The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
Instead of being upset with the enemy, the servants are upset with the wicked men. They have an urge to purge the field of its ugly element. And herein lies one of the key points of this parable. Not only the Pharisees, but the disciples as well, had an intolerance and impatience toward anyone who did look like them. The Pharisees were weeds themselves, but did not know it. The disciples, however, were simply too temperamental, occasionally asking for fire to consume wrongdoers. In similar fashion, many today lack the patience and tact of Christ. We want a perfect world and perfect churches. And we want them now.
'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.
Christ, knowing the enemy hopes to destroy good wheat, gives a clear answer to their question. The roots of the 'bearded darnel' were, by this point in the parable, so intertwined with what had been good seed that tearing them out would certainly destroy some of the wheat. Still, Jesus is in control. He is fully aware of the devil's tactics and has the necessary solution. He'd rather permit the weeds for a time, than damage the wheat for eternity. The Lord knows that without the maturity of the wheat, it will not survive the weed-removing surgery. The wheat must first reach proper age.
But to depart, for a moment, from the parable, there is another reason for delay. The God of miracles is able to convert some of the weed into wheat. This is why Paul tells Timothy to instruct enemies instead of pulverize them. This parable is not teaching that there are two classes of humans by birth, but two by allegiance. One group belongs to the devil while the other group belongs to the Lord. It is also not teaching a 'pacifist' approach to church discipline. What is obviously not wheat can be weeded out before the harvest. A main point of the parable is that we must not judge by appearance, but that doesn't negate our call to, as Jesus put it, judge righteous judgment
Thus, Christ waits for both the quality and quantity of the wheat to peak before he tells the harvesters what to do.
At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'
And when the words of Malachi ring true again and we 'see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not' the harvest will be here. The order here is the same as Matthew 25:46. Everything that causes sin and all who do evil with be thrown into the fiery furnace. Much Old Testament imagery is utilized here to describe the fate of the wicked weeds. Just like ancient Babylon threw men into a fiery furnace for disobedience (though, in Daniel, unsuccessfully), so too will rebels of the new kingdom be dealt with.
Also picking up on Old Testament imagery, the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Ultimately, the inevitable will occur despite the enemies scheme. The Kingdom of heaven, and the good men in it, will prevail. In the ambiguity of our present experience, we must never forget that Christ is ultimately triumphant.
