Mat 9:37, Joh 4:35 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 37. The harvest truly is plenteous , etc. Another beautiful image. A waving field of golden grain invites many reapers, and demands haste. By the harvest here, he meant that the multitude of people that flocked to his ministry was great. The people expected the Messiah. They were prepared to receive the gospel. But the labourers were few. Few were engaged in instructing the multitude. He directed them, therefore, to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers. God is the Proprietor of the great harvest of the world, and he only can send men to gather it in. (r) "harvest" REMARKS ON MATTHEW CHAPTER NINE 1. We are presented with an instance of proper perseverance in coming to Christ, . Nothing was suffered to prevent the purpose of presenting the helpless paralytic to the Saviour. So the poor helpless sinner should come. No obstacle should prevent him. He should lay himself at his feet, and feel that Jesus holds over him the power of life and death, and that no other being can save. 2. Jesus has the power to forgive sins, . He claimed it, and worked a miracle to prove it. If he had it then, he has it still. To him, then, the lost sinner may come, with the assurance that as he freely then exerted that power, so he is ever the same, and will do it now. 3. Jesus Christ is Divine. Nothing could prove it more dearly than the power to pardon rebels. God only can pronounce what shall be done with transgressors of his law, . He that claims this right must be either an impostor or God. But no impostor ever yet worked a miracle. Jesus was therefore Divine. He can save to the uttermost all that come to God through him. 4. We see here the proper rule to be observed in mingling with the wicked, . It should not be of choice, or for pleasure. We should not enter into their follies or vices. We should not seek enjoyment in their society. We should mingle with them simply to transact necessary business, and to do them good, and no further, . 5. In the case of the ruler and the woman that was diseased, we have a strong instance of the nature of faith. They came not doubting his power--fully assured that he was able to heal. So all genuine believers come to him. They doubt not his power or willingness to save them. Poor, and lost, and ruined by sin, and in danger of eternal death, they come. His heart is open. He puts forth his power, and the soul is healed, and the sin and danger gone. 6. The young must die, and may die in early life, . Very short graves are in every burying-ground. Thousands and millions, not more than twelve years of age, have died. Thousands and millions, not more than twelve years of age, are yet to die. Many of these may be taken from Sunday-schools. Their class, their teacher, their parents, sisters, and brothers, must be left, and the child be carried to the grave. Many children of that age, that have been in Sunday-schools, have died happy. They loved the Saviour, and they were ready to go. Jesus was near to them when they died, and they are now in heaven. Of every child we may ask, Are you ready also to go when God shah call you? Do you love the Lord Jesus so as to be willing to leave all your friends here, and go to him? 7. Jesus can raise up the dead, and he will raise up all that love him, . Many little children will be raised up to meet him in the last great day. He shall come in the clouds. The angel shall sound a trumpet, and all the dead shall hear. All shall be raised up and go to meet him. All that loved him here will go to heaven. All that were wicked, and did not love him here, will go to everlasting suffering. 8. We see the duty of praying for the conversion of the world, Mt 9:37,38 . The harvest is as plenteous as it was in the time of Christ. More than six hundred millions are still without the gospel; and there are not yet many labourers to go into the harvest. The world is full of wickedness, and God only can qualify those who shall go and preach the gospel to the dark nations of the earth. Without ceasing, we ought to entreat of God to pity the nations, and to send faithful men, who shall tell them of a dying Saviour.

Matthew 9:37

Verse 37. The harvest truly is plenteous, etc. Another beautiful image. A waving field of golden grain invites many reapers, and demands haste. By the harvest here, he meant that the multitude of people that flocked to his ministry was great. The people expected the Messiah. They were prepared to receive the gospel. But the labourers were few. Few were engaged in instructing the multitude. He directed them, therefore, to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth reapers. God is the Proprietor of the great harvest of the world, and he only can send men to gather it in.

(r) "harvest" Lk 10:2, Jn 4:35

REMARKS ON MATTHEW CHAPTER NINE

1. We are presented with an instance of proper perseverance in coming to Christ, Mt 9:1,2. Nothing was suffered to prevent the purpose of presenting the helpless paralytic to the Saviour. So the poor helpless sinner should come. No obstacle should prevent him. He should lay himself at his feet, and feel that Jesus holds over him the power of life and death, and that no other being can save.

2. Jesus has the power to forgive sins, Mt 9:6. He claimed it, and worked a miracle to prove it. If he had it then, he has it still. To him, then, the lost sinner may come, with the assurance that as he freely then exerted that power, so he is ever the same, and will do it now.

