When Jesus found that the understanding of the men of his age was not ready for truth stated metaphysically, or theologically if we use the word in its true sense, he perpetuated his teaching in parables. If in his very presence there was the wrangling and criticism of scribe and Pharisee over his uttered sentences, then the preservation and transmission of his words and teaching in correct form needed to be provided for. A story, a picture in words, an illustrative tale, was sure to be repeated with little variation. As the fly in amber is preserved with all its perfection, so do we find the Master's teaching accurately recorded in parable after parable, since the story escaped controversy because not understood by those who argued. Thus does the truth come to us that we may discern it and be grateful, and when we make practical the truth which Jesus taught, we find ourselves lifted to understanding and fellowship; "and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
In the parable of the tares there are very many practical lessons. It tells of a man who gave his servants good seed to sow in his field. After they had sown it, if some one had proposed to set a guard over the newly seeded field, how the servants would have laughed at the needlessness of this! If some one had said that the enemy might sow tares they would have readily replied, Oh, he would not do that! But as the story relates he did that very thing because he could; for the very reason that there was no guard. He found his chance "while men slept." It was a thoroughly mean thing to do, this secret impregnating of the fertile field with the vetch that would grow and cling to the spires of the wheat, twining about them to lift its worthlessness up to sun and air.
The process might be illustrated: a young woman who had received Christian Science and its healing beneficence with great happiness, went to live with a relative who was a strong advocate of the sectarian belief which she had accepted in youth. She disapproved of Christian Science and used as her mode of attack the suggestion of evil regarding the Leader of the movement. Being alseep to the process, the victim suspected nothing until she suddenly found her joy gone and her mind filled by doubts and fears and causeless suspicions, with an undercurrent of bitterness. The enemy in this case thought she was doing God service by inducing another to have these feelings of causeless antagonism to one whose life work and writings had benefited her, so she engaged in this secret sowing. The victim regained her joy by praying to God as David did, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation."
