Mateusza 9:38 Komentarz

We have in this chapter remarkable instances of the power and pity of the Lord Jesus, sufficient to convince us that he is both able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, and as willing as he is able. His power and pity appear here in the good offices he did, I. To the bodies of people, in curing the palsy (Mat 9:2-8); raising to life the ruler's daughter, and healing the bloody issue (Mat 9:18-26); giving sight to two blind men (Mat 9:27-31); casting the devil out of one possessed (Mat 9:32-34); and healing all manner of sickness (Mat 9:35). II. To the souls of people; in forgiving sins (Mat 9:2); calling Matthew, and conversing freely with publicans and sinners (Mat 9:9-13); considering the frame of his disciples, with reference to the duty of fasting (Mat 9:14-17); preaching the gospel, and, in compassion to the multitude, providing preachers for them (Mat 9:35-38). Thus did he prove himself to be, as undoubtedly he is, the skilful, faithful Physician, both of soul and body, who has sufficient remedies for all the maladies of both: for which we must, therefore, apply ourselves to him, and glorify him both with our bodies and with our spirits, which are his, in return to him for his kindness to both.

And he entered into a ship,.... Or "the ship", the selfsame ship he came over in, with his disciples. The Gergesenes, or Gadarenes, or both, having desired him to depart their coasts, showing an unwillingness to receive him, and an uneasiness at his company, he immediately turned his back upon them, as an ungrateful people, being no better than their swine; and who, by their conduct, judged themselves unworthy of his presence, ministry, and miracles: he returned to the sea side, took shipping, and passed over the sea of Tiberias again, and came into his own city; not Bethlehem, where he was born, nor Nazareth, as Jerom thought, where he was educated, but Capernaum, as is clear from Mar 2:1 where he much dwelt, frequently conversed, and his disciples: here he paid tribute as an inhabitant, or citizen of the place, which he was entitled to by only dwelling in it twelve months, according to the Jewish canons; where it is asked (d), "how long shall a man be in a city ere he is as the men of the city? It is answered, "twelve months"; but if he purchases a dwelling house, he is as the men of the city immediately;'' that is, he is a citizen, and obliged to all charges and offices, as they are: though they seem to make a distinction between an inhabitant and a citizen (e). "A man is not reckoned , "as the children of the city", or as one of the citizens, in less than twelve months, but he may be called, or accounted, , "as one of the inhabitants" of the city, if he stays there thirty days.'' One or other of these Christ had done, which denominated this city to be his, and he to be either an inhabitant, or a citizen of it. (d) Misn. Bava Bathra, c. 1. sect. 5. (e) Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 112. 1.

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 troubled with the violence of the unclean Spirit, and sick under the burden of the Law, and having no shepherd at hand to bestow on them the guardianship of the Holy Spirit. But of that gift there was a most abundant fruit, whose plenty far exceeded the multitude of those that drank thereof; how many soever take of it, yet an inexhaustible supply remains; and because it is profitable that there should be many to minister it, He bids us ask the Lord of the harvest, that God would provide a supply of reapers for the ministration of that gift of the Holy Spirit which was made ready; for by prayer this gift is poured out upon us from God.

Then to signify how great the gift is, He saith, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest;" and indirectly declares it to be His own prerogative. For after having said, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest;" when they had not made any entreaty nor prayer, He Himself at once ordains them, reminding them also of the sayings of John, of the threshing floor, and of the Person winnowing, and of the chaff, and of the wheat. Whence it is evident that Himself is the husbandman, Himself the Lord of the harvest, Himself the master and owner of the prophets. For if He sent them to reap, clearly it was not to reap what belongs to another, but what Himself had sown by the prophets. But not in this way only was He indirectly encouraging them, in calling their ministry a harvest; but also by making them able for the ministry.

And not even at this doth He stop, but He exhibits also another instance of His forethought. That is, "When He saw," it is said, "the multitudes, He was moved with compassion on them, because they were troubled, and scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 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." See again His freedom from vainglory. That He may not draw all men unto Himself, He sends out His disciples. And not with this view only, but that He might also teach them, after practising in Palestine, as in a sort of training-school, to strip themselves for their conflicts with the world. For this purpose then He makes the exercises even more serious than the actual conflicts, so far as pertained to their own virtue; that they might more easily engage in the struggles that were to ensue; as it were a sort of tender nestlings whom He was at length leading out to fly. And for the present He makes them physicians of bodies, dispensing to them afterwards the cure of the soul, which is the principal thing. And mark how He points out the facility and necessity of the thing. For what saith He? "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few." That is, "not to the sowing," saith He, "but to the reaping do I send you." Which in John He expressed by, "Other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." And these things he said, at once repressing their pride, and preparing them to be of good courage, and signifying that the greater part of the labor came first. But of what laborers doth He speak here? Of the twelve disciples. What then? whereas He had said, "But the laborers are few," did He add to their number? By no means, but He sent them out alone. Wherefore then did He say, "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth laborers into His harvest; and made no addition to their number? Because though they were but twelve, He made them many from that time forward, not by adding to their number, but by giving them power.

