The Man in the Iron Mask

Written in 1850 by Alexandre Dumas, “The Man in the Iron Mask” follows the story of a good man, named Philippe, who is the twin brother of the evil King Louis XIV of France.

Like any good novel, we don’t find out what happens until the end. We have to be patient.

I first read the book as a teenager and, ever since, the story has helped me understand one of Jesus’ most challenging parables. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:50

Welcome, brothers and sisters, and peace be with you. May the words on my lips and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen. Written in eighteen fifty by Alexander Dumas, the man in the Iron Mask follows the story of a good man named Philippe, who is the twin brother of the evil King Louis XV of France, and the efforts of an aging group of musketeers to put Philippe on the throne instead of Louis. Like any good novel, we don't find out what happens until the end. We have to be patient and read the entire story. I first read the book as a teenager, and ever since the story has helped me understand one of Jesus' most challenging parables. Jesus tells of a farmer who sows good seed in his field, but during the night an enemy comes and sows weeds among the wheat. Those wheat seeds are often known as Darnell, famously known as wheat's evil twin in both biblical and agricultural contexts. In the early stages of growth, Darnell looks almost exactly like wheat. However, while wheat is nutritious and good, Darnell is toxic and evil. The two twins only show their true nature when they mature at harvest time. As Jesus tells the story, we hear that as both begin to grow, the servants are alarmed and ask where the weeds have come from. The master knows exactly what has happened. An enemy has done this, and the servants immediately offer to pull up the weeds. Surprisingly, the master tells them not to do that, but let both grow together until the harvest. At first glance, this seems strange. Surely weeds should be removed immediately. Once again, Jesus explains that God's kingdom often works differently from our expectations. We live in a mixed field. Jesus says that's our world. Wherever we look, we find beauty and brokenness growing side by side. There is remarkable generosity and heartbreaking selfishness. There is deep faith and stubborn unbelief. There is kindness and cruelty. We might wonder why God doesn't simply remove all of the evil from our world and from our lives immediately? Why doesn't God judge every injustice right now today? Why doesn't God instantly remove every wicked person right now today? Jesus reminds us that God's patience is greater than ours. God's delay is not weakness. It is mercy. Every day the judgment is delayed is another day in which people may repent, believe and become part of his kingdom. Remember that we are not the harvesters. One of the most important lessons of this parable is that Jesus does not ask his followers to decide who belongs to him and who does not. The servants in the parable wanted immediate action. They were confident that they could tell the difference. The master knew otherwise. People can surprise us. Some who appear far from God today may become devoted disciples tomorrow. Remember Saul? The man who once violently persecuted Christians before becoming Paul, one of Christ's greatest missionaries. Many believers can tell stories of family members or friends who seemed completely uninterested in God until one unexpected moment changed everything. God sees hearts that we cannot see. Only he knows the full story. Our task is not to condemn. Our task is to love, witness, pray, and faithfully sow good seed. God is patient with us too. Before we become too comfortable identifying the weeds around us, we should remember something else. Every one of us has needed God's patience. None of us arrived in God's kingdom fully mature. We all have habits that need changing. We all continue growing. We all rely daily upon God's grace. Martin Luther once said that Christians are simultaneously justified and sinners. We belong to Christ, yet He continues shaping us throughout our lives. God has been extraordinarily patient with each of us, and that patience should shape how we treat others. There will be a harvest. Although this parable emphasizes patience, it also reminds us that history is moving towards a conclusion. Harvest day will come. Jesus leaves us in no doubt about that. There will be a final judgment. Good and evil will not remain mixed forever. For many people today, judgment is an uncomfortable subject. Yet without justice, evil would ultimately win. The God who loves us perfectly must also judge perfectly every act of cruelty, every hidden injustice, every forgotten victim, every unrepented evil. Nothing escapes God's notice, but for those who belong to Christ, the harvest is not something to fear, because Jesus says The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. What a magnificent promise. The struggles of today are not the end of the story. So what does this parable mean for us this week? First remain faithful. Don't become discouraged because evil still exists. God has not lost control. Second, resist the temptation to become harsh or self-righteous. Leave final judgment to God. Third, keep producing the fruit of God's kingdom. Wherever you live, work or study, let people see Christ through your kindness, your honesty, your forgiveness, generosity, and hope. Now Christ calls us to live faithfully in a complicated world where wheat and weeds like the evil twin that Duma wrote about still grow together. But one day Christ will return. Justice will finally be done. His kingdom will be complete. Until then may we remain faithful, trust his timing, and continue bearing the fruit of his love, so that when the harvest comes we may indeed truly shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father.