and tares overshadow precious plants and nothing of worth appears.ST Apr 16, 1896 Early childhood manifests strong inclination to evil, and to let a child do as it pleases insures proficiency in evil in disobedience, selfishness and waywardness.ST Apr 16, 1896 Without patient unremitting prayerful parental culture and a firm wise hand to guide inexperienced feet into safe paths and control perverse appetite and inclination, deteriorating habits form and the child grows up in sin.ST Apr 16, 1896 A field left to itself becomes covered with weeds while grain is yielded only through care and unremitting labor, showing harmful growth comes readily while what is good must be cultivated.Lt 26d, 1887, par. 40–41 Good and evil may grow together for a time but their outcomes are distinct, for evil seed spreads and harms the good and harvest brings separation, evil being difficult to root out once sown while good requires continual care and vigilance to survive and flourish.1T 317.1–318.1

Tending the garden of a child's heart means sowing good seed and removing weeds of faults and defects before they mar character, just as wheat grows among weeds.Ms 138, 1898, par. 4 Applied to children, that good and evil may remain together until harvest warns that evil traits can grow alongside good ones if parents neglect duty, so parents are to cultivate good traits and remove emerging evils rather than assume goodness will prevail naturally.ST Sep 25, 1901 Corrupting companions and influences are tares sown in the field of the child's heart, where the field is the heart.Ms 30, 1904, par. 32–34 Sending children away to schools with evil associations plants tares that efface early religious impressions, remove love of God and undo home training in the fear of God, so parents must be wide-awake guardians, guard the family from satanic influences so far as lies in their power, and refuse to place children where they will meet unnecessary temptation.Ms 30, 1904, par. 32–34

Worldly influences can plant harmful influences in young people's hearts while they serve as helpers and nurses.STB 332.3–4 Satan sows tares in hearts of youth employed as helpers through contact with wealthy worldly patrons, worldly display, favoritism, evil associations, entertainments, dress and inducements to worldly employ that rob simplicity and lead astray from training for service, as seen at Battle Creek and a large sanitarium.YGBCOEP 53.3–4+2 The most promising youth gathered for nurses' course and service are placed where seductive influences and subtle temptations can take root, through patrons who stay for a time and through favorites offered alluring inducements, so that tares have already been sown in many hearts.10MR 255.4–257.1+2 Tares sown among wheat are untruth sown by the enemy in school study, and false teaching brought into schools is likened to tares sown by the enemy.RH Jul 3, 1900+1 Teaching infidel books in schools is sowing the enemy's tares, the seed being corrupt sentiment and principle that corrupts minds of teachers as well as students, produces distaste for God's Word, turns inexperienced youth into channels fatal to piety, and reaps a sure harvest of students made infidels, with teachers who mix infidel ideas with education reaping consequences of what they teach.RH Jul 3, 1900+1

Evil teaching can be sown among truth like tares among wheat, for infidel books introduce corrupt ideas mingled with truth that take root in students' minds, make right and wrong difficult to distinguish, hinder piety and corrupt those who teach others.6T 162.2–164.2 Books teaching errors and fables can tempt students and corrupt education, so they should not be brought into schools as guides, and education exposing students to teaching opposed to biblical truth endangers spirituality and faith by sowing false teaching alongside truth.FE 184.2–3+2 The picture of tares sown among grain shows Satan diligently spreading false teaching while good doctrine is neglected, contrasting his diligent sowing of harmful weeds with the duty of religious and church leaders to sow good doctrine of Scripture pictured as grain, with harvest pointing to eventual separation.GC88 248.3+1 The corn represents sound teaching grounded in God's word, while cockle and darnel represent Satan's corrupting work including replacing Bible and gospel with human traditions and religious practices.GC 248.3

A field where wheat and tares grow together pictures young minds under instruction, where the untilled child mind given wrong mold is sown with tares by teachers lacking deep earnest love for God and souls.Ms 34, 1893, par. 39–41 Such teachers become impatient and irritated, lack pleasant well-balanced experience, naturally love to order and dictate and magnify themselves in authority, and deal with partiality toward favorites while treating others with exactitude and severity, producing a crop of thistles, weeds and briars of confusion and insubordination, hardened hearts confirmed in evil, and loss of many precious souls, which warns against allowing enemy tares to take root through men taught by the enemy entrusted with youth.CT 30.3+1 Tares among wheat also applies to harmful influences within school where some may sow tares among students, requiring teachers responsible for their care to watch closely, correct wrongdoing and maintain discipline rather than allow spread.Ms 81, 1897, par. 9 Every student sows either wheat or tares by influence: sowing wheat is helping, sustaining and encouraging teachers, respecting order, diligence and obedience and working on Christ's side, while sowing tares is linking with Satan as agent in temptation, stirring bad elements in self and others, bringing perplexity and discouragement upon teachers, disrespecting authority and laying stumbling block, and what a man sows he will reap and must render account to God.Ms 49, 1893, par. 6–11

