Sermon LI.
[CI. Ben.]
On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. 2, “The harvest truly is plenteous,” etc.
1. By the lesson of the Gospel which has just been read, we are reminded to search what
that harvest is of which the Lord says, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few.
Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.”3262
Then to His twelve disciples, whom He also named Apostles, He added other seventy-two,
and sent them all, as appears from His words, to the harvest then ready. What then was that
harvest? For that harvest was not among these Gentiles, among whom there had been
nothing sown. It remains therefore that we understand that this harvest was among the
people of the Jews. It was to that harvest that the Lord of the harvest came, to that harvest
He sent reapers; but to the Gentiles He sent not reapers, but sowers. Understand we then
that it was harvest among the people of the Jews, sowing time among the peoples of the
Gentiles. For out of that harvest were the Apostles chosen, where now that the harvest was,
the corn was already ripe; for there had the Prophets sown. Delightful it is to take a view of
God’s husbandry, and to feel delight in His gifts, and the labourers in His field. For in this
husbandry did he labour, who said, “I laboured more than they all.” 3263 But the strength
to labour was given him by the Lord of the harvest. Therefore he added, “Yet it is not I, but
the grace of God which is with me.” For that he was employed in this husbandry he clearly
enough shows, where he says, “I have planted, Apollos watered.”3264 But this Apostle, from
Saul, becoming Paul, that is, from being proud, the least of all (for the name of Saul is derived
from Saul; but Paul is little; whence in a way interpreting his own name, he says, “I am the
least of the Apostles”3265: this Paul I say, the little, and the least, sent unto the Gentiles, says
that he was sent particularly to the Gentiles. He himself so writes, we read, believe, preach
it. He then in his Epistle to the Galatians says, that having been now called by the Lord Jesus,
he came to Jerusalem, and “communicated the Gospel”3266 unto the Apostles, that their
right hands were given to him, the sign of harmony, the sign of agreement, that what they
had learnt from him differed in no respect from them. Afterwards he says that it was agreed
between him and them, that he should go to the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision,
he as a sower, they as reapers. So also with good reason, though they knew it not, did the
Athenians give him his name. For as they heard the word from him, they said, “Who is this
sower of words?”3267
3262 Luke x. 2.
3263 1 Cor. xv. 10.
3264 1 Cor. iii. 6.
3265 1 Cor. xv. 9.
3266 Gal. ii. 1, etc.
3267 Acts xvii. 18. σπερμολόγος.
On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. 2, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous,’ etc.
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On the words of the Gospel, Luke x. 2, ‘The harvest truly is plenteous,’…