Matthew 13:28

28 And he said to them, An enemy hath done this thing. And the servants said to him, Wilt thou that we go, and gather them?

Matthew 13:28 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 13:28

He said unto them, an enemy has done this
This is the answer of the householder to the question of his servants. In the Greek text it is, "an enemy man"; and is so rendered in the several versions; meaning, not that the enemy was a man; for he was the devil, as in ( Matthew 13:39 ) but it is an Hebraism; such as in ( Esther 7:6 ) , (bywaw ru vya) , "the man adversary and enemy" is this wicked Haman; and signifies a certain enemy, and one indeed that is an implacable enemy to man.

The servants said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather
them up?
which words express the concern of the ministers of Christ for the true members of the church, comparable to wheat, lest they should receive any damage by the ill examples, and pernicious principles of evil men among them; also their detestation and abhorrence of men of wicked lives and erroneous principles; they cannot bear them which are evil; likewise, they show great regard to the glory of God, and interest of religion, and their readiness to execute any orders Christ should give them; but not willing to proceed of themselves, ask counsel and advice of him.

Matthew 13:28 In-Context

26 But when the herb was grown [Soothly when the herb had grown], and made fruit, then the tares appeared.

27 And the servants of the husbandman came, and said to him, Lord, whether hast thou not sown good seed in thy field? whereof then hath it tares?

28 And he said to them, An enemy hath done this thing. And the servants said to him, Wilt thou that we go, and gather them?

29 And he said, Nay, lest peradventure ye in gathering [the] tares draw up with them [also] the wheat by the root. [+And he said, Nay, lest peradventure ye gathering tares, or cockles, draw up by the root with them also the wheat.]

30 Suffer ye them both to wax into reaping time; and in the time of ripe corn I shall say to the reapers, First gather ye together the tares, and bind them together in knitches to be burnt, but gather ye the wheat into my barn. [+Suffer ye them both wax till to the ripe corn; and in the time of the ripe corn I shall say to the reapers, First gather ye together tares/the darnels, or cockles, and bind them together in knitches, or small bundles, to be burnt, but gather ye the wheat into my barn.]