"Chapter 4—Tares This chapter is based on Matthew 13:24-30 ; Matthew 13:37-43 . “Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.” COL 70"
"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let 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."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 13:24-30 in this passage.
"He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Ellen White directly references Matthew 13:37-43 in this passage.
"“The field,” Christ said, “is the world.” But we must understand this as signifying the church of Christ in the world. The parable is a description of that which pertains to the kingdom of God, His work of salvation of men; and this work is accomplished through the church. True, the Holy Spirit has gone out into all the world; everywhere it is moving upon the hearts of men; but it is in the church that we are to grow and ripen for the garner of God. COL 70.2"
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building."
Both passages relate to the idea of the church as God's field or husbandry. 1 Corinthians 3:9 refers to believers as 'God's husbandry,' implying a cultivated field. The EGW passage, while interpreting 'the field' in the parable as the world, clarifies that it specifically refers to the church within the world, where believers grow and mature.
"“He that sowed the good seed is the Son of man.... The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.” The good seed represents those who are born of the word of God, the truth. The tares represent a class who are the fruit or embodiment of error, of false principles. “The enemy that sowed them is the devil.” Neither God nor His angels ever sowed a seed that would produce a tare. The tares are always sown by Satan, the enemy of God and man. COL 70.3"
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
Both passages discuss the devil as the source of evil and falsehood. While EGW is interpreting the parable of the wheat and tares, John 8:44 speaks of the devil's nature. The connection is thematic, not a direct allusion.
"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."
Both passages contrast the children of God with the children of the devil. EGW interprets the tares as children of the wicked one, while 1 John 3:10 defines them by their lack of righteousness and love. The connection is thematic.