(Verse 37, 38.) Indeed, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. The abundant harvest signifies the multitude of people, while the few laborers represent a shortage of workers. And it is commanded to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. These are the laborers whom the Psalmist speaks of, saying: Those who sow in tears will reap with joy. Going forth, they went and wept, carrying their seeds. But when they come, they will come with joy, carrying their sheaves (Psalm 126:7-8). And to speak more plainly, the abundant harvest is the entire crowd of believers. However, the workers are few, like the apostles and those who imitate them and are sent to the harvest.

But when the Son of God looked down from heaven upon the earth, to hear the groans of the captives, straight a great harvest began to ripen; for the multitude of the human race would never have come near to the faith, had not the Author of human salvation looked down from heaven; and it follows, Then said he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few. 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 number; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 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.

But consider, dearest brothers, consider what is said: "Pray the Lord of the harvest, that he send laborers into his harvest." Petition on our behalf, that we may be able to work worthily for you, lest our tongue grow sluggish from exhortation, lest after we have taken up the place of preaching, our silence condemn us before the just judge. For often the tongue of preachers is restrained because of their own wickedness; but often indeed it happens through the fault of those subject to them that the word of preaching is withdrawn from those who are in charge. Indeed the tongue of preachers is restrained because of their own wickedness, as the Psalmist says: "But to the sinner God said: Why do you declare my justices?" And again, because of the fault of those subject to them, the voice of preachers is forbidden, as the Lord says to Ezekiel: "I will make your tongue cleave to your palate, and you shall be mute, and not as a man who rebukes, because it is a provoking house." As if he were to say openly: Therefore the word of preaching is taken from you, because while the people provoke me in their actions, they are not worthy to receive the exhortation of truth. From whose fault, therefore, the word is withdrawn from the preacher is not easily known. But it is known most certainly that the silence of the Pastor sometimes harms himself, but always harms those subject to him.

"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." The multitude in need of healing He calls the "harvest," and those who ought to teach them, "labourers." The "Lord of the harvest" is Christ Himself Who is Lord of prophets and apostles. This is made clear when He ordains the twelve without petitioning God.

And what? Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest. When we have a deficiency, we should have recourse to God, since the office of preaching is obtained only by prayers. For the one who sends laborers is the Lord. Hence he says in John (4:38): "I have sent you." And he asks that he be asked, so that merit be accumulated by us, as we pray for the salvation of others. Likewise, he ordained it this way in order that the holiness of others may benefit still others, as it says in 1 Peter (4:10): "As each has received his gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." Hence he wishes that whatever grace and holiness they have received, they confer on others; and he, being asked, hears. For he asks that he be asked to send them: "How will they preach, unless they are sent?" (Rom 10:15). For the authority is acquired, as well as the grace; hence 2 Corinthians (5:14): "For the charity of Christ presses us." Again, Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers, not mercenaries, who cause harm by bad example, into his harvest, i.e., God's harvest. Mercenaries are not sent into God's harvest, but into their own; because they do not seek God's glory, but their own profit.

MATTHEW'S CALL AND FEAST. ( = Mar 2:14-17; Luk 5:27-32). (Mat 9:9-13) And as Jesus passed forth from thence--that is, from the scene of the paralytic's cure in Capernaum, towards the shore of the Sea of Galilee, on which that town lay. Mark, as usual, pictures the scene more in detail, thus (Mar 2:13): "And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them"--or, "kept teaching them." "And as He passed by" he saw a man, named Matthew--the writer of this precious Gospel, who here, with singular modesty and brevity, relates the story of his own calling. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi, which seems to have been his family name. In their lists of the twelve apostles, however, Mark and Luke give him the name of Matthew, which seems to have been the name by which he was known as a disciple. While he himself sinks his family name, he is careful not to sink his occupation, the obnoxious associations with which he would place over against the grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle. (See on Mat 10:3). Mark alone tells us (Mar 2:14) that he was "the son of AlphÃ&brvbrus"--the same, probably, with the father of James the Less. From this and other considerations it is pretty certain that he must at least have heard of our Lord before this meeting. Unnecessary doubts, even from an early period, have been raised about the identity of Levi and Matthew. No capable jury, with the evidence before them which we have in the Gospels, would hesitate in giving a unanimous verdict of identity. sitting at the receipt of custom--as a publican, which Luke (Luk 5:27) calls him. It means the place of receipt, the toll house or booth in which the collector sat. Being in this case by the seaside, it might be the ferry tax for the transit of persons and goods across the lake, which he collected. (See on Mat 5:46). and he saith unto him, Follow me--Witching words these, from the lips of Him who never employed them without giving them resistless efficacy in the hearts of those they were spoken to. And he--"left all" (Luk 5:28), "arose and followed him." The Feast (Mat 9:10-13).

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest--the great Lord and Proprietor of all. Compare Joh 15:1, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman." that he will send forth labourers into his harvest--The word properly means "thrust forth"; but this emphatic sense disappears in some places, as in Mat 9:25, and Joh 10:4 --"When He putteth forth His own sheep." (See on Mat 4:1). Next: Matthew Chapter 10