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Mat 9:38. Δεήθητε, pray ye) See of how great value prayers are. The Lord of the harvest Himself wishes Himself to be moved by them. More blessings, without doubt, would accrue to the human race, if more men would, on men’s behalf,[437] meet the ever ready will of GOD. See Gnomon on 1Ti 2:3. The reaping and sowing is for our advantage. The Lord Himself exhorts us to entreat Him. He prevents us, that He may teach us to prevent Him.[438] (Cf. Joh 16:5.) And forthwith, whilst He is commanding us to pray, He implants the desire, to which it is He too that hearkens. See ch. Mat 10:1. These same persons who are commanded to pray [for labourers], are presently appointed labourers themselves (ibid.)-Κυρίου, the Lord) see ch. Mat 10:1, Mat 13:37. Christ is the Lord of the harvest.-ὄπως ἐκβάλλῃ,[439] to send forth) ἐκβάλλειν[440] does not always imply force, as it does in Mat 9:33.
[437] Those who are nearer to God praying in behalf of those who are further removed from Him.-V. g.
[438] Prevent is here used in the old Engl. sense of anticipate, be before another in doing a thing; as in the Book of Common Prayer, “Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour.” God would have us also, as it were, prevent Him, or be the first to ask those things, which He really knoweth and willeth to give us before we either desire or ask them, Isa 41:21; Isa 43:26.-ED.
[439] E. M. ἐκβάλῃ.-(I. B.)
[440] See Author’s Preface. Sect. xiv. and footnotes.-(I. B.)