Plants and Foods of the Bible · The Field · Grain
Wheat
The grain that daily bread was made from, and that Jesus used for a lesson about new life
- Key verse
- John 12:24
- Where we find it
- The fields and fertile valleys of the land of Israel
- What it reminds us of
- Food, harvest and a life that bears fruit
Stories from Scripture
Wheat in the stories of the Bible
Joseph
Joseph and the full storehouses of Egypt
During the seven years of plenty, Joseph gathered so much grain in the cities of Egypt, “as the sand of the sea,” that they stopped measuring it. That is how God prepared food for the years of famine that were coming.
Genesis 41:47-49Jesus and the crowds
The parable of the wheat and the tares
A man sowed good seed in his field, but while people slept, an enemy sowed tares among the wheat. The owner did not let the servants pull them up, so that they would not pull up the wheat too. At harvest time, the wheat would be carefully gathered into the barn.
Matthew 13:24-30Jesus Christ
The grain that brings much fruit
Jesus said that a grain of wheat that falls into the ground stays alone if it does not die, but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He was speaking about Himself: through His death and resurrection, new life would reach very many people.
John 12:24
From the world of the Bible
Did you know?
In the land of Israel, wheat was sown in autumn, grew through the rainy winter and was harvested at the beginning of summer, after the barley.
From a single grain of wheat a plant with several ears can grow, and each ear carries dozens of new grains.
Before it became flour, the ears were threshed, the grains were tossed in the wind so that the chaff blew away, and then they were ground with millstones.
From the Holy Scriptures
What do we read in the Bible about wheat?
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
In kids’ words: A grain put in the ground seems lost, but a full ear grows from it. Jesus gave His life so that many would receive life.
30 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.
In kids’ words: God knows how to tell good from evil and, at the right time, He carefully gathers His good wheat.
Verses are quoted from the King James Version (KJV). Read each passage in the context of its chapter in the Bible.
What wheat teaches us
A life that bears fruit
Wheat shows us that God often works in secret: the grain lies buried in the ground, then sprouts, grows and gives food to many families. Jesus used wheat to teach us that giving and obeying bring great fruit.
How we can live this out today
Give something of your time today: help at the table, share a toy or listen to a friend. Small deeds done out of love grow like a grain of wheat.
Mini-Quiz
What did you learn about wheat?
What did Jesus say about the grain of wheat?
For parents and children
At home and in Sunday school
A question for parents and children
What good “seeds” do we sow in each other’s lives — words, deeds, prayers? What fruit have you already seen growing?
“Lord, thank You for the bread that comes from wheat. Teach me to give with joy, so that my life will bring good fruit for others. Amen.”
Activity at home
A grain in the soil
Put a grain of wheat in a cup of soil. Water it and watch over the next days as it starts to grow.