A student's influence sows seed, where wrong conduct sows tares while right conduct sows good seed of the kingdom.FE 301.2–3 In school life he should sow good seed and not tares by choosing what is right and avoiding leading self or others away from Christ.Lt 11, 1893, par. 24–28 Wheat or tares are borne in words spoken, and bearing wheat means drawing continually with Christ, learning line upon line, speaking words in harmony with His words as great Teacher and speaking not one word unadvisedly, so that by laboring together with God some may be saved.Ms 74, 1897, par. 28 Tares growing among wheat and even overtopping it describes a condition in churches calling for the church to be uplifted, cleansed and purified.Ms 67, 1901, par. 23–25 The same image applies to students whose harmful influence as tares springing among good brings trouble and discouragement among those doing good, so that sowing trouble among others has consequences and students should instead encourage and support teachers.FE 249.2+1

Tares among wheat picture unreliable dissatisfied persons mixed with faithful workers in the same company, who may complain and spread suspicion and evil suspicion.Lt 90a, 1899, par. 10–12+1 The image warns that not everyone joining a Christian work can be trusted.Lt 90a, 1899, par. 10–12 Letting tares grow with wheat is letting profane and sacred matter be mingled in the same publishing house.6MR 266.2–267.3 The wheat is legitimate work of giving truth by tracts, pamphlets and small and large books which must come first, while tares are novels and objectionable cheap fictitious exaggerated false degrading literature taken as commercial work, and sowing tares means bringing that matter into the office and into workers' hands to handle and read, sowing poisonous food that educates according to what is fed on, perverts moral appetite, eclipses truth by error, demoralizes and degrades handlers, lowers dignity of the office, and leaves evil influence, so only matter that elevates and ennobles should be handled.6MR 266.2–267.3

Printing and handling unelevated exaggerated false degrading commercial matter is sowing tares, which clouds moral taste, pulls talent from high to low, and works against holiness, purity of principle and sanctification.Ms 47, 1898, par. 4 Publishing material not representing truth and righteousness sows tares among wheat corrupting what should nourish God's people.Lt 106, 1902, par. 4–6 The remedy is to cease that sowing at once and instead take hold of books containing truth and work with that literature to explain truth, which is sowing good seed producing harvest of good.Ms 47, 1898, par. 4 Tares are false theories, erroneous doctrines and unsound books sown broadcast when everyone thinking himself qualified writes and demands publication with church endorsement, while wheat is present truth and pure provender thoroughly winnowed from chaff, meat in due season, so letting everything go out without careful examination would make publishing houses agents for disseminating error, divert minds and bear fruit in dissension, requiring barriers, resolutions and examination by converted judges to guard believers and hold back tares until harvest.Ms 140, 1901, par. 32–38

Publishing and preaching false spiritualistic theories is sowing tares among wheat, for reproducing views of seductive writers in papers and sermons and discussing their fallacies plants thoughts where they would never otherwise have been, and that seed springs up to bring forth tares and further harm.20MR 64.1–3+1 The work is not to explain, debate or expose inconsistency of those sophistries but to let them alone and keep strictly to presenting plain affirmative Bible truth.20MR 64.1–3 Truth should be sown without tares mixed into it, meaning without human suppositions, conjectures or deceptive theories.RH Nov 3, 1904 The parable contrasts good seed with tares, calling for sowing good seed and warning against spreading Satan's suggestions of doubt.12MR 87.1–2

The harvest pictures the enemy's bad seed reaching yield, showing how wrong principles sown and nurtured in youth can take root, leave lasting marks on character, produce harmful harvest, and may not be undone by later effort.SG4 301.2+1 An evil seed taking root echoes harmful influences planted until they yield result, with worldly amusements as ways Satan nurtures growth and distracts from examining spiritual condition.RP 7.2–3 Error sown among truth is shown when Solomon's idolatrous shrines and pagan practices became mixed with religious principles corrupting faith and character.RH Mar 10, 1910 Weeds and wheat growing together until harvest also pictures a poisonous seed sown by Satan as a new idea accepted without careful thought.Ms 141, 1898, par. 8 The sowing of wheat and tares goes on through letters written and through thoughts, words and spirit of daily duties, with every association impressing character formation.Ms 54, 1899, par. 16–17 Workers are either devoted servants of Christ abiding in the true vine, partaking divine nature, appropriating high holy influences and growing in piety and grace, or under the enemy imbibing pride and self-indulgence, appropriating low debasing influences and growing in worldliness and sin, as worldly influences imperceptibly affect mind and form character.Ms 54, 1899, par. 16–17

