Early Christian Beliefs About The Parable of the Wheat and Tares
Early Christians taught that the wheat and tares grow together until the end, when Christ and his angels separate them. Irenaeus, Tatian, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and Victorinus all connect the parable to final judgment, the wicked, and the danger of false teaching. Cyprian also uses it to warn believers not to try to do God’s final sorting in the church. The main reading is broad and early, with a few later uses that stress church discipline or heresy.
118 early-church witnesses · 193 source quotations · compared with Scripture
What did early Christians believe about the Parable of the Wheat and Tares?
Early Christians commonly read the parable of the wheat and tares as Jesus’ teaching that good and evil will grow together until the end of the age, when angels will separate them and the wicked will be burned. Irenaeus, Tatian, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and Victorinus all use the parable this way, and several say the tares picture the wicked, the devil, false teaching, or heresy. A strong theme is patience in the church:
Cyprian says believers should not try to root out the tares themselves, because the final sorting belongs to the Lord. The evidence is broad and early, though some writers use the parable more for moral warning or anti-heresy argument than for a full explanation of every image. Many more early Christian quotations, Bible passages, and source links are gathered below so you can study the evidence for yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Early Christians usually read the wheat and tares as a picture of the righteous and the wicked living together until judgment.
- Irenaeus, Tatian, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian, and Victorinus all connect the parable to the end of the age.
- Cyprian uses the parable to warn against trying to remove all tares from the church too soon.
Questions Answered by the Sources
What did early Christians say the parable of the wheat and tares means?
The sources present the parable as a picture of good seed and tares growing together until the harvest, with the field understood as the world and the final separation left to God and his angels.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching
... cursed, into everlasting fire, which My Father has prepared for the devil and his angels," it is clearly shown that there is one and the same Father "making peace and creating evil things," preparing appropriate things for both. There is also one Judge sending both into a suitable place, as the Lord explains in the parable of the tares and the wheat, where He says, "As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin and those who do iniquity, and will send them into a furnace of fire: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Therefore, the Father who has prepared the kingdom for the righteous, into which the Son has received those worthy of it, is the same Father who has prepared the furnace of fire, where the angels sent by the Son of Man will send those who deserve it, according to God’s command.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching
The Lord, indeed, sowed good seed in His own field; and He says, “The field is the world.” But while men slept, the enemy came and "sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." From this, we learn that this was the apostate angel and the enemy, because he envied God's creation and sought to make this creation hostile towards God. For this reason, God has banished from His presence the one who willingly and stealthily sowed the tares, that is, the one who brought about the transgression; but He took pity on man, who, through carelessness no doubt, but still wickedly due to another's influence, became entangled in disobedience. He redirected the enmity by which the devil aimed to make man an enemy of God, against the creator of it, by removing His anger from man and directing it elsewhere, sending it instead upon the serpent. As Scripture tells us, God said to the serpent, “And I will place enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The Lord embodied this enmity when He became man from a woman and crushed the serpent's head, as I have explained in the preceding book.
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching
... us the parable of the tares and the field." Matthew 13:37 He answered them, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. Matthew 13:38 The field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom. Matthew 13:39 The tares are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is Satan. The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. Matthew 13:40 Just as the tares are separated and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this world. Matthew 13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will separate from his kingdom all things that injure, and all who do iniquity. Matthew 13:42 They will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears that hear, let him hear."
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
After these things He answered and said to them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,” Matthew 13:37. Even though we have already discussed these matters as best we could in earlier sections, we will still say now what agrees with those earlier remarks, even if there is good reason for another explanation. Consider now whether, in addition to what we have already said, the good seed can also be understood as the children of the kingdom. For whatever good things are sown in the human soul are the offspring of the kingdom of God, and they have been sown by God the Word, who was in the beginning with God, John 1:2. So sound words about anything are children of the kingdom. But while people are asleep, those who do not act according to Jesus’ command, “Watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation,” Matthew 26:41, the devil, staying alert, sows what are called tares, that is, evil opinions, over and among what some call natural conceptions, even the good seeds that come from the Word. According to this, the whole world could be called a field, and not only the Church of God. For in the whole world the Son of Man sowed the good seed, but the wicked one sowed tares, that
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Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness
And according to this the whole world might be called a field, and not the Church of God only, for in the whole world the Son of man sowed the good seed, but the wicked one tares — that is, evil words — which, springing from wickedness, are children of the evil one.
