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MATTHEW 9:38 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
Matt 9:37Matt 10
“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. The command before the sending: pray. The disciples are not yet commissioned to go; they are first commanded to pray for the sending of laborers — including themselves. The prayer shapes the posture of those who will be sent: they go as those who have been praying for the mission they are part of, as those who recognize that the harvest belongs to the Lord and the sending is his act. The earnestly pray is the same ask-seek-knock of Matthew 7:7 applied to the specific need of the harvest. Chapter 10 will be the answer to the prayer of chapter 9:38 — Jesus sends the very disciples who have been praying.

Church Fathers on Matthew 9:38

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 shewn him honour. But the Lord on the other hand, when He had suffered blasphemy and contumely, not only does not punish, but does not utter a hard speech, yea He shews kindness to them that did it, as it here follows, 'And Jesus went about all their towns and…

Chrysostom · 4th century

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 their synagogues;' this was His meat, going about to do the will of His Father, and saving by His teaching such as yet believed not.

Jerome · 4th century

He taught in their synagogues the Gospel of the Kingdom, as it follows, 'Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.'

Gloss (Glossa Ordinaria) · medieval compilation · non occ.
Read all 19 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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Matthew 9:38 — Community Reflections | HolyStudy