Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Tares = Lolium temulentum

稗子的比喻 ( 和合本 CUV )
24耶稣又设个比喻对他们说:“天国好像人撒好种在田里,25及至人睡觉的时候,有仇敌来,将稗子撒在麦子里就走了。26到长苗吐穗的时候,稗子也显出来。27田主的仆人来告诉他说:‘主啊,你不是撒好种在田里吗?从哪里来的稗子呢?’28主人说:‘这是仇敌做的。’仆人说:‘你要我们去薅出来吗?’29主人说:‘不必,恐怕薅稗子,连麦子也拔出来。30容这两样一齐长,等着收割。当收割的时候,我要对收割的人说:先将稗子薅出来,捆成捆,留着烧,唯有麦子要收在仓里。’”

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares ( NKJV)
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”


Tares was translated from Greek word ζιζάνια (zizania), plural of ζιζάνιον (zizanion).  The word is thought to mean darnel ( Lolium temulentum ), a ryegrass which looks much like wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) in its early stages of growth.   The similarity between the two plants is so great that darnel is referred to as “false wheat” in some region.

The recognizable differences are apparent when the ear appears.  The spikes of darnel are more slender, with single glume, and black in colour.  Whilst the wheal will have fuller spikes, with double glume, and appear brown when ripe. 

The darnel can be infected by a fungus of the genus Neoryphodium, which will produce poison which is intoxicated and can be fatal.  Thus it is logical to sabotage the enemies’ wheat field by sowing darnel.   




  Triticum aestivum
                                                                                        


Lolium temulentum