Tares image harmful influences growing among good until harvest, here unkind words and attitudes such as envy, fretting, complaining and thinking evil as seeds that can take root in heart and become tares and noxious plants, warning children to guard one another from sowing them.1MR 346.3–4 Seeds of envy, complaining and other harmful traits sown in hearts grow like tares among good growth.Lt 101, 1895, par. 11–13 Tares can be sown among good seed in God's work when Satan mixes fanaticism with it, leaving genuine and spurious together requiring discernment from living close to Jesus, and genuine and counterfeit influences may be present together where God is working where trying to separate them can imperil souls.Lt 6a, 1894, par. 16+1 Gospel preaching sows good seed in a field, while hostile priests by threats and misrepresentations destroy what was accepted as the enemy ravaging the field after sowing, so while sowing goes on in one place the field just left is spoiled because the sower cannot be everywhere.GC 246.1 The field is mission territory where truth is proclaimed and tares are corrupting influences spoiling it, as when sending untrained inexperienced workers who do not know economy and self-denial, spend wastefully, get into debt, cause defection and demoralization, and cloud reputation of truth leaves the field harder afterward.Ms 80, 1893, par. 19

The verse applies to sowing good seed where few have yet accepted truth, as in Tasmania where those who accept can teach others and help raise an army for God, with harvest pointing to later gathering.19MR 269.3–270.1 Gathering into the barn pictures gathering people responding to gospel as sheaves, so workers should make personal efforts to help interested people decide for Christ, and each who decides should help bring another soul.Lt 144, 1897, par. 1

The verse is instruction to be read as for life and taken as personal warning to take heed to oneself and let no one blind the mind by human sophistry or mocking of sacred things.Lt 317, 1905, par. 7–9 It contemplates the future destiny of beings for whom Christ gave His life and points to the great day of judgment when each will be judged according to deeds done in this life.Lt 317, 1905, par. 7–9 It presses who shall stand before Christ's judgment seat acquitted, without spot or stain upon character, and teaches those saved must form faultless character in sight of a pure and holy God by cooperating with Christ, wearing His yoke and learning His meekness and lowliness.Lt 317, 1905, par. 7–9

Those only nominal members may remain among genuine Christians for a time like tares among wheat, but church membership does not prove names are recorded in heaven or belong to Christ.Ms 144, 1897, par. 14–16 At harvest comes separation and judgment with wheat gathered into Christ's barn and tares gathered for burning, warning those refusing Christ's obedient yoke and not surrendering life to Him cannot rely on others' preaching and prayers to carry them along.Ms 144, 1897, par. 14–16 Christ refuses to put rooting up tares into human hands lest wheat be rooted also, for tares are false counterfeit Christians uncircumcised by grace whose conduct misrepresents Christ and will always be found among true disciples.Lt 30, 1895, par. 47–48 Their presence gives no excuse for refusing to believe in Christ and do duty to God and to the soul purchased by His blood, and another's sin will excuse no one continuing in sin in the day of God.Lt 30, 1895, par. 47–48

Tares growing among wheat draw attention to the field and can lead observers to condemn the sower or dismiss the whole crop.ST Nov 24, 1887 So those professing to follow Jesus while living in error and hypocrisy bring reproach on Christianity and cause the world to doubt truths, with sin among God's people partly frustrating Jesus' plan to save the fallen from Satan's power and make the heart fruitful in good works.ST Nov 24, 1887 A sifting will take place among those claiming to belong to God with unjust found among just, and those rejecting given light facing its corresponding darkness, and when every case is decided for eternity those whose works match received light will be counted on the Lord's side.STA 84.2 Reaping time will be as sowing time has been, for none can sow tares and reap wheat.Lt 63, 1896, par. 2 Devoting thoughts to earthly things sows tares and molds character into worldly mold in tastes, habits, dress, thoughts and words, determining appearance before the redeemed holy throng, with character as at death fixed for resurrection morning with no conversion then.Lt 63, 1896, par. 2

Those remaining unconverted and bearing no precious fruit will be gathered with tares at harvest, so sanctification through truth is necessary to avoid being bound with them.5T 540.3+1 Being bound with tares is the end of those professing truth but never converted, for merely accepting truth does not save but truth as in Jesus must be brought into life to sanctify the heart through Bible religion, and those bearing no precious clusters show they are not branches of the living Vine and will be classed and bound with tares.Lt 53, 1887, par. 22 At harvest tares are gathered into bundles for burning, applied to people who no longer benefit the world by advancing truth and righteousness as about to be gathered like fuel ready for fire.Ms 115, 1903, par. 34 The verse shows final separation of wicked from God's people with those rejecting Christ and His righteousness bound in bundles for last-day fires while God's people remain watchful and faithful, and at end of time wicked gathered like tares to burn while God's people gathered safely, warning each to turn to God rather than be bound with tares.Lt 259, 1903, par. 18–20+1

