Mat 9:37-38, 13:30, 39, Mar 4:29 | 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 9:37-38

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. Verse 38.

(s) "send forth laborers" Ps 48:11

For a Summary of Matthew Chapter Nine, Mt 9:37.

Matthew 13:30

Verse 30. Let both grow together. They would not spoil the true wheat; and in time of harvest it would be easy to separate them. Our Saviour teaches us here,

(1.) that hypocrites and deceived persons must be expected in the church.

(2.) That this is the work of the enemy of man. They are not the work of Christianity, any more than traitors are of patriotism, or counterfeiters are of the proper effect of legislating about money. They belong to the world; and hypocrisy is only one form of sin. The Christian religion never made a hypocrite; nor is there a hypocrite on the face of the earth whose principles and practice it does not condemn.

(3.) That all hope of removing them entirely would be vain.

(4.) That an attempt to remove them altogether would injure real Christianity, by causing excitements, discord, and hard feelings even among Christians.

(5.) That he will himself separate them at the proper time. There is no doubt that it is the duty of the church to attempt to keep itself pure, and to cut off gross and manifest offends, 1Cor 5:4,5. He refers to those who may be suspected of hypocrisy, but against whom it cannot be proved; to those who so successfully imitate Christians as to make it difficult or impossible for man to distinguish them.

(s) "time of harvest" 1Timm 5:24 (t) "to burn them" Mal 4:1 (u) "wheat into my barn" Lk 3:17

Matthew 13:39

Verse 39. Mt 13:36

(d) "end of the world" Joel 3:13, Rev 14:15 (e) "the angels" Rev 14:15-19

Mark 4:29

Verse 29. Immediately he putteth in the sickle. This is the way with the husbandman. As soon as the grain is ripe, it is cut down. So it is often with the Christian. As soon as he is prepared for heaven, he is taken there. But we are not to press this part of the parable, as if it meant that all are removed as soon as they are fit for heaven. Every parable contains circumstances thrown in to fill up the story, which cannot be literally interpreted. In this, the circumstance of sleeping and rising cannot be applied to Christ; and in like manner the harvest, I suppose, is not to be literally interpreted. Perhaps the whole parable may be differently interpreted. The seed sown may mean the gospel which he was preaching. In Judea its beginnings were small. Yet he would leave it; commit it to his disciples; and return to his Father. The gospel in the meantime, left by him, would take root, spring up, and produce an abundant harvest. In due time he would return, send forth the angels, and gather in the harvest, and save his people for ever.

(1) "brought forth" or, "ripe" (f) "putteth in the sickle" Rev 14:15