Who said "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few"?

In Matthew 9:37, when Jesus expressed that "the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few," He was using a vivid metaphor that relates beautifully to agricultural practices, which were central to His culture. The image of an abundant harvest speaks to the richness of divine opportunities available for goodness, healing, and restoration in the world. In essence, Jesus was highlighting not just a scarcity of workers, but perhaps also a challenge to human engagement – calls for active participation in the stewardship of the Earth and uplifting one another.

Interestingly, this sentiment resonates with ancient agricultural expressions in cultures around the Mediterranean. For instance, in ancient Jewish tradition, there was a yearly festival called the Feast of Weeks (or Shavuot) that celebrated the first fruits of the harvest. Jesus linking laborers to the harvest gently urges a community response to the divine calling. Just as in a harvest, where timing and collaboration are everything, so too in the pursuit of social justice, compassion, and unity these qualities are vital.

Beyond just being a call to action, this teaching also embodies a broader theme found particularly in the Gospels: inclusion. The “few” called to serve invites an expansion, encouraging diverse talents and backgrounds to meet the pressing needs around hard times and spiritual thirst. In every age, these words remind us that there is an incredible opportunity to reconnect people to that which nourishes the soul!