It warns against joining tares merely because those around reject truth, for bundles represent those choosing disobedience while wheat represents those accepting truth and following it, and others' choices must not cause refusal of light that brings obedience.14MR 20.2–21.1 Ideas received as seeds of sin will bear fruit and be gathered with the world, separating receivers from God the source of wisdom, efficiency and power and leaving them exposed to Satan's deception, applied as warning against polluted literature and education sowing such ideas.FE 387.2–3+1 Tares gathered into bundles with the world are separated from source of all wisdom and left exposed to deceptive power.Lt 67, 1895, par. 20 Tares are allowed to grow among wheat until harvest brings separation and judgment when books of heaven reveal the spirit leading people to sow tares among God's people.Ms 65, 1898, par. 3

In this life those regarded as wheat may manifest as tares while all are proved to decide fitness to be counted among the Lord's family above, where beholding changes believers into Christ's likeness and oneness with Him as He is one with the Father, so such exposure must not bring great disappointment.Lt 21a, 1892, par. 2–4 The final harvest separates those belonging to God from those who do not, showing outward religious forms cannot make clean but Holy Spirit must regenerate the heart, and at coming judgment Christ will distinguish those serving God from those who do not.AAP 11.2 People within God's people spiritually aligned with the world will in refining time either be wholly converted and sanctified by obeying truth or be left with the world to receive its reward.SG4 234.2–235.1+1 Worldly people may remain among God's people for a time, and in churches of the world wheat remains among tares including some fearing God who have not received truth in convincing circumstances and have not broken connection with God and can still influence others for good.Ms 52, 1900, par. 26–27

True followers and mere professors remain together in church until harvest at end of world, outward resemblance may deceive for a time but then clearly distinguished, tares do not all become wheat, Christ judges each by words, works and character, and angels gather wicked for destruction while righteous into God's kingdom, calling for humility and distrust of self not condemnation of others.ST Feb 9, 1915 Righteous and wicked remain mixed in life until harvest when God alone separates them, gathering wicked like tares to burn and righteous like wheat into heavenly garner, and humans must not attempt this separation since it could harm righteous.9MR 137.1–4+1 The separation reveals character and obedience which family and earthly ties cannot prevent, and character cannot then be changed nor grace transferred.Lt 64a, 1895, par. 12–16

Wheat and tares remain together until harvest so people cannot reliably distinguish true from false in heart beforehand, applied to foot washing and sacrament that those claiming to be Christians should not be excluded even if not inwardly united with truth and holiness.20MR 149.2–4+1 In the Lord's supper setting separating belongs to harvest not human judgment beforehand, so no one may decide who is fit to come except open sin excludes guilty, and each must examine self while heavenly and evil messengers witness what people cannot see.DA 656.1+1 Those appearing untrue to faith should not be barred from communion because humans cannot reliably distinguish hearts.Ms 47, 1897, par. 18–20

Satan sows tares of dissension among professing Christians producing lack of Christian love, confidence and faith, envy, evil-speaking, watching for defects and false scandalous statements causing alienation, and tares are strife cherished in heart bringing destruction at harvest, while wheat expel strife and sweeten fellowship by right words and actions in pure undefiled religion.Ms 34, 1902, par. 15–16 Criticism dividing believers produces tares resembling wheat which God desires to cease, and warns against criticism sowing division with wheat and tares to remain until harvest rather than separated prematurely.Lt 116, 1901, par. 10–11+1 Accusing, faultfinding, jealousy and self-sympathy over thinking brethren do not esteem one as they should plant seeds in others growing into harvest of tares.Lt 48a, 1900, par. 8

Those spreading criticism, envy and unbelief sow tares in others' hearts producing mixed crop in church and confused minds unable to distinguish truth from error, with wheat representing those remaining faithful until separation.21MR 297.1–298.3+1 The mixed crop warns people may lose ability to distinguish truth from error when accepting criticism, envy and unbelief, with tares representing harmful influences spreading unbelief and confusion and harvest bringing separation.21MR 297.1–298.3 The church contains tares, counterfeit Christians, along with wheat, and believers must not look at tares and feed on real or supposed faults making them theme of conversation and habitually seeing and talking evil with criticism.Lt 98, 1896, par. 30–32 Those feeding on brethren's faults will have false Christian experience becoming contentious and disobedient to truth and themselves ranked among tares, while all have privilege to feed on Christ the only perfect pattern and Sin-bearer who alone takes away sins.Lt 98, 1896, par. 30–32