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Victorinus, Connection to Matthew 13:27 Supporting witness
And they said to Him, Lord, wilt Thou, then, that we go and root them up? And He said, Nay, but let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, that they gather the tares and make bundles of them, and burn them with fire everlasting, but that they gather the wheat into my barns."
More related quotations from this section 6 shown
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
as also there is one Judge sending both into a fit place, as the Lord sets forth in the parable of the tares and the wheat, where He says, “As therefore the tares are gathered together, and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the world.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Supporting witness
and He says, “The field is the world.” But while men slept, the enemy came, and “sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went his way.” Hence we learn that this was the apostate angel and the enemy, because he was envious of God’s workmanship, and took in hand to render this [workmanship] an enmity with God.
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness
and of two women grinding at the mill, to take one and leave the other: [also] at the time of the end, to order the reapers to collect first the tares together, and bind them in bundles, and burn them with unquenchable fire, but to gather up the wheat into the barn;
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness
Matthew 13:24 He told them another parable. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. Matthew 13:25 But when men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. Matthew 13:26 When the blade sprang up and bore fruit, the weeds also were noticed. Matthew 13:27 The servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Our lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from in it?' Matthew 13:28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' His servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go and separate it?' Matthew 13:29 He said to them, 'Perhaps, when you separate the weeds, you would root up the wheat with them also. Matthew 13:30 Leave them both to grow together until the harvest. In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Separate the weeds first, and bind them in bundles to be burned with fire. And gather the wheat into my barns.'"
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Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Supporting witness
but the wheat, that is, those who bring forth fruit to God in faith, being gathered into the barn.
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Background
and the reapers are the angels. 23 Matthew 13:40 And as the tares are separated and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of 24 this world.
Who is the enemy that sowed the tares?
The strongest witnesses identify the enemy as Satan, the devil, or an apostate angelic power. Clement and Tertullian also use the parable to describe heresies or false teaching mixed among the truth.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
...to do what the Lord did not even allow the apostles to do. He thinks he can tell the tares from the wheat. Or, as if it had been given to him to carry the winnowing fan and clean the threshing floor, he tries to separate the chaff from the wheat. And since the apostle says, "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth," 2 Timothy 2:20, he thinks he can choose the vessels of gold and silver, and despise, cast out, and condemn the vessels of wood and clay. But the vessels of wood are not burned up except on the day of the Lord, by the flame of divine burning. And the vessels of clay are broken only by Him to whom the rod of iron is given.
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
that he should think that he can discern the tares from the wheat, or, as if it were granted to him to bear the fan and to purge the threshing-floor, should endeavour to separate the chaff from the wheat;
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Matthew 13:30 Direct teaching
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
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Matthew 13:29 Supporting witness
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
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Matthew 13:36 Supporting witness
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
More related quotations from this section 1 shown
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Tatian, The Diatessaron Supporting witness
Matthew 13:30 Leave them to grow both together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say unto the reapers, Separate the tares first, and bind them in bundles to be burned with fire; and gather the wheat into my barns.
Did early Christians teach that the wheat and tares should be left together until the end?
Yes. The Bible text says both should grow together until harvest, and early Christian writers use that wording to argue that final sorting belongs to the Lord, not to human zeal.
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Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching
...e Church because we see that there are tares in the Church. We ought only to work so that we may be wheat, so that when the wheat begins to be gathered into the Lord's barns, we may receive fruit for our labor and work. The apostle says in his epistle, "In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth, and some for honor and some for dishonor." 2 Timothy 2:20 Let us strive, dearest brothers, and work as much as we possibly can, so that we may be vessels of gold or silver. But it is given to the Lord alone to break the vessels of earth, and to Him also the rod of iron is given. The servant cannot be greater than his lord, nor may anyone claim for himself what the Father has given to the Son alone, so as to think that he can take up the winnowing fan and cleanse the threshing floor, or separate all the tares from the wheat by human judgment. That is a proud stubbornness and a sacrilegious presumption that corrupt madness claims for itself. And while some are always claiming for themselves more authority than gentle justice requires, they perish from the Church. And while they proudly praise themselves, blinded by their own swelling pride,
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Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness
3. For although there seem to be tares in the Church, yet neither our faith nor our charity ought to be hindered, so that because we see that there are tares in the Church we ourselves should withdraw from the Church: we ought only to labour that we may be wheat, that when the wheat shall begin to be gathered into the Lord's barns, we may receive fruit for our labour and work.
