Nephi’s Isaiah · 2006 · ch. 3, “Nephi’s Explanation,” ¶ 28 (≈ p. 55)
We are watching the tares ripen… Nephi would like to help us correspondingly ripen as “wheat” in our commitment to the Lord.
Section 121 · Teaching in Parables
The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares
Wheat and tares grow together in the field of the world until the harvest at the end of the age.
Harmony §5.211 of 5 accountsReading: RE
Study — reading text with parallel accounts; changes available.
? How to read this edition
The reading is the Restoration Edition — the Joseph Smith Translation reading — carried beside each Gospel and set against the King James baseline. Headers give both numbering systems: the RE chapter and verse, and the traditional KJV reference.
JST
Green — Joseph Smith Translation. Where the Restoration Edition departs in substance from the King James text and the change is in the JST (confirmed against the parallel-column edition). Modernized English (“has” for “hath,” “you” for “thou”) is not marked.
RE
Burgundy — Restoration Edition. Where the RE’s reading departs from the King James but the change is not in the Joseph Smith Translation — the RE’s own editorial reading (e.g. “this day I have begotten you” at the baptism).
DS
Plum — Testimony of St. John. The TSJ (a separate scripture text) and Denver Snuffer’s later commentary share the plum mark.
Each movement Joseph discusses carries a JS link down to his letter; the letter carries a roman-numeral link back up to the movement.
MatthewMatthew 13:24–43RE Matthew 7:9–13
I
The Tares Among the WheatMt
A man sows good seed; while he sleeps, an enemy sows tares among the wheat.
Mt 13:24–30
24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while he slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, “Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it tares?” 28He said unto them, “An enemy hath done this.” And the servants said unto him, “Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?” 29But he said, “Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the wheat into my barn, and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned.”
II
Without a Parable Spake He NotMt
All this he spoke in parables, that the word of the prophet might be fulfilled.
Mt 13:34–35
34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitudes in parables, and without a parable spake he not unto them, 35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
III
The Tares ExplainedMt
The disciples ask; the Son of Man names the field, the seed, the enemy, and the harvest.
Mt 13:36–43
36Then 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.” 37He answered and said unto them, “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked. 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked. The reapers are the angels or the messengers sent of heaven. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world, or the destruction of the wicked. 41For in that day, before the Son of Man shall come, he shall send forth his angels and messengers of heaven, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity, 42and shall cast them out among the wicked. And there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth, for the world shall be burned with fire. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Cross-references · other works
JS
Joseph’s revelations
Joseph Smith on the Wheat and Tares
RevelationT&C 22:4
Teachings & Commandments 22:4 (D&C 38:12) · 2 Jan. 1831 · scriptures.info ↗And all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned, and behold, the enemy is combined.
RevelationT&C 84:1–7
The Parable Explained by Revelation
Teachings & Commandments 84:1–7 (D&C 86:1–7) · 6 Dec. 1832 · scriptures.info ↗Truly thus says the Lord unto you my servants, concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tares: Behold, truly I say that the field was the world, and the apostles were the sowers of the seed. And after they have fallen asleep, the great persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even Babylon, that makes all nations to drink of her cup, in whose heart the enemy, even Satan, sits to reign, behold, he sows the tares. Wherefore, the tares choke the wheat and drive the church into the wilderness.
But behold, in the last days, even now while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word, and the blade is springing up and is yet tender, behold, truly I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields. But the Lord says unto them, Pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for truly your faith is weak) so that you don’t destroy the wheat also. Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe, then you shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares. And after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles and the field remains to be burned.
RevelationT&C 101:14
The Harvest and the Gathering
Teachings & Commandments 101:14 (D&C 101:63–66) · 16–17 Dec. 1833 · scriptures.info ↗And again, truly I say unto you, I will show unto you wisdom in me, concerning all the churches, inasmuch as they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation, that the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue, that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places, for the time of harvest is come and my word must needs be fulfilled. Therefore, I must gather together my people according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, that the wheat may be secured in the garner, to possess eternal life and be crowned with Celestial glory when I come in the kingdom of my Father, to reward every man according as his work shall be, while the tares shall be bound in bundles and their bands made strong, that they may be burned with unquenchable fire.
Letter to the Elders
Joseph Smith’s 1835 letter to the Elders moves from the Sower directly into the Wheat and the Tares. This is the next portion of that same letter, published in the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate (Dec. 1835, 2:226–227).
Letter to the Elders of the Church, 30 Nov.–1 Dec. 1835 · Joseph Smith Papers ↗Another parable put he forth unto them, saying (which parable has an allusion to the setting up of the kingdom in that age of the world also):
The kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way; but when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay, lest while ye gather up the tares ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of the 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.
Now we learn by this parable not only the setting up of the kingdom in the days of the Savior, which is represented by the good seed which produced fruit, but also the corruptions of the church, which is represented by the tares, which were sown by the enemy — which his disciples would fain have plucked up, or cleansed the church of, if their views had been favored by the Savior. But he, knowing all things, says not so. As much as to say, your views are not correct; the church is in its infancy, and if you take this rash step you will destroy the wheat, or the church, with the tares.
