Question: Doesn’t the pretrib rapture contradict the parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:30)...?

Question: Doesn’t the pretrib rapture contradict the parable of the weeds (Matthew:13:30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of 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.
See All...): “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: collect the weeds and tie them into bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” Verse 39 also says “the harvest is at the end of the age” and the harvesters are angels. A pretrib rapture also removes the grain of Mark:4:26-29 [26] And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; [27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. [28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
See All... before it is ripe as required in Ephesians:4:12-13 [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
See All....

Answer: First of all, in these parables it is not Christ rapturing His own up to heaven but the angels gathering both wicked and righteous. Nor is there a resurrection; but both the wicked and the righteous are alive upon earth. There is nothing about the judgment of those who have died. Furthermore, in both parables it is the wicked who are taken first.

The Rapture and resurrection must occur before the final gathering of the wicked from earth for Christ’s promise to be fulfilled that His disciples would reign on thrones over the twelve tribes of Israel (Lk 22:28-30). Revelation 19 records the marriage of Christ and His bride in heaven before He returns to rescue Israel in the midst of Armageddon and to destroy Antichrist and set up His kingdom. Obviously, the Rapture must have already occurred for Christ’s bride to be in heaven. She accompanies Him from heaven to earth to reign with Him (“they shall be priests of God and Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” - Rv 20:6).

In these parables, however, the wicked are destroyed first and then the righteous are gathered—and there is nothing about a resurrection. In contrast, the rapture passages either imply (as in Jn 14) or directly include the resurrection of believers (as in 1 Thes:4:16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
See All... and 1 Cor:15:52-57 [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
See All...)—and there is nothing about the wicked being taken at all, much less first.


There is no question that both parables refer to “the end of the age.” This must be the end of the Millennium, during which multitudes of those whose hearts are evil have been allowed to live side by side with the righteous under Christ’s reign on earth from David’s throne in Jerusalem. It is only at the end of the thousand years when Satan is loosed that the wickedness of the hearts of those who are secretly opposed to the Lord is revealed, they follow Satan in an attack against Jerusalem and are all destroyed together (Rv 20:7-9). Then the righteous living on earth are brought into the eternal kingdom of the new heavens and new earth—over which His bride will continue to reign with Christ.

Ephesians:4:12-13 [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
See All... has nothing to do with either parable, with the Rapture or the judgment at the end of the Millennium. The subject in verses 11-32 is “the edifying of the body of Christ” here in this life.

Perfection is not realized until we arrive in heaven itself. So when Paul says, “Till we all come...unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,” he is clearly speaking of the post-resurrection and glorified state of believers in heaven. He is not suggesting that the church must achieve this perfection on earth before the Rapture in order to qualify to be taken to heaven. There is no hint in Ephesians:4:12-13 [12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
See All... or elsewhere in Scripture that the Rapture cannot occur until the “grain of Mark:4:26-29 [26] And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; [27] And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. [28] For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
See All......[becomes] ripe” as you suggest. The passage in Mark could better be applied to evangelism àpropos of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13 and Paul’s expression: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase” (1 Cor:3:6I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
See All...).

The idea that the church must be perfected on earth is false for several reasons. The fact that the longed-for perfection does not come until the resurrection—when Christ will “change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (Phil:3:20For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
See All...)—is clear from this and many other passages (1 Cor:15:51-57 [51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. [54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
See All...; 1 Jn:3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
See All...; Heb:9:28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
See All..., etc.). If we must be purified and perfected here on earth, when are those already in heaven through death perfected? Obviously, they and we who are caught up “together with them...to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thes:4:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
See All...) at the resurrection/Rapture will all be perfected through the transformation of our vile bodies at that time and at the “judgment seat of Christ” before which we “must all appear” (2 Cor:5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
See All...) for the judgment of our works (1 Cor:3:12-15 [12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; [13] Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. [14] If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [15] If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
See All...).