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Commodianus, Writings Direct teaching
About the seed of the tares, who stand mingled in the Church: when the times of the harvest are fulfilled, the tares that have sprung up are separated from the fruit, because God did not send them. The farmer separates all those tares that have been gathered. The law is our field. Whoever does good in it, the Ruler Himself will surely afford a true repose, for the tares are burned with fire. Therefore, if you think that under one they are delaying, you are wrong. I call you barren Christians. The fig tree without fruit was cursed by the word of the Lord, and it immediately withered away. You do no works. You prepare no gift for the treasury, and yet you vainly think that in this way you deserve well of the Lord.
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Commodianus, Writings Supporting witness
When the times of the harvest are filled up, the tares that have sprung up are separated from the fruit, because God had not sent them.
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Commodianus, Writings Supporting witness
Of the seed of the tares, who stand mingled in the Church.
How did early Christians connect the parable to judgment and fire?
The sources consistently connect the harvest with the end of the age, the reapers with angels, and the tares with burning fire, while the wheat is gathered into the barn or barns.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Direct teaching
And then, that heresies should be sown among the truth, as tares among the wheat, was foretold by the Lord;
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
The devil is called thief and robber; having mixed false prophets with the prophets, as tares with the wheat.
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
...own by the proper sower of weeds. From this also, heresies grew up among us along with the fruitful wheat. And among the Greeks, those who preach the godlessness and pleasure-loving teaching of Epicurus, and whatever other ideas are spread in opposition to right reason, are false fruits of the farming given by God. This pleasure-loving and selfish philosophy is what the apostle calls "the wisdom of this world," because it teaches the things of this world and only about this world. And in that way, as far as influence is concerned, it is subject to those who rule here. Therefore this partial philosophy is very basic, while truly perfect knowledge deals with intellectual realities that are beyond the world, and with realities even more spiritual than those which "eye did not see, and ear did not hear, nor did they enter into the heart of man," until the Teacher told us about them. He uncovered the holy of holies, and then, in ascending order, things even holier than these, to those who are truly, and not falsely, heirs of the Lord's adoption. For we now dare to declare this, for this is the faith marked by knowledge: such a person knows all things and understands all things with f
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Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness
...ch other. Also, the Lord foretold that heresies would be sown among the truth, like weeds among the wheat. What was predicted would happen could not fail to happen. The reason is that everything beautiful is followed by some ugly stain. So then, if someone breaks his commitments and turns away from the confession he made before us, should we stop holding to the truth because he has proved false to his profession? No. Just as a good person must not prove false or fail to confirm what he has promised, even though others break their commitments, so we also are in no way bound to break the rule of the Church. And we especially keep our confession in the most important points, while they go against it.
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Tertullian, On Prescription Against Heretics Supporting witness
Let me return, however, from this digression to discuss the priority of truth, and the comparative lateness of falsehood, deriving support for my argument even from that parable which puts in the first place the sowing by the Lord of the good seed of the wheat, but introduces at a later stage the adulteration of the crop by its enemy the devil with the useless weed of the wild oats.
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Tertullian, Against Praxeas Direct teaching
...nd he brought in heresy. He put the Paraclete to flight, and he crucified the Father. Moreover, the weeds of Praxeas had also been sown here and had produced fruit, while many were asleep in the simplicity of their doctrine. But these weeds seemed to have been pulled up when they were discovered and exposed by the man whom God was pleased to use. In fact, Praxeas had deliberately returned to his former true faith and taught it after he renounced his error. There is still, as evidence, his own handwriting, kept among the carnally minded, in whose company this matter then took place. After that, nothing more was heard of him. As for us, we later separated from the carnally minded because we acknowledged and upheld the Paraclete. But the weeds of Praxeas had by then scattered their seed everywhere. That seed lay hidden for a while, with its life concealed under a mask, but now it has broken out again with fresh force. Yet it will be rooted up again, if the Lord wills, even now. But if not now, then on the day when all bundles of weeds will be gathered together and, along with every other stumbling block, will be burned up with unquenchable fire. Matthew 13:30
Common Questions
What did early Christians think the wheat and tares meant?
They usually said the wheat stood for the righteous and the tares stood for the wicked, false teachers, or the devil’s work.
Did early Christians think believers should separate the tares now?
No. Cyprian says believers should not try to do the final sorting themselves, because that belongs to the Lord.
Source Index for the Parable of the Wheat and Tares
The guided sections above show the strongest quotations. This compact index highlights 155 ranked source links from 193 compiled sources for deeper study.
Source index 155 ranked links shown
Early Christian Writings 80 shown of 118
Primary-source quotations from early Christian writers and church documents.
Bible Passages 75 included
Related Bible passages saved for comparison with the early Christian quotations.