Tares are weeds Satan sows in neglected garden of soul while neglected when one is fully occupied finding weeds in neighbor's garden instead of tending own.Ms 40, 1896, par. 12–13 Each must take own garden under own stewardship, remove every weed and tare, purify thoughts bringing them into captivity to Jesus Christ, and no longer scatter words recklessly without considering where they lodge and result, which belongs to obeying God's holy law loving God wholly and neighbor as self as only terms for eternal life.Ms 40, 1896, par. 12–13 Tares among wheat are false representations sowing harmful seed among God's people requiring ceaseless vigilance to counteract influence, and enemy-sown objectionable sentiments threaten to choke gospel medical missionary work and leaven institutions, churches and world and must not continue uncorrected but be corrected through decisive action.Ms 128a, 1903, par. 9+2

Wheat and unholy tares grow together in God's work until cleansing time when tares are removed, with tares as unholy influences, sharpness and harshness in voice, ordering and scolding and harsh management with kingly authority souring those affected and not of God but of enemy.Lt 55, 1901, par. 5–6 In the publishing house at Battle Creek such tares grew among wheat making it high time to cleanse by removing them and working in tender loving spirit of Master with sweetness of Christ, calling good and evil by right names.Lt 55, 1901, par. 5–6 In God's work wheat and tares grow together until harvest with unconsecrated elements not having God's glory in view but sport of Satan's temptations as chaff Satan uses to hinder work and discourage workers.Lt 179, 1896, par. 31–33 Those unable to discern chaff from wheat bind themselves with chaff and become spiritually blinded so instead of guarding God's agency they array against God's own work.Lt 179, 1896, par. 31–33

Tares growing with wheat until harvest means unworthy unconverted members remain among faithful in church and institutions, with false brethren bringing severe trials by striving to bring wrong principles, giving advice out of harmony with God's Word, separating friends by unkind criticism, and acting sharp and cruel under Satan's control to weaken and destroy.Ms 71, 1902, par. 3 Present condition shows wheat and tares together with tares, cockles and poisonous weeds as graceless members in ignorance and bondage to doubts, fears, temptations and unforsaken sins and bad habits wasting probation and keeping others uncertain.Ms 60, 1890, par. 16 They squander moral forces picking flaws, laying bare supposed mistakes, talking inefficiency of laborers, tearing to pieces, sowing doubt, doing mischief and spoiling souls and churches while contributing no gospel work, yet claiming superior wisdom and flattering themselves finding and condemning is spiritual eyesight while as Satan's managers working his accusing spirit held since expulsion having changed captains unknowingly.Ms 60, 1890, par. 16

Tares sown among wheat remaining mixed until harvest applies to deceptive teachings mingled with Scripture where adversary's confusion continues until reaping making harder to distinguish God's Word from human teachings.Lt 63a, 1893, par. 39–45 Error sown among truth will grow together until close of earth's history as teachings with erroneous sentiments and dangerous fallacies presented as special light which are specious error springing to baleful harvest and entertained by some until end.Lt 136, 1906, par. 7–8 Seeds of unbelief sown by those rejecting messages God sent produce and multiply tares among people, picturing opponents sowing tare seeds by spreading doubt and making God's messages seem of no account whose counterinfluence will be exposed when judgment comes and each case decided.RH Jul 23, 1908+1

Sowing tares is sowing unbelief by charging contradictions in testimonies and spreading objections and accusations spending many late-night hours with nurses and medical missionary students to weaken faith in messages God sends and unfit for duty instead of following Christ's direction to present grievances directly first.Lt 120, 1906, par. 4 It means sowing unbelief among God's people by undermining confidence in Bible and messages God sends through spreading perplexities, charges of contradictions, and talking with students and workers disturbing faith.Lt 84, 1906, par. 3–4 Spreading unbelief, doubt and questioning by setting up imagined objections to attack sows tares, and skeptical thoughts about truth are tares sown in mind that can remain alongside truth and damage faith.Lt 239, 1903, par. 2–4+1 Dropping a question full of unbelief into a heart during Bible study casts Satan's shadow across minds, starts minds in another channel, confuses ideas, spoils study and robs class of solid eternal principles in contrast to teaching giving light and life.Ms 40, 1891, par. 52–54

When men are self-centered and self-exalted they drop seeds of tares into others' minds springing to crop over which angels sorrow because they know what sowing will produce.Ms 43, 1898, par. 7–9 Tares among wheat applies to people spreading harmful principles wherever they went sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly from spirit far from heaven.Lt 41, 1898, par. 10–13 To sow tares is to hurt and imperil souls by taking course not led and taught by God's Word instead of abiding in Christ bringing unspeakable loss.Lt 252, 1907, par. 7–8 Christ's people must not sow seed He calls tares, with personal attention to soul and awareness of shortcomings helping prevent it.Lt 2, 1898, par. 1–4

