Matthew 13:26 But when the blades sprung up,

Spoken to: 

audience

Parables, Parable of the Weeds

KJV: 

Matthew 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

NIV : 

Matthew 13:26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

LISTENERS HEARD: 

When, however, the crop shot up and produced fruit, then the weeds also came to light.

MY TAKE: 

It takes time for ideas to reveal themselves as good or bad.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page): 

LOST IN TRANSLATION: 

The words translated here as "appeared" is actually passive and, in the passive, means "come to light."  The active form primarily means "shine." The word translated as "shot up/sprouted" is also a metaphore for "come to light."The message here is thereby connected to that in John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light.

The NIV verses tries to "simplify" the verse  to make this more clearly about "wheat" getting "forming heads," but Jesus's original words have meanings closer to "crop" and "producing ruit." These words connect more closely the words he says elsewhere.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

3
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "was" indicates a passive verb but the verb is active.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "brought forth" is not the common word usually translated as "bring."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "appeared" indicates an active verb but the verb is passive.

# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES: 

6
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" is not shown in the English translation.
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "wheat" should be something more like "crop."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "was" indicates a passive verb but the verb is active.
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "form" is the common word usually translated as "do" or "produced."
  • WW - Wrong Word -- The word translated as "heads" should be something more like "fruit."
  • WF - Wrong Form -  The "appeared" indicates an active verb but the verb is passive.

EACH WORD of KJV : 

But -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.  

when  - - "When" is from an adverb/conjunction that means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

blade  - "Blades" is from a noun which means "an enclosed place," "pastures," "herbage," "growing crops," and "growing grass."

was --  (WF) This helping verb "be" indicates that the verb is passive. The verb, however, is active, not passive.  Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.

sprung up, - "Sprung up" is from a verb which means "to sprout," "to bud," and "to grow." It is a metaphor for "to come to light," "to shoot forth," and "to be born."

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

brought forth -  (CW) The Greek word translated as ""brought forth" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "rendering" as service. It is usually translated as "do" in the NT. It is not any form of the verb "bring."

fruit,  - The word translated as "fruit" primary meaning is "fruit," "seed," or "offspring," but its secondary meaning is "returns," specifically, "profit," as we would say "fruit of our labors."

then  - -- The Greek word for "then" means "at this time" or "then." With the subjective negative, the sense is "not when."

appeared  - (WF) "Appeared" is from a verb, which in the passive used here, "come to light," "appear," "reveal," "shine brightly," "come into light," "come about," and "to be made out." However, the word has a double meaning of "to inform against" and "to denounce" that is part of the sense here. The "tares" is not the subject but the object. The verb is singular and "weeds" are plural, but the neuter plural noun can take a singular verb in ancient Greek.

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

tares  - The term translated as "tares" is from a weed that grows among wheat crops, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat."

also.  - -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

EACH WORD of NIV : 

missing "however"  -- (MW) The untranslated word  "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.  

When  - - "When" is from an adverb/conjunction that means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

wheat - (WW) "Wheat" is from a noun which means "an enclosed place," "pastures," "herbage," "growing crops," and "growing grass."

sprouted - "Sprung up" is from a verb which means "to sprout," "to bud," and "to grow." It is a metaphor for "to come to light," "to shoot forth," and "to be born."

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

formed -  (CW) The Greek word translated as "formed" has the primary meaning of "making" or producing" something or "causing" or "rendering" as service. It is usually translated as "do" in the NT. It is not any form of the verb "form" but is does mean "produce."

heads,  - (WW) The word translated as "fruit" primary meaning is "fruit," "seed," or "offspring," but its secondary meaning is "returns," specifically, "profit," as we would say "fruit of our labors."

then  - -- The Greek word for "then" means "at this time" or "then." With the subjective negative, the sense is "not when."

the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. 

weeds - The term translated as "weeds " is from a weed that grows among wheat crops, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat."

also.  - -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also").

appeared  - (WF) "Appeared" is from a verb, which in the passive used here, "come to light," "appear," "reveal," "shine brightly," "come into light," "come about," and "to be made out." However, the word has a double meaning of "to inform against" and "to denounce" that is part of the sense here. The "tares" is not the subject but the object. The verb is singular and "weeds" are plural, but the neuter plural noun can take a singular verb in ancient Greek.

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV : 

ὅτε (adv/conj) "When" is from hote, which means "when," "as when," "at the time when," and "sometimes."

δὲ (conj) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so"). -- The Greek word translated as "but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.

ἐβλάστησεν [2 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Sprung up" is from blastano, which means "to sprout," "to bud," and "to grow." It is a metaphor for "to come to light," "to shoot forth," and "to be born."

(article sg masc nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").

χόρτος [4 verses] (noun sg masc nom) "Blades" is chortos, which means "an enclosed place," "pastures," "herbage," "growing crops," and "growing grass."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

καρπὸν (noun sg masc acc) "Fruit" is from karpos, which means "fruit," "the fruits of the earth," "seed," "offspring," "returns for profit," and "reward."

ἐποίησεν, (verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Brought forth" is from poieo, which means "to make," "to produce," "to create," "to bring into existence," "to bring about," "to cause," "to render," "to consider," "to prepare," "to make ready," and "to do." -

τότε  (adv) "Then" is from tote, which means "at that time" and "then."

ἐφάνη [10 verses](3rd sg aor ind pass) "Appeared" is phaino , which means "to shine," "to give light," "make known," "reveal," "disclose," "show forth," "make clear," "display," "set forth," "expound," "inform against one," "denounce," and, in the passive, "come to light," "appear," "shine brightly," "come into being," "come about," and "to be made out."

καὶ (conj) "And" is from kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

τὰ (article pl neut nom)  "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").

ζιζάνια. [7 verses](noun pl neut nom) The term translated as "tares" is zizanion, which was a weed that grows in wheat, a kind of imitation wheat, that had black kernels instead of real wheat when it mature. It comes from a Sumerian word for "wheat."

Wordplay: 

"Appeared" is from a verb,that means "come to light," and has a double meaning of "to inform against" and "to denounce" that is part of the sense here.

Related Verses: 

Possible Symbolic Meaning: 

The "appeared" here means "come to life. Light is Jesus's symbol for the energy that reveals knowledge.

Unimportant Opinions and Imaginings: 

The Master smiled and straightened up.
“When, however, the crop shot up,” he said as he pushed  his right fist and then his arm up through an encircling left hand, “and produced fruit.”
He opened the fist of his right hand toward the sun.
“Then the weeds also came to light,” he said, clutching  his hand into a claw.
He made a shocked face, and the crowd laughed.

Front Page Date: 

Dec 15 2020