Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just pointing out a shortage of workers; He's highlighting the urgent readiness of people to receive His message. The "harvest" refers to souls ripe for the Kingdom, and the scarcity of "laborers" is a call to action, urging prayer and dedication to this vital work.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just after healing the paralytic and calling Matthew to follow him, Jesus sees the crowds pressing in, drawn to his ministry. He points out to his disciples that while the spiritual "harvest" of people ready to receive the message is abundant, there are simply not enough workers to reach them all. This sets the stage for Jesus to commission his disciples and equip them for the immense task ahead.
Jesus paints a vivid picture of souls ready for God's kingdom. What makes a 'ripe harvest' and why does it demand immediate attention?
Jesus uses the metaphor of a harvest, a familiar image for the Jewish people, to describe the readiness of people to receive God's message.
A Field Ready for Gathering
When Jesus speaks of a 'plenteous harvest,' he's not just talking about a large crowd. He's highlighting that the spiritual 'season' is right. People were open, seeking, and receptive to the Messiah's message, much like ripe grain ready to be cut.
The Cost of Delay
A harvest, by its very nature, is time-sensitive. Ripe grain left in the field can spoil, be lost to weather, or eaten by pests. Similarly, souls ready for the Gospel need to be reached quickly. Delay can mean missed opportunities for salvation and the eternal consequences that follow.
Jesus doesn't just point out the problem; he directs his disciples to the solution. Where do the 'laborers' come from, and what does it mean to be 'sent forth'?
The scarcity of laborers isn't a reason for despair, but a call to prayer and action rooted in God's power.
Prayer as the Primary Strategy
Jesus' immediate response to the shortage of workers is to tell his disciples to 'pray to the Lord of the harvest.' This shows that bringing in the harvest is fundamentally God's work. Human effort is essential, but it must be empowered and directed by Him. We aren't just to wish for more workers; we are to actively ask God to provide them.
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God's 'Sending Forth'
The original language suggests a forceful sending, like pushing workers into a field where the need is critical. God doesn't just tap people on the shoulder; He calls, equips, and often 'thrusts out' those willing to serve. This divine sending is what qualifies and empowers individuals for the challenging, yet eternally rewarding, work of gathering souls.
Understand the original words
therismos · Greek Noun
A metaphor for the time of gathering the spiritual fruit of God’s redemptive work. It represents the urgency of evangelism and the gathering of souls into the kingdom of God.
ergatēs · Greek Noun
Workers or those who toil. In a spiritual sense, it refers to those whom God calls and sends to actively participate in the work of spreading the Gospel and gathering souls into His kingdom.
This saying comes as Jesus observes the immense crowds responding to his ministry in Galilee, highlighting the readiness of people to hear the Gospel but the scarcity of those called and equipped to share it.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. Large crowds follow him, eager for his message and miracles.
c. 28 AD
Calling of the Twelve Apostles
Jesus formally appoints the twelve apostles, equipping them with authority to preach and heal.
c. 28-29 AD
Mission of the Twelve
Jesus sends the twelve out in pairs to preach repentance and proclaim the kingdom of God in the towns of Galilee.
c. 29 AD
Jesus Teaches in Jerusalem
Jesus visits Jerusalem, teaching in the temple courts and engaging with religious leaders. Tensions begin to rise.
This passage echoes Jesus' words about the harvest being plentiful and the laborers few, directly connecting it to the mission of the seventy, highlighting the ongoing need for workers in God's kingdom.
John 4:35Jesus uses the same harvest imagery, but here it refers to the readiness of people to receive the Gospel, showing that the opportunity for gathering souls is presented as immediate and abundant.
1 Corinthians 3:9Paul describes believers as 'God's field' and 'God's building,' illustrating that people are the very crop being cultivated and built up by God's workers.
Acts 13:47This verse demonstrates the fulfillment of Jesus' words, as Paul and Barnabas, sent out as laborers, see Gentiles being converted and turning to God, fulfilling the mission implied in the harvest.
barnesMatthew 9:37: "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"
The harvest truly is plenteous ... - Another beautiful image. A waving field of golden grain invites many reapers and demands haste. By the reference to 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 laborers were few. He directed them, therefore, to pray to…
bensonMatthew 9:37: "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;"
Matthew 9:37-38 . Then saith he to his disciples — To quicken their devotion and zeal, The harvest — Namely, of souls to be gathered in, is plenteous — The multitudes that followed Jesus, and expressed so earnest a desire of receiving his instructions, gave him occasion of making this reflection. He compared Judea and the neighbouring countries to fields covered with ripe corn, where not…
Jesus isn't just pointing out a shortage of workers; He's highlighting the urgent readiness of people to receive His message. The "harvest" refers to souls ripe for the Kingdom, and the scarcity of "laborers" is a call to action, urging prayer and dedication to this vital work.
Just after healing the paralytic and calling Matthew to follow him, Jesus sees the crowds pressing in, drawn to his ministry. He points out to his disciples that while the spiritual "harvest" of people ready to receive the message is abundant, there are simply not enough workers to reach them all. This sets the stage for Jesus to commission his disciples and equip them for the immense task ahead.
Just after healing the paralytic and calling Matthew to follow him, Jesus sees the crowds pressing in, drawn to his ministry. He points out to his disciples that while the spiritual "harvest" of people ready to receive the message is abundant, there are simply not enough workers to reach them all. This sets the stage for Jesus to commission his disciples and equip them for the immense task ahead.
"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;" — Jesus isn't just pointing out a shortage of workers; He's highlighting the urgent readiness of people to receive His message. The "harvest" refers to souls ripe for the Kingdom, and the scarcity of "…
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Last reviewed October 2026