Matthew 9:38
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus’ instruction to "pray earnestly" uses a word that implies a deep, heartfelt plea, not just a casual request. He's telling us to ask God to actively thrust or powerfully send out workers into the vast spiritual fields ready for harvest, because it's not a job humans can simply volunteer for or appoint themselves to.
Jesus has just demonstrated his authority to forgive sins and healed a man who was paralyzed, showing that he has the power to address both spiritual and physical ailments. Seeing the crowds' desperation and their need for spiritual guidance, he likens the situation to a vast harvest with far too few workers. Therefore, he instructs his disciples to ask God, the ultimate Lord of this spiritual harvest, to send out more people equipped to labor in bringing in souls.
Jesus saw crowds of people and felt deep compassion. Why? Because they were like sheep without a shepherd, lost and vulnerable. This picture calls us to a crucial prayer.
Jesus paints a powerful picture: a vast field ready for harvest, but not enough workers. This isn't just about ancient Israel; it's a timeless truth.
A World in Need
When Jesus looked at the crowds, he wasn't just seeing numbers. He saw individuals, lost and scattered. Their spiritual state moved him deeply.
The Urgency of the Harvest
The 'harvest' represents people ready to receive God's message. It’s a time of opportunity, a critical window where souls can be brought into God's kingdom. But this opportunity is time-sensitive. An unharvested crop spoils.
The Scarcity of Workers
Despite the abundance of people ready to hear, there's a constant shortage of those willing and equipped to share the Gospel. This isn't a new problem; it's why Jesus immediately follows his observation with a command.
We are told to pray that God would 'send forth' laborers. What does this 'sending forth' truly mean, and why is it God's work?
The command isn't just to pray for workers, but for God to send them. This highlights God's sovereign role in calling and equipping those who will serve.
God's Sovereignty in Calling
Jesus uses the strong verb 'send forth' (often translated 'thrust out'). This implies not just an invitation, but a powerful, divinely initiated call. It suggests that truly effective laborers are those whom God Himself commissions and empowers.
Human Backwardness and Divine Power
Commentators note that those most fit for the work are often hesitant. This is because the ministry is demanding and requires a deep reliance on God. It's God's work to powerfully incline hearts towards this service and equip them with the necessary gifts.
Understand the original words
deomai · Greek Verb
A command or intense petition directed to God. It involves persistent, earnest seeking of His will, acknowledging that all spiritual results are ultimately dependent on Him.
This command to pray for laborers wasn't an abstract theological statement but a direct response to Jesus observing the vast, unmet spiritual needs of the people around Him. It’s a call to action rooted in compassion and urgency.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Jesus starts teaching, healing, and gathering disciples throughout Galilee. His ministry attracts large crowds, highlighting the spiritual need.
c. AD 28
Jesus Sees Multitudes as Scattered Sheep
Observing the vast crowds, Jesus is moved with compassion because they are distressed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. This emphasizes the urgent need for spiritual guidance.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Identifies Abundant Harvest, Few Laborers
Jesus tells his disciples that the 'harvest is plentiful' but the 'laborers are few,' directly stating the problem of insufficient workers for the massive spiritual need.
c. AD 28
Jesus Commands Prayer for Laborers
In response to the scarcity of workers, Jesus instructs his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest, giving them a specific directive.
Jesus directly echoes this command, telling His disciples to pray for more workers, highlighting the consistent need for laborers in God's kingdom throughout His ministry.
John 4:35Jesus uses the harvest imagery here, stating that the fields are white for harvest, underscoring the urgency and readiness of people to receive the Gospel that necessitates prayer for laborers.
2 Thessalonians 3:1Paul asks the believers to pray for him and others, specifically asking them to pray that the 'word of the Lord may speed on and triumph,' which is a prayer for the effective work of laborers.
Acts 13:2-3This passage shows the early church responding to Jesus' command by praying and fasting, and then sending out Barnabas and Saul, demonstrating how prayer leads to action in commissioning laborers.
clarkeMatthew 9:38: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
That he will send forth laborers - Οπως εκβαλλη εργατας, that he would thrust forth laborers. Those who are fittest for the work are generally most backward to the employment. The man who is forward to become a preacher knows little of God, of human nature, or of his own heart. It is, God's province to thrust out such preachers as shall labor; and it is our duty to entreat him to do so…
pulpitMatthew 9:38: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."
Verse 38. - Pray ye. Express it as your personal need (δεήθητε, here only in the New Testament outside the writings of St. Luke and St. Paul). Therefore. Since more workers are so greatly needed. The Lord of the harvest; cf. Clem. Romans, § 34, who illustrates the thought by a most interesting composite quotation of Isaiah 40:10 (Isaiah 62:11; Proverbs 24:12)and Revelation 22:12. That…
Jesus’ instruction to "pray earnestly" uses a word that implies a deep, heartfelt plea, not just a casual request. He's telling us to ask God to actively thrust or powerfully send out workers into the vast spiritual fields ready for harvest, because it's not a job humans can simply volunteer for or appoint themselves to.
Jesus has just demonstrated his authority to forgive sins and healed a man who was paralyzed, showing that he has the power to address both spiritual and physical ailments. Seeing the crowds' desperation and their need for spiritual guidance, he likens the situation to a vast harvest with far too few workers. Therefore, he instructs his disciples to ask God, the ultimate Lord of this spiritual harvest, to send out more people equipped to labor in bringing in souls.
Jesus has just demonstrated his authority to forgive sins and healed a man who was paralyzed, showing that he has the power to address both spiritual and physical ailments. Seeing the crowds' desperation and their need for spiritual guidance, he likens the situation to a vast harvest with far too few workers. Therefore, he instructs his disciples to ask God, the ultimate Lord of this spiritual harvest, to send out more people equipped to labor in bringing in souls.
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The Disciple's Role: Pleading with God
Our part is to earnestly ask God. We are to bring our need before the 'Lord of the harvest,' acknowledging that He alone can identify, call, and send out faithful individuals equipped for the task.
Jesus doesn't just say 'ask'; he says 'pray earnestly.' What makes this prayer so significant, and why should it be a priority for believers?
The intensity of the command – 'pray earnestly' – reveals the immense value God places on this specific prayer. It’s not a casual request but a fervent plea.
Prayer as God's Chosen Method
Jesus himself initiates this prayer request. This shows that God desires to work through the prayers of His people. He wishes to be moved by our pleas for more workers to engage in His harvest.
Mutual Benefit and Divine Will
When we pray for laborers, we are not only asking for the benefit of the lost souls who will hear the Gospel, but we are also aligning ourselves with God's heart. God's will is for His harvest to be gathered, and He invites us to partner with Him in this through prayer.
Anticipating God's Response
When we pray earnestly, we are acting in faith, trusting that the Lord of the harvest hears and will respond. This prayer prepares the way for God to move, raising up and sending forth those He has chosen and equipped.
c. AD 28
Jesus Commissions the Twelve Apostles
Shortly after instructing his disciples to pray for more laborers, Jesus commissions the twelve apostles, sending them out with authority to preach and heal.
"therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”" — Jesus’ instruction to "pray earnestly" uses a word that implies a deep, heartfelt plea, not just a casual request. He's telling us to ask God to actively thrust or powerfully send out workers into…
