Matthew 9:37–38

Commentary on Matthew 9:37–38

Matthew 9:37–38 “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

For context, read Matthew chapters 9 and 10[i].

1. Concise Takeaway

Jesus reveals both the abundance of gospel opportunity and the scarcity of gospel workers. His command is not first to go, but to pray. Prayer is the engine of mission, and mission is the natural fruit of prayer. The Lord himself raises, shapes, and sends workers into his own harvest.

2. Exegetical Commentary

🌾 The Immediate Context: Matthew 9:35–36

Matthew presents Jesus moving through cities and villages, teaching, preaching, and healing.

Matthew 9:35 “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”

Jesus’ ministry is comprehensive: word and deed, proclamation and compassion. Matthew then records Jesus’ emotional response:

Matthew 9:36 “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”

The Greek verb for “moved with compassion” (splagchnizomai) expresses deep, visceral concern. Jesus sees not merely physical need but spiritual lostness. The people are “sheep having no shepherd”—a phrase echoing Ezekiel 34, where God condemns Israel’s failed shepherds and promises to shepherd his people himself.

🌾 The Harvest Metaphor

Jesus shifts from pastoral imagery (sheep) to agricultural imagery (harvest). The “harvest” is God’s gathering of people into his kingdom through the proclamation of the gospel.

Matthew 9:37 “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.”

The problem is not the lack of opportunity. The problem is the lack of workers. Jesus’ assessment is both encouraging and confronting. The kingdom is advancing. God is at work. But human participation is lacking.

🌾 The Command to Pray

Jesus’ solution is surprising.

Matthew 9:38 “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”

Before sending workers, Jesus commands prayer. The Lord of the harvest is God himself. The mission belongs to him. Workers are not self-appointed; they are God-appointed. The verb “send forth” (ekballō) is forceful—literally “to thrust out.” God does not merely invite workers; he propels them.

🌾 The Narrative Flow into Matthew 10

Matthew 10 shows the immediate answer to the prayer Jesus commands. Jesus sends the twelve apostles.

Matthew 10:1 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

The disciples become the first labourers in the harvest. The pattern is clear:

1. Jesus sees the need.
2. Jesus commands prayer.
3. Jesus sends workers.
4. Jesus equips those he sends.

This pattern continues in the life of the church.

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3. Theological Teaching

1. God is sovereign over mission

He is “the Lord of the harvest.” Mission is not a human initiative but a divine one. God prepares the harvest, raises workers, and empowers them.

2. Prayer precedes mission

Jesus does not say, “The harvest is plenteous, therefore go.” He says, “The harvest is plenteous, therefore pray.” Prayer aligns the church with God’s purposes and opens hearts to obedience.

3. Compassion fuels mission

Jesus’ compassion (Matthew 9:36) is the emotional foundation of mission. Evangelism is not driven by guilt or pressure but by Christlike compassion for the lost.

4. Workers are few because willingness is rare

The scarcity of labourers reflects the cost of discipleship. Matthew 10 outlines persecution, hardship, and sacrifice. Workers must be prepared to follow Christ in suffering.

5. Mission is holistic

Jesus’ ministry combines teaching, preaching, and healing. The church’s mission includes proclamation of the gospel and acts of mercy.

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4. Application to Modern Christian Living

🌱 1. Cultivate a heart like Jesus

Ask God to help you see people as Jesus sees them—lost, weary, and in need of a shepherd. Compassion is not natural; it is a work of the Spirit.

🌱 2. Pray intentionally for gospel workers

Make Matthew 9:38 a regular prayer. Pray for:

• pastors
• missionaries
• evangelists
• chaplains
• Christian teachers
• everyday believers in workplaces and neighbourhoods

Pray for God to raise workers from your own church.

🌱 3. Be open to being the answer to your own prayer

Often, those who pray for workers become workers themselves. Ask God whether he is calling you to serve in a new way.

🌱 4. Support gospel work

If you are not called to go, you are called to support those who do. Support through:

• prayer
• financial giving
• encouragement
• hospitality
• practical help

🌱 5. Live missionally in ordinary life

The harvest is not only overseas. It is in workplaces, schools, sporting clubs, and neighbourhoods. Look for opportunities to speak of Christ with gentleness and respect.

🌱 6. Trust God’s sovereignty

The Lord of the harvest is responsible for results. Our task is faithfulness; his task is fruitfulness.

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5. Meditation Guide

Meditation 1: Seeing as Jesus Sees

Read Matthew 9:36. Reflect on someone in your life who seems “as sheep having no shepherd.” Pray for compassion that moves you to action.

Meditation 2: Praying as Jesus Commands

Read Matthew 9:38. Spend time praying for specific workers in gospel ministry. Ask God to raise new workers in your church.

Meditation 3: Going as Jesus Sends

Read Matthew 10:1 and Matthew 10:16. Consider where God may be sending you today. Ask for courage, wisdom, and love.

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[i] Matthew 9-10

King James Version

9 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.

2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.

9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?

15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.

17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,

24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.

26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.

33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

10 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.

13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain