Tares

(ζιζάνια; Vulg. zizania). There can be little doubt that the ζιζάνια of the parable (Mt 13:25) denote the weed called "darnel" (Lolium temulentum), a widely distributed grass, and the only species of the order that has deleterious properties. The word used by the evangelist is an Oriental, and not a Greek, term (the native Greek word seems to be αιρα, Dioscor. 2, 91). It is the Arabic zawân, the Syriac zizàna, and the zoni (זוֹנַין) of the Talmud (Mishna, 1, 109; see Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. s.v.). The derivation of the Arabic word from zân, "nausea," is well suited to the character of the plant, the grains of which produce vomiting and purging, convulsions, and even death. Volhey (Trav. 2, 306) experienced the ill effects of eating its seeds; and "the whole of the inmates of the Sheffield work house were attacked some years ago with symptoms supposed to be produced by their oatmeal having been accidentally adulterated with lolium" (Engl. Cyclop s.v. "Lolium"). The darnel before it comes into ear is very similar in appearance to wheat; hence the command that the zizania should be left to the harvest, lest while nen plucked up the tares "'they should root up also the wheat with them." Prof. Stanley, however (Sinai and Palest. p. 426), speaks of women and children picking out from the wheat in the cornfields of Samaria the tall green stalks, still' called by the Arabs zuwan. "These stalks," he 'continues, "if sown designedly throughout the fields, would be inseparable from the wheat, from which, even when growing naturally and by chance, they are at first sight hardly distinguishable." See also Thomson (Land and Book, 2, 111): "The grain is just in the proper stage to illustrate the parable. In those parts where the grain has headed out, the tares have done the same, and then a child cannot mistake them for wheat or barley; but where both are less developed, the closest scrutiny will often fail to detect them. Even the farmers, who in this country generally weed their fields, do not attempt to separate the one from the other." The grain-growers in Palestine believe that the zawân is merely a legenerate wheat; that in wet seasons the wheat turns to tares. Dr. Thomson asserts that this is their fixed opinion. It is curious' to observe the retention of the fallacy through many ages. "Wheat and zunin," says Lightfoot (Hor. Heb. on Mt 13:25), quoting from the Talmud, "are not seeds of different kinds." See also Buxtorf (Lex. Talm. s.v. זוֹנין): "Zizania, species tritici degeneris, sic dicti, quod scortando cum bono tritico, in pejorem naturam degenerat." The Roman writers (comp. "Infelix lolium," Virgil, Georg. 1, 154) appear to have entertained a similar opinion with respect to some of the cereals. Thus Pliny (Hist. Nat. 18:17), borrowing probably from Theophrastus, asserts that "barley will degenerate into the oat." The notion that the zizania of the parable are merely diseased or (egenerate wheat has been defended by Brederod (see his letter to Schultetus in Exercit. Evang. 2, 65), and strangely adopted by Trench, who (Notes on the Parables, p. 91, 4th ed.) regards the distinction of these two plants to be "a falsely assumed fact." If the zizania of the parable denote the darnel, and there cannot be any reasonable doubt about it, the plants are certainly distinct, and the L. temulentum has as much right to specific distinction as any other kind of grass. On the route from Beirat to Akka (1852), Dr. Robinson describes fields of wheat "of the most luxuriant growth, finer than which I had not before seen in this or any other country. Among these splendid fields of grain are still found the tares spoken of in the New Test. As described to me, they are not to be distinguished from the wheat until the ear appears. The seed resembles wheat in form, but is smaller and black. In Beirut, poultry are fed upon this seed, and it is kept for sale for that purpose. When not separated from the wheat, bread made from the flour often causes dizziness to those who eat of it" (Bibl. Res. 3, 55). The bearded darnel has the bad reputation of yielding the only deleterious grain among all the countless grasses. We are not aware that any injurious quality has been detected in the seeds of its own congeners, Lolium arvense, L. perenne, the rye-grasses so familiar to British husbandry; but if mixed with bread, L. temulentum occasions giddiness, nausea, difficulty of articulation, and other symptoms ranging from intoxication to paralysis, and instances are on record where mortification of the extremities, or even death, has ensued (see Burnett, Plantce Utiliores, vol. 3). Hence the French have named it icraie, or "tipsy-grass," a word from which the English have dropped the first syllable, and bestowed it on those unoffending "ray" or 'rye grasses," by which the darnel is represented in our hay-fields. Thus understood, "how well do these 'tares' represent those who make a false profession; who appear among God's people; who draw near with their mouth, and honor God with their lips, but their heart is far from him (Isa 29:13; Mt 15:8; Mr 7:6) ! Both grow together, and at first may seem alike. Man cannot accurately distinguish between the true and the false; but at the great harvest-day the Lord will separate them. He will gather the wheat into his garner, while the tares shall be consumed" (Balfour, Bot. and Religo p. 251). See Kitto, Pict. Bible, ad loc.; Hackett, Ilustr. of'Script. p. 130; Calcott [Lady], Script. Herbal, p. 475 sq.; Tristram, Na Ht. s. of the Bible, p. 486; Bochelius, De Zizaniis in Eccles. Dei Disseminatis (Arg. 1661).