Therefore it is better to let them grow together until the harvest, or the end of the world, which means the destruction of the wicked, which is not yet fulfilled — as we shall show hereafter in the Savior’s explanation of the parable, which is so plain that there is no room left for dubiety upon the mind, notwithstanding the cry of the priests, Parables, parables! Figures, figures! Mystery, mystery! all is mystery! But we find no room for doubt here, as the parables were all plainly elucidated.
DS
Latter-day witness
Denver Snuffer on the Wheat and Tares
A word from the covenant given through his ministry, and how this parable recurs across his books, blog posts, and talks.
RevelationT&C 157:64
Teachings & Commandments 157:64 · scriptures.info ↗In the world, tares are ripening. And so I ask you, What of the wheat? Let your pride, and your envy, and your fears depart from you. I will come to my tabernacle and dwell with my people in Zion, and none will overtake it.
Modern references
Books
Nephi’s Isaiah · 2006 · footnote 68cited
Eighteen Verses · 2007 · footnote 23
Christ’s explanation of the wheat and tares similarly reserves separating the good and bad to angels at the end of time. There should be no preliminary, exclusivist Church which is hostile to the “tares” who gather.
Blog posts
“Wheat” and “tares” will ripen… times are coming in which the environment will require of you a greater commitment as “wheat,” … or leave you to descend into becoming a “tare.”
This is the means by which the tares ripen in iniquity, and the wheat ripens in righteousness… the wheat are destined for Celestial Glory and eternal life.
As long as the wheat is still growing, it is enough… When tares are ripe they will be burned.
The manner wheat was sifted was to use a sieve to separate grain from husks, tares, stones and other chaff… The wheat would be kept, the refuse tossed into a pile to be discarded.
It was always foretold to be so, for the Lord said both wheat and tares would grow together until ready for harvest… What is God to make of His wheat?
In the Answer to the Prayer for Covenant, the Lord … posed the question: “In the world, tares are ripening… And so I ask you, What of the wheat?”
Talks & papers
“Was There an Original?” (Sunstone) · 2016 · paper pp. 32, 35
Christ foretold that the time of His coming would be when the wheat and tares were both ripe… Ripened wheat occupying the future Zion are described … with details of where, how, and who will be involved.
“Answer and Covenant” · 2017 · paper p. 10
In the world, tares are ripening… And so I ask you, What of the wheat?
“Unity in Christ” · 2017 · transcript p. 9 (paper p. 7)
There is a question He poses about the tares that are ripening — and so, what of the wheat?
“1st Christians” · 2017 · transcript p. 2
Those are the “tares” ripening… Christ said, We’re not gonna uproot the tares … until the wheat also becomes ripe… God would like you to be wheat.
“Civilization” · 2019 · transcript p. 26 (paper p. 35)
In the world, tares are ripening… And so I ask you, What of the wheat?
“Hear and Trust the Lord” · 2022 · transcript p. 11
In that same covenant, the Lord says, The tares are ripening… We have to become wheat, something worthy of being laid up in store by the Lord for preservation into eternity.
“Mormon Book Reviews” · 2022 · transcript p. 12
The tares and the wheat are separating from one another… there are wheat growing everywhere, and there are tares everywhere, and the tares are becoming more militant … and less godly.
“Allegory of the Olive Tree” (Murray, UT) · 2024 · transcript p. 25
That’s one of the parables Christ spoke about: wheat and tares… In the Answer to the Prayer for Covenant, He talks about how the tares are ripening, and He inquires, “What of the wheat?”
Quotations are drawn from Denver Snuffer’s books, blog, and talks and shown pending publication permission; discovered via the Restoration Archive.
HN
Hugh Nibley on the parable
A Drama in Three Acts
The wheat and the tares — the one parable the Lord himself fully explained — Nibley read as a drama in three acts: the Lord’s sowing, the enemy’s counter-sowing while men slept, and the harvest at the end of the world.
Mormonism and Early Christianity“The Way of the Church” · Collected Works, Vol. 4
These points are all touched upon in a single parable — the only parable in the Bible to which the Lord himself has left us a full explanation. The parable might be called a drama in three acts. Act One is the Lord’s earthly mission, in which he likens himself “unto a man which sowed good in his field,” the field being the world. In Act Two the villain enters: “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat,” and as a result the crop was spoiled: “when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.” This sorry state of things, with wheat and tares indistinguishably mixed together, does not represent the state of the church, for we are explicitly told that the ruined field is the world, in which the good seed (“the children of the kingdom”) have not yet been brought together. This time of confusion is a long one, lasting “until the harvest,” which is Act Three, entitled “the end of the world.” Here everything is set to rights again, and the wheat is finally gathered together out of the world and “into my barn.” … It is a happy ending, indeed, but a delayed one: first the Lord, then the adversary, who is the devil, and finally the Lord again.