tired out) walking with difficulty ; a word especially suitable to this passage, concerning which see the Gnomon Mark v. 35. The reading, IxXs/.y/ilvo/, is clearly deficient in authority.1 — ippifApsvoi, cast down) i.e. lying down. A further step in the path of misery,2 and yet such a condition is already the prelude of approaching help. Cf. concerning the harvest, John iv. 35. — utfsi xp6(3cx.ra pr) i^ovra KoifAeva, as sheep not having a shepherd) Cf Num. xxvii. 17, S. V. — uaii xpofiaTot, oJc, o-ix, sen voi^r^ as sheep for whom there is not a shepherd. — voi^rtv is properly a shepherd of sheep. Concerning sheep, cf. ch. x. 6.
37. 'O [j,iv dzpiffpbs, x.r.X., The harvest indeed, etc.) He repeated the same words3 to the Seventy ; see Luke x. 2. — ^s^/^aoc, harvest) i.e. in the New Testament, for in the Old Testament it was the time for sowing. See John iv. 35, 36. And again, the present time is the season of sowing ; the end of the world the harvest. — croXi)?, plenteous) See ch. x. 23. — l^yccra/, labourers) Fit persons to whom the work should be entrusted.
38. Asjjfljjre, 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,4 meet the ever ready will of GOD. See Gnomon on 1 Tim. ii. 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.5 (Cf. John xvi. 5.) And forthwith,
1 E. M. IxAeAiYtfKo/.— (I. B.)
BCDabc (' vexati') Vulg. Hil. read iex.v'h/ufvor. d, ' fatigati.' Rec. Text has i&tehvftsvot, evidently a marginal gloss to get rid of the strange expres sion, fax.vhp.fvoi. 2xii>iA<a Th. o-xtiAof, torn off skin, as exuvice from exuo. Here, worn out, as tired sheep, with the (foprtoe, of the Pharisees. — ED.
2 In this condition properly are those, who are destitute of the knowledge of Christ.— V. g.
3 After the lapse of a year.— B. H. E. p. 288.
4 Those who are nearer to God praying in behalf of those who are further removed from Him. — V. g.
6 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. xli. 21, xliii. 26.— ED.