Hypocrites in the Church

January 12th, 2026

Matthew 13:24-30.

Jesus gave His disciples the parable of the weeds to answer the question of why there are hypocrites in the church and why He would let it continue until harvest.

The word “hypocrite” comes from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” In ancient Greek theater, actors wore masks to portray different characters, and the term evolved to describe someone who pretends to be what they are not.

In modern usage, a hypocrite is someone who acts in contradiction to their stated beliefs or feelings. For example, if someone preaches honesty but lies frequently, they would be considered a hypocrite.

God will let the weeds grow up right among the good wheat for several reasons. First, as long as they are alive, there is still hope of transformation for them. What better environment for them to be in than the church!

Secondly, the weeds could be relatives or married to the wheat. Pulling them out may discourage the wheat or hinder their children. Finally, some of us may be pulled up with them. Most of us have some degree of hypocrisy in us and we are still a work of grace in progress.

Author: Clark Armstrong