A minister's labors are sowing of wheat or tares valued with God only as works of God, with sowing pure wheat meaning guarding words and actions closely and studying God's Word to give nourishing soul food, and sowing other seed meaning overestimating labors and speaking and acting unguardedly arousing unfounded suspicions bringing forth tares.Lt 69, 1896, par. 29–30 Ministers can sow tares requiring heart work to prevent, meaning tame lifeless sermonizing meeting world's standard, catching world's ideas, speaking smooth things and prophesying deceit, while not sowing tares means lips touched with live coal, trumpet certain sound, living testimony, reproving and exhorting with doctrine while Comforter sent by Father in Christ's name convinces of sin, righteousness and judgment.Lt 92, 1891, par. 5 Tares among wheat picture harmful elements to be weeded out of minister's discourses, increasing influence for good.Lt 366, 1906, par. 2–5

Sowing tares among wheat means bringing perverted unchristian principles into God's work blocking wheels and confusing judgment and minds of old and young by not giving gospel trumpet certain sound, which is unacceptable to God requiring disconnecting from sanitariums until repentant and converted because decided change is necessary for God's great sacred work.Ms 45, 1904, par. 11 Sowing tares is enemy's work on minds through doubts and questionings suggested by Satan by those picking at straws, creating straw images to attack and setting up man of straw in imagination such as making issue of words I, we and us in testimonies, educating to become Satan's agent passing suggestions so as one doubt clears another is offered, while good seed in response is grand soul-saving truths through humble messenger.Lt 200, 1906, par. 6–9 Tares are sown by Satan through those knowing truth but not practicing it with love of Christ eclipsed and self supreme, by words breaking unity, repeating confidence, betraying friends and cutting fellowship, dropping seeds producing tares and kindling fire not easily quenched while Satan rejoices to use tongue.15MR 161.3+1

Tares amid wheat are those sowing seeds of unbelief by engaging in suppositions regarding nature of prophetic work whose minds struggle with intricate problems and cannot comprehend how much more it embraces beyond prophecy.Lt 225d, 1906, par. 19–20 Religious prejudice works like sowing tares when wealthy neighbors holding prejudices communicate to friends planting seeds growing to evil crop so sanitarium is looked upon as innovation and eyesore by many who otherwise would favor it instead of giving character and patronage.Ms 85, 1899, par. 1–2 Wheat and tares grow together until harvest separation, picturing insinuations weakening confidence in ministers and message once planted in students' minds taking effect under temptation leading them to turn others from truth.MOPP 12.3–13.1 Tares can prevent wheat taking root where preoccupied heart leaves no room for seed of truth to grow.Lt 126, 1893, par. 2

Christians must sow seeds of truth and sow no tares, practicing truth with patience, kindness and friendliness so good fruit is produced.Ms 59, 1886, par. 7–8+1 Truth has already been sown yet enemy may sow tares among it warning to guard spreading truth from opposing religious influences, so Christians must work to spread truth and not leave others vulnerable to error.RH Nov 29, 1906+1 At present tares and wheat grow together in church as in North Fitzroy church threatened with dangers needing revival, requiring personal house-to-house missionary labor building up, restoring and strengthening faith not weakening, confusing and destroying souls ransomed at infinite price whom God wants appreciating every faculty and talent for His glory.Lt 117, 1896, par. 13 Wheat and tares remaining together until harvest does not justify tearing church apart but calls for humble patient strengthening and restoring, vitalizing by men breathing heaven's atmosphere working humbly in Christ's lines to help ready to die and with perseverance win unconverted to Jesus.1MR 355.1–356.1+1

Divisions will come and two parties be developed with wheat and tares growing together for harvest while last message of mercy is sounded to fallen world, while new heavenly life takes possession of God's people and work grows deeper and more earnest to very close of time.17MR 17.2–18.1+1 Evil seed sown bringing tares with wheat does not justify open division into two parties or internal warfare dishonoring God, retarding work and giving world spectacle of strife, but those responsible must repent, act in fear of God for love of souls, stand firm on platform of eternal truth and live it, keep unity between gospel ministry and medical missionary work, avoid strife, and Lord can overrule evil sowing for good.Lt 368, 1904, par. 5–8 Tares mixed with wheat means truth mingled with error until distinct holy character obscured, lowering God's work and hiding witness and failing to represent last-days truth, not meaning present truth should be neglected, coming when sanitarium given to bring God's people and truth before men of standing turns aside from appointed witnessing and Satan works mingling to lower work into slums until elevated sanctifying present truth sinks out of sight.Lt 215b, 1899, par. 27–29+2

