### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word θεριστής (theristḗs - `{{G2327}}`) is an agent noun derived directly from the verb θερίζω (therizō - `{{G2325}}`), which means "to reap" or "to harvest." Consequently, θεριστής signifies "one who reaps" or "a harvester," a "reaper." Its semantic range is quite narrow, referring specifically to the individual engaged in the agricultural act of gathering a crop, particularly grain, at harvest time. The term inherently carries the connotation of an agent performing a crucial task at a specific, designated time, bringing a process to its culmination.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term θεριστής appears exclusively in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically within the Parable of the Weeds (or Tares) in the field. Its two occurrences are:
* **[[Matthew 13:30]]**: "Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, 'Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'" Here, the reapers are given instructions for the final separation and collection.
* **[[Matthew 13:39]]**: "The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels." This verse provides the crucial interpretative key for the parable, explicitly identifying the reapers.
In this context, the θερισταί are not human laborers but divine agents—angels—who execute God's will at the "end of the age" (συντέλεια τοῦ αἰῶνος). Their role is one of separation and judgment: distinguishing between the "sons of the kingdom" (the wheat) and the "sons of the evil one" (the weeds). The reapers are instruments of divine justice, tasked with gathering the righteous into God's kingdom and consigning the wicked to judgment. The imagery is profoundly eschatological, pointing to a future, decisive divine intervention.
### Related Words & Concepts
The conceptual field surrounding θεριστής is rich with agricultural and eschatological imagery:
* **θερίζω (therizō - `{{G2325}}`)**: The root verb, meaning "to reap" or "to harvest." This action is central to the identity of the θεριστής.
* **θερισμός (therismos - `{{G2326}}`)**: The noun for "harvest," referring to the act of reaping or the crop itself. In [[Matthew 13:39]], the harvest is explicitly identified as "the end of the age."
* **σπείρω (speirō - `{{G4687}}`)**: "To sow." This contrasts with reaping, representing the initial phase of planting before the final gathering.
* **δρέπανον (drepanon - `{{G1408}}`)**: The "sickle," the tool used by the reaper, appearing in Revelation's harvest imagery ([[Revelation 14:14-19]]).
* **Angels (ἄγγελος - angelos - `{{G32}}`)**: Explicitly identified as the reapers in [[Matthew 13:39]], underscoring their role as divine messengers and executors of God's will.
* **Judgment and Separation**: The core action of the reapers is to separate the wheat from the weeds, a pervasive biblical theme of divine judgment and the ultimate distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of θεριστής is profound, primarily rooted in its eschatological context in Matthew 13.
1. **Divine Agency in Judgment**: The reapers are not autonomous but act under divine command. Their identification as "angels" underscores that the final separation and judgment at the end of the age are not human endeavors but a direct work of God, executed through His heavenly agents. This highlights God's sovereignty over history and destiny.
2. **The Inevitability of Final Separation**: The imagery of the harvest implies a definitive and unavoidable separation. Just as a farmer separates the valuable crop from the worthless weeds, so too will God distