Scripture Story Sketch Notes · Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43; Doctrine and Covenants 86
The Wheat and the Tares
“Let both grow together until the harvest.” Matthew 13:30
Good seed, a night-time enemy, weeds that look like wheat, a patient householder and a harvest. Walk the field, see what He said it means, and find where you are.
Jesus told a parable about a man who planted good seed in his field. While everyone slept, an enemy came and planted tares, weeds that look like wheat while they are young. When the plants grew, the servants were surprised to see weeds and asked if they should pull them up.
The householder said no, because pulling the weeds would tear up the wheat with them. “Let both grow together until the harvest,” he said; then the wheat would be gathered into his barn. Later, Jesus explained that He is the Sower, the field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, the enemy is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the world.
Who’s who
Jesus: the Sower of good seed
The servants: eager to pull the weeds
His disciples: who asked Him to explain
Where and when
A parable told beside the Sea of Galilee, then explained in a house.
Watch for the Savior
He is the Sower of good seed, and His patience protects the wheat.
Eight stops through the parable, from sowing to harvest. Scroll, or tap a number on the map.
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The story, plainly
Four scenes: good seed, an enemy at night, “Let both grow together,” and the harvest. Look for the Savior in each one.
Read it plainly
The words that trip people up
Tap any dotted word for its meaning. The scripture stays exactly as written.1
Matthew 13:25 “his enemy came and sowed Meaning: weeds that look like wheat while young. among the wheat”
Matthew 13:26 “when the Meaning: the young green stalk. was sprung up”
Matthew 13:27 “the servants of the Meaning: the owner of the farm.”
Matthew 13:27 “Meaning: where from. then hath it tares?”
Matthew 13:30 “bind them in Meaning: tied bunches. to burn them”
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What it means
This one is a parable, and Jesus explained it Himself. Most cards give His own meaning; the rest share insights from prophets and Church resources, and each card says which.
0 of 9 turned
All nine meanings. The Sower, the field, the good seed, the tares, the enemy, tangled roots, the harvest, the barn and the shining sun. Matthew 13:36–43
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Where are you in the field?
People who hear this parable may be wondering why evil is here, ready to pull weeds, feeling tangled, or looking to the harvest. Which feels most like you right now?
A next step for you
Your choice is saved only on this device.
Try it
He explained it
When the disciples asked, Jesus explained the parable Himself. Tap a picture on the left, then find what He said it means on the right.
“Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.” Matthew 13:36
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Their world, their words
A little farming background helps the parable land. Outside sources are labeled.
Church manual
What tares are
Scripture Helps: “Tares are a noxious weed grass also known as bearded darnel.”4
A weed that pretends to be grain.
Church manual
Wait for harvest
Scripture Helps: “once mature, wheat and tares are easy to distinguish. Thus, the only way to safely separate the wheat from the tares is to wait until harvest time.”4
Patience is the wise choice.
Prophet · Joseph Smith
The Church in its infancy
The Prophet Joseph Smith said of this parable: “the Church is in its infancy, and if you take this rash step, you will destroy the wheat, or the Church, with the tares.”4
He protects the young and tender.
Latter-day scripture
Wheat first
In Doctrine and Covenants 86 the Lord says, “pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also,” and then “ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares.”2
His first care is the wheat.
Word study · Greek
zizanion ζιζάνιον · “tares” (Matthew 13:25)
Bible Hub: “darnel, a weed that greatly resembles wheat until ripe.”5Outside · lexicon
Only the Lord of the harvest sees perfectly. “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”1
What the text does not say
The parable doesn’t teach that evil doesn’t matter or that sin is fine. The Savior said the reapers “shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.”1 It teaches that the judging and the timing are His, and that He protects the wheat.
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Look to Him
He is the Sower of every good seed, and He is patient enough to protect every stalk of wheat.
“Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe.” Doctrine and Covenants 86:7
Doctrine and Covenants
Angels waiting
“The angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields.” Doctrine and Covenants 86:5
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Seek Him today
The Savior’s words
“Let both grow together until the harvest.” Matthew 13:30
The Prophet Joseph Smith: “But He, knowing all things, says, Not so.”4 Where can you trust His timing instead of your own this week?
Try it today
One step of growing a day. It saves on this device, one day at a time.
0 of 7 today
This week:0 of 7 days
Seven days of growing toward Him. Come again tomorrow.
A quiet moment
“Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”
Read Matthew 13:24–30 slowly, then His explanation in verses 36–43. Ask Heavenly Father what good seed He wants you to help grow, and listen. Matthew 13:36–43
A verse to hold
Talk about it
Why do you think the householder said “Nay” to pulling the tares right away?
What does it mean that Jesus is the One who sows good seed?
Why is it hard to tell wheat and tares apart when they are young? What does that teach us about judging?
How can we help tender new “wheat” grow strong in our family and ward?
Open
For adults and deeper study
Go deeper
Longer readings, harder questions, and where to study next. Each one says what it is before you click.
Latter-day scripture
Doctrine and Covenants 86
The Lord’s latter-day explanation of the parable: the Apostles as sowers, the tares choking the wheat, tender blades, and gathering the wheat first.2
Everything on this page as a 11-page letter-size PDF: the map, scenes, cards, activity, word studies, tracker, Go deeper and sources. For home, class or a quiet Sunday.
The Wheat and the Tares is part of the Scripture Story Sketch Notes for the New Testament, set alongside Come, Follow Me for March 15–21, 2027 (Matthew 13; Luke 8; 13).
Independent study notes from Weak Things, not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version. This is a parable; the meanings in “What it means” come from the Savior’s own explanation and are labeled by source.