Trials are to come in which tares will be separated from wheat making unity essential now by putting away envy, evil-surmising, jealousy, selfishness, bigotry, coldness and controversy, speaking kind tender compassionate words, seeking Christ's meekness and mind instead of requiring others to own ideas, so those sanctified through truth and cleansed by Lamb's blood are one in Jesus with hearts cemented and branches united to Vine.Lt 15, 1892, par. 26–30 Before ready for everlasting life dross and tare in character must be separated or subdued by Christ's meek spirit.Lt 9, 1869, par. 2 People making mistakes are not to be uprooted before harvest, for God's blessing heals rather than destroys, though tares may remain among wheat those turning from faith in living God to trust own power and riches will be overthrown.STB 294.2+1

Those working against what God appointed will be gathered with tares at harvest for destruction while wheat gathered into God's barn, applied to those whose words spread falsehood and sow tares in other hearts while mixture remains until God's separation with tares gathered first.21MR 296.5–6+2 Satan is now sowing tares in hearts preparatory to reaping evil crop with bitterness showing Christ's love not abiding though Jesus made abundant provision for Spirit to mold every heart.Ms 43a, 1898, par. 29–31 He sows with perfect freedom in institutions sacredly devoted to God's work when those in charge invite him, with tares as bewitching science such as hypnotism, seducing heresies and subtle sentiments published and handled, planted in minds never to have been tempted, germinating, drawing souls into snare with subtle power not easily cast out.Lt 140, 1901, par. 15–20

Genuine believers and deceptive or fanatical influences may remain mixed in church for a time with tares sown among good seed, so believers must stay close to Jesus to distinguish genuine from spurious, and in medical missionary work and ministry some are tares looking much like genuine wheat.Lt 36, 1899, par. 10–11+1 Good and bad remain together in church until harvest so dealing with them requires Christ's wisdom rather than rash divisive action.Lt 75, 1886, par. 1–3 Tares now appearing as corrupting influences and evil principles among men in trust grew from seed Satan cast tempting Adam and Eve to disobey promising great good gilded until they yielded, growing as one reasons about evil until what opposed Scripture is viewed favorably and tempter secures soul with confederacies, working until tares appear revealing instead of fine gold principles bringing disaster, defeat, blindness, nakedness and despair if cherished.17MR 223.2–3+1 Some listed as members are not joined to Christ.Ms 66, 1898, par. 7

Tares among wheat picture unbelievers among believers despite profession, not removing need for plain positive testimony even when painful.Lt 92, 1887, par. 5 Errors and seducing spirits will arise among God's people sowing tares among wheat without causing surprise or discouragement, with deceptive influence taking root leading some to give up truth and others to become unbelievers.Ms 134, 1905, par. 1–2+2 Tares grow among wheat until separation meaning untrue separated from true and some claiming to belong going out because not truly of community, with wheat and tares together until harvest when tares gathered for burning and wheat into barn illustrated by those appearing to believe truth but working against it.Lt 146, 1897, par. 11–13+1

Wheat and tares remain together in church with God not giving people authority to decide which members are which, and remain growing together until harvest with separation not before applied to coexistence of faithful and unworthy people and practices professing to serve God with final distinction deferred.5T 333.3+1 No one should take it upon himself to root out those he considers objectionable, for God reserves final separation for harvest.Lt 34, 1894, par. 23–26 At harvest plants of righteousness will be plain and distinct with fruit showing what they are rather than separated beforehand by human hands.Ms 59, 1895, par. 14–17 Wheat distinguished from tares grows together until harvest when tares gathered for burning and wheat into barn, with gathering precious wheat meaning cherishing and bringing together what is good and gathering tares collecting what is harmful.Ms 21, 1911, par. 9

Wheat and tares grow together until harvest when God gathers those loving and serving Him as wheat and wicked in bundles for last-day fires, with earth purified by fire rather than another flood and each person's choice and service determining gathering belonged to.Ms 86, 1886, par. 28 Tares are of Satan's sowing and if left unchecked spoil wheat by rank growth illustrating harmful growth of evil among good, which heart softened by grace reads as spiritual counsel in nature.CT 188.3–189.2+1 Tares sown while people sleep warns inattentiveness while God's word is spoken can let Satan's harmful influence take root.5T 493.1

