θεριστής (theristēs)
theristēs
reaper
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun theristēs simply means "reaper" or "harvester." It describes the person who gathers in the crop, distinct from the one who plants or sows. In the New Testament, this word appears only twice, both within the same parable in Matthew 13.
In Matthew 13:30 and 13:39, Jesus uses theristēs to illustrate the end of the age. The reapers are identified as angels who execute God’s judgment by separating the wheat from the weeds. This usage highlights a specific role within agricultural labor: the final collection that brings the work to its conclusion.
The term derives directly from the verb therizō, meaning "to reap." By focusing on the worker rather than the action, the word personifies the agents of harvest. In this context, it underscores the authority given to these figures to complete the task assigned to them, marking the transition from growth to judgment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for "reaper" in Greek is theristēs. It describes the one who gathers the crop at the end of the season. In Matthew 13, Jesus uses this image to explain how God will bring history to its close. The reapers are not farmers planting seeds; they are the ones who finish the work by separating what belongs together.
This picture reminds us that God’s timing is perfect. We do not need to worry about judging others or forcing outcomes in our own lives. That final separation is handled by angels, as Jesus said in Matthew 13:39. Our role is simply to grow faithfully while we wait. This brings peace, knowing that justice belongs to God alone.
When life feels chaotic or unfair, this truth offers comfort. The harvest will come, and every deed will be seen. We can rest in the knowledge that God’s plan will succeed without our interference. Trusting in His timing allows us to focus on living with integrity today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the harvesters1×
- harvesters;1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- θερισταῖς·1×
- θερισταὶ1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
This verse shows the reapers receiving direct orders to separate weeds from wheat, highlighting their role as executors of a specific divine command rather than independent judges.
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Matthew 13:39
The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
Here Jesus explicitly identifies the reapers as angels, clarifying that the final judgment at the end of the age is carried out by heavenly beings under God's authority.