Matthew 9:37 (WEB)
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
Fathers and councils · 26
Origen
“…to are, “The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 37, 38.
Read the whole comment
Augustine of Hippo
“For this is said by the Prophet, in the secret purpose of God, until that ripe harvest which is spoken of in the Gospel, whose salvation is in His Resurrection, who vouchsafed to die for us, shed out our Lord to the earth.” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 37.
Read the whole comment“Whence too it is said in the Gospel, “The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 37.
Read the whole commentChapter XXX.—Of the Section Where It is Recorded, that Being Moved with Compassion for the Multitudes, He Sent His Disciples, Giving Them Power to Work Cures, and Charged Them with Many Instructions, Directing Them…
Read the whole comment
John Chrysostom
“Then saith He unto His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few, pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 36–38. [“will” is unnecessary.—R.]
Read the whole comment“And again, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.”” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 37; Luke x. 2.
Read the whole comment
Clement of Alexandria
“If, then, “the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers few,” it is incumbent on us “to pray” that there may be as great abundance of labourers as possible.” — editor's note: Matt. ix. 37, 38; Luke x. 2.
Read the whole comment
Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord would refute by actions the charge of the Pharisees, who said, “He casteth out daemons by the “Prince of the daemons;” for a daemon having suffered rebuke, does not return good but evil to those who have not…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Observe how equally in villages, cities, and towns, that is to great as well as small, He preaches the Gospel, not respecting the might of the noble, but the salvation of those that believe. It follows, “Teaching in…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
He taught in their synagogues the Gospel of the Kingdom, as it follows, “Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.”
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Understand, ‘of God;’ for though temporal blessings are also proclaimed, yet they are not called The Gospel. Hence the Law was not called a Gospel, because to such as kept it, it held out not heavenly, but earthly,…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
He first preached and taught, and then proceeded to heal sicknesses, that the works might convince those who would not believe the words. Hence it follows, “Healing every sickness and every disease,” for to Him alone…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
By “disease” we may understand complaints of long standing, by “sickness” any lesser infirmity.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
It should be known that those whom He healed outwardly in their bodies, He also healed inwardly in their souls. Others cannot do this of their own power, but can by God’s grace.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Nor does Christ’s goodness rest here, but He manifests His care for them, opening the bowels of His mercy towards them; whence it follows, “And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion upon them.”
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Herein Christ shews in Himself the disposition of the good shepherd and not that of the hireling. Why He pitied them is added, “because there were troubled, and sick as sheep that have no shepherd — troubled either…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, “troubled,” by daemons, and “sick,” that is, benumbed and unable to rise; as though they had shepherds, yet they were as though they had them not.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
This is an accusation against the rulers of the Jews, that being shepherds they appeared like wolves; not only not improving the multitude, but hindering their progress. For when the multitude marvelled and said, “It…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
But when the Son of God looked down from heaven upon the earth, to hear the groans of the captives [Ps 102:19], straight a great harvest began to ripen; for the multitude of the human race would never have come near…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
The harvest are those men who can be reaped by the preachers, and separated from the number of the damned, as grain is beaten out from the chaff that it may be laid up in granaries.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The great harvest denotes the multitude of the people; the few labourers, the want of instructors.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
For the number of the Apostles was small in comparison of so great crops to be reaped. The Lord exhorts His preachers, that is, the Apostles and their followers, that they should daily desire an increase of their…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He privately insinuates Himself to be the Lord; for it is He Himself who is Lord of the harvest. For if He sent the Apostles to reap what they had not sown, it is manifest that He sent them not to reap the things of…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, He then increased their number when He chose the seventy and two, and then when many preachers were made what time the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He shews us that it is a great gift that one should have the power of rightly preaching, in that He tells them that they ought to pray for it. Also we are here reminded of the words of John concerning the…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Figuratively; When salvation was given to the Gentiles, then all cities and towns were enlightened by the power and entrance of Christ, and escaped every former sickness and infirmity. The Lord pities the people…
Read the whole comment
Cross-references · 9
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 9:36–38 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.
Cited together in Against Celsus I.62.