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How were the crowds "harassed and helpless"? (Matthew 9:35–38)
The Workers Are Few 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35 - 38
ESV - 35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
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Asked November 04 2019
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Jack Gutknecht
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Tim Maas
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I would say that, by characterizing the people as "harassed and helpless", the evangelist was saying that they were without firm or correct spiritual guidance on the part of the existing religious establishment (as illustrated by the many criticisms that Jesus directed at the scribes and Pharisees -- who were supposed to be leading the people to God, and serving as examples of His holiness in their lives and actions -- for their corruption and hypocrisy), and were thus leaving the people vulnerable to false teachers and to the efforts of Satan and his demonic followers to draw them away from God.
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