Bible Word Study
θεριστής
theristēs · a reaper, harvester
θεριστής
a reaper, harvester
Definition
θεριστής (theristēs) refers specifically to a 'reaper' or 'harvester,' a person who cuts and gathers ripe grain at harvest time. In the New Testament, it is used both literally and metaphorically. In its literal sense, it describes the agricultural laborers in the Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:30). Metaphorically, Jesus identifies the 'reapers' as angels who will separate the righteous from the wicked at the end of the age (Matthew 13:39), giving the word a strong eschatological meaning.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the New Testament, both times in the Gospel of Matthew within the same parable (Matthew 13). In Matthew 13:30, it is used literally for the human reapers who gather the wheat into the barn. In Matthew 13:39, Jesus explicitly reinterprets the term metaphorically, stating 'the reapers are angels.' This dual usage within one teaching illustrates Jesus' method of using everyday imagery to explain spiritual realities.
Etymology
Derived from the verb θερίζω (therizō, G2325), meaning 'to reap' or 'to harvest.' The noun ending -τής indicates an agent, so θεριστής literally means 'one who reaps.' It is related to θέρος (theros), the Greek word for 'summer' or 'harvest time,' grounding it firmly in the agricultural cycle.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is directly tied to Jesus' teaching on final judgment. The metaphorical identification of reapers as angels (Matthew 13:39) underscores God's agency in separating good from evil at the consummation of the kingdom. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the deliberate contrast between the human activity in the parable and the divine action it represents, emphasizing themes of divine sovereignty, judgment, and the culmination of God's redemptive work. In the first-century agrarian society of Palestine, the harvest was a critical, labor-intensive season. Reapers were hired workers who used sickles to cut grain stalks. This was familiar, vivid imagery for Jesus' audience. The modern reader might miss the urgency and communal effort implied, as harvest was a time of decisive action where the crop was either successfully gathered or lost. ἐργάτης (ergatēs, G2040) — a more general term for 'worker' or 'laborer,' which could include but is not specific to reaping. θερίζω (therizō, G2325) — the verb 'to reap,' describing the action rather than the person.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]