Tares remaining among wheat until harvest is no reason to disparage church or people striving amid temptation and trial whom God loves, but leaders should work for purification and transformation while believers stand firm in righteous principles refusing division so it can shine as light.Ms 167, 1899, par. 13–16+2 Good and evil remain together until harvest when God separates tares for destruction and wheat into barn, applied to churches including people without connection to God whose presence is no reason to refuse efforts to reach sinners and outcasts or to criticize efforts hindering saving those who will believe, for final separation belongs to God through angels while workers labor to bring people to Christ.Lt 51, 1898, par. 10–14+3

Satan sows deceptive teachings among God's people like tares confusing those once having genuine faith especially when rejecting warnings spoiling faith and experience, with misleading influences arising among those having genuine experience corrupting faith.Lt 244a, 1906, par. 4–5+1 Those sowing tares among wheat are not true workers and should leave work for sensible men, for tares are foolish imaginings and fables without foundation supplied in place of grand truths centering in third angel's message while truth is sensible, genuine, plain and bears Heaven's signature.Lt 207, 1899, par. 1–2+1 Tares being sown applies to harmful influence where one's ways become means for Satan to plant evil in minds and hearts of younger people, so guarding conduct helps prevent it.Lt 96, 1895, par. 7

God will arouse His people, and if other means fail lets heresies come among them to separate chaff from wheat calling all believing His Word to awake, with precious present light as Bible truth showing perils leading to diligent Scripture study and critical examination of held positions.ST Nov 15, 1905 Exciting meetings may yield very little fruit for gathering like sheaves at harvest.Lt 29, 1872, par. 1–2 Evil may be mixed among good with Satan working to intermingle so difficult to distinguish requiring clear spiritual sight to discern evil from good.Lt 208, 1900, par. 6 The separation of wheat and tares at harvest with tares for burning and wheat into barn applies wheat-and-chaff distinction to letting God's Word teach righteousness and separating those damaging God's work from those helping prepare His people.Lt 178, 1909, par. 27–29

Tares among wheat applies to people within church spreading teachings leading others away from truth whose presence among faithful workers makes dangerous teachers like those speaking of God as in Living Temple.Lt 214, 1903, par. 6–8 Harmful false believers may remain among faithful for a time as tares but God will separate at judgment when those injuring reputations of servants are exposed as hypocrites and their own testimony helps clear accused with each rewarded according to works, and harvest as God's judgment makes clear who harmed cause exposing false accusers and clearing innocent.Ms 106, 1903, par. 60+1 At harvest tares gathered and bound for burning while wheat into barn warns Satan will secretly plant deceptive influences like tares where least suspected catching those perishing by unrighteous deception, supporting guarding against harmful influences.Ms 99, 1908, par. 14

False ideas can be sown among sound truth as tares among wheat and some may mistake tares for precious wheat, so teachers must carefully test new ideas before passing on lest they spread harmful unbelieving teachings.Ms 172, 1897, par. 25–28 An untrained mind is like uncultivated field where enemy sows tares in children and youth unless parents keep watchful guard, requiring unceasing care to cultivate mind and sow precious Bible truth, teaching children to reject trashy exciting tales and turn to sensible reading leading to Bible story, history and argument throwing light on Sacred Volume.CT 136.4 Objectionable literature sows tares in workers' minds eclipsing truth with error exerting degrading harmful influence.Ms 47, 1898, par. 2–3 Tares represent harmful influence of worldly associations Satan plants in hearts of young people, with selfishness, pride and self-indulgence showing his seed sown among God's people warning spiritual growth and power are needed to resist.Lt 209, 1899, par. 15–16+1

Wheat and tares remaining together until harvest means false brethren may remain in church until close of time, no reason to doubt Christianity or become disheartened, but Christ calls to bear patiently as He bears with weakness rather than premature removal.COL 72.3 They remain together in church until harvest with separation delayed but at harvest tares for destruction and wheat into God's barn, since beforehand removal could uproot wheat, with present militant church including faithful and unfaithful and Lord alone knowing who truly belong.RCNBP 15.2+1 Righteous and wicked remain together until separated at harvest, wicked will not all turn to God before then, with no probation after Judgment but separation following gospel's completion fixing destiny forever.COL 123.1–2

Good and evil may remain together until harvest with finite people not responsible for identifying and rooting out tares because harming wheat, and at harvest God sends angels to gather wheat into garner and bind tares to burn, explaining why finding objectionable people among believers is no surprise.Lt 11, 1893, par. 8–10 Satan sows tares among wheat inside church remaining together until harvest, with those having Christ's spirit pressing together in mutual love, confidence and harmonious action drawing with Christ while those with another spirit hold off working with scattering powers remaining as tares, and at harvest Master commands tares gathered and bound to burn but wheat into barn with Christ recognizing every kernel.Ms 52, 1898, par. 10–14 Good and evil are allowed to grow together until harvest when tares gathered first, bound and burned while wheat gathered into barn.COL 70.1