Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?'" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'" 'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.' " (Matthew 13: 24-30)

The kingdom of heaven is apparently productive, a source of good, has enemies, has servants, is unusually careful, and wastes nothing.

The enemies can complicate, but they do not distract, frustrate, or even seriously delay the kingdom's harvest.

And even the enemy's dried weeds can be put to good use in kindling the oven in which the good grain will be baked.

Above is from "Evangelicae Historiae Imagines ", published 1593, planned by Jerome Nadal (1507-80), produced by Bernardino Passeri, Marten de Vos, and Jerome and Anton Wierix. Republished in 1594 and 1595 entitled "Adnotationes et Meditationes in Evangelia".