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Matthew 9:35-38

35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every
disease and every sickness among the people. 36. And when he saw the
multitudes, he was moved with compassion towards them, because they
were destitute and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd. 37. Then
he saith to his disciples, The harvest is indeed abundant, but the
laborers are few. 38. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, to
send forth laborers into his harvest.


Matthew 9:35. And Jesus went about This statement is made by way of
anticipating an objection, and is intended to inform us that the whole
ministry of Christ is not minutely described: for he was constantly
employed in the discharge of his office; that is, in proclaiming the
doctrine of salvation, and in confirming it by the addition of
miracles. The gospel of the kingdom, we have already said, is a
designation given to it from its effect, [533] for in this way God
gathered to himself a people sadly scattered, that he might reign in
the midst of them; and, indeed, he erected his throne for the express
purpose of bestowing on all his people perfect happiness. Yet let us
remember that we must be subject to God, in order that we may be
exalted by him to the heavenly glory.

36. He was moved with compassion towards them Hence we infer, first,
how great was the indolence of the priests, who, though they were
scattered over the whole country, in order to enlighten the people with
heavenly doctrine, were slow-bellies, (Titus 1:12.) True, they boasted
that they were superintendents of the people; and the number of those
who gloried in that title was not small. Yet not one of them does
Christ own to be a pastor. A similar confusion may now be observed in
Popery, though it is full of persons who are called pastors: for there
is a prodigious crowd of those who under the name of clergy, eat up the
flock. They are dumb dogs, (Isaiah 56:10,) and yet are not ashamed to
make a vehement sound about their hierarchy. But we must listen to the
voice of Christ, who declares, that where there are no laborers there
are no shepherds, and that those sheep are wandering and scattered
which are not collected into the fold of God by the doctrine of the
gospel. His being moved with compassion proves him to be the faithful
servant of the Father in promoting the salvation of his people, for
whose sake he had clothed himself with our flesh. Now that he has been
received into heaven, he does not retain the same feelings to which he
chose to be liable in this mortal life: yet he has not left off the
care of his church, but looks after his wandering sheep, or rather, he
gathers his flock which had been cruelly chased and torn by the wolves.

37. The harvest is indeed abundant By this metaphor he intimates, that
many of the people are ripe for receiving the gospel. Though the
greater number afterwards rejected basely and with vile ingratitude the
salvation offered to them, yet the limited number of the elect, who
were mixed with unbelievers, is compared to an abundant harvest,
because God values a small band of his own people more highly than the
rest of the world. Though there were at that time many who assumed this
character, yet as few of them discharged it faithfully, he does not
rank them among laborers: for he employs the word laborers in a good
sense. When Paul complains (2 Corinthians 2:13) of bad laborers, he
refers to their boasting: for he would not have bestowed the
designation of laborers [534] on those who devoted all their exertions
to ruin and waste the flock, had it not been that they gloried in the
false pretense.

38. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest As no man will of himself
become a sincere and faithful minister of the gospel, and as none
discharge in a proper manner the office of teacher but those whom the
Lord raises up and endows with the gifts of his Spirit, whenever we
observe a scarcity of pastors, we must raise our eyes to him to afford
the remedy. There never was greater necessity for offering this prayer
than during the fearful desolation of the church which we now see every
where around us.
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[533] "a cause de l'effect et du fruict qui s'en ensuit;" -- "on
account of the effect and of the fruit which follows from it.

[534] ergatai dolioi, deceitful workmen.