3. Jesus Christ is Divine. Nothing could prove it more dearly than the power to pardon rebels. God only can pronounce what shall be done with transgressors of his law, Is 43:25. He that claims this right must be either an impostor or God. But no impostor ever yet worked a miracle. Jesus was therefore Divine. He can save to the uttermost all that come to God through him.

4. We see here the proper rule to be observed in mingling with the wicked, Mt 9:10-13. It should not be of choice, or for pleasure. We should not enter into their follies or vices. We should not seek enjoyment in their society. We should mingle with them simply to transact necessary business, and to do them good, and no further, Ps 1:1.

5. In the case of the ruler and the woman that was diseased, we have a strong instance of the nature of faith. They came not doubting his power--fully assured that he was able to heal. So all genuine believers come to him. They doubt not his power or willingness to save them. Poor, and lost, and ruined by sin, and in danger of eternal death, they come. His heart is open. He puts forth his power, and the soul is healed, and the sin and danger gone.

6. The young must die, and may die in early life, Mt 9:18. Very short graves are in every burying-ground. Thousands and millions, not more than twelve years of age, have died. Thousands and millions, not more than twelve years of age, are yet to die. Many of these may be taken from Sunday-schools. Their class, their teacher, their parents, sisters, and brothers, must be left, and the child be carried to the grave. Many children of that age, that have been in Sunday-schools, have died happy. They loved the Saviour, and they were ready to go. Jesus was near to them when they died, and they are now in heaven. Of every child we may ask, Are you ready also to go when God shah call you? Do you love the Lord Jesus so as to be willing to leave all your friends here, and go to him?

7. Jesus can raise up the dead, and he will raise up all that love him, Mt 9:25. Many little children will be raised up to meet him in the last great day. He shall come in the clouds. The angel shall sound a trumpet, and all the dead shall hear. All shall be raised up and go to meet him. All that loved him here will go to heaven. All that were wicked, and did not love him here, will go to everlasting suffering.

8. We see the duty of praying for the conversion of the world, Mt 9:37,38. The harvest is as plenteous as it was in the time of Christ. More than six hundred millions are still without the gospel; and there are not yet many labourers to go into the harvest. The world is full of wickedness, and God only can qualify those who shall go and preach the gospel to the dark nations of the earth. Without ceasing, we ought to entreat of God to pity the nations, and to send faithful men, who shall tell them of a dying Saviour.

John 4:35

Verse 35. Say not ye. This seems to have been a proverb. Ye say--that is, men say.

Four months and, &c. The common time from sowing the seed to the harvest, in Judea, was about four months. The meaning of this passage may be thus expressed: "The husband-man, when he sows his seed, is

compelled to wait a considerable period before it

produces a crop. He is encouraged in sowing it; he

expects fruit; his labour is lightened by that

expectation; but it is not immediate--it is remote.

But it is not so with my preaching. The seed has

already sprung up. Scarce was it sown before it

produced an abundant harvest. The gospel was just

preached to a woman, and see how many of the

Samaritans come to hear it also. There is therefore

more encouragement to labour in this field than

the farmer has to sow his grain."

Lift your eyes. See the Samaritans coming to hear the gospel.

They are white. Grain, when ripe, turns from a green to a yellow or light colour, indicating that it is time to reap it. So here were indications that the gospel was effectual, and that the harvest was to be gathered in. Hence we may learn,

1st. That there is as much encouragement to attempt to save souls as the farmer has to raise a crop.

2nd. That the gospel is fitted to make an immediate impression on the minds of men. We are to expect that it will. We are not to wait to some future period, as if we could not expect immediate results. This wicked and ignorant people--little likely, apparently, to be affected--turned to God, heard the voice of the Saviour, and came in multitudes to him.

3rd. We are to expect revivals of religion. Here was one instance of it under the Saviour's own preaching. Multitudes were excited, moved, and came to learn the way of life.

4th. We know not how much good may be done by conversation with even a single individual. This conversation with a woman resulted in a deep interest felt throughout the city, and in the conversion of many of them to God. So a single individual may often be the means, in the hand of God, of leading many to the cross of Jesus.

5th. What evils may follow from neglecting to do our duty! How easily might Jesus have alleged, if he had been like many of his professed disciples, that he was weary, that he was hungry, that it was esteemed improper to converse with a woman alone, that she was an abandoned character, and there could be little hope of doing her good! How many consciences of ministers and Christians would have been satisfied with reasoning like this? Yet Jesus, in spite of his fatigue and thirst, and all the difficulties of the case, seriously set about seeking the conversion of this woman. And behold what a glorious result! The city was moved, and a great harvest was found ready to be gathered in! Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.

(v) "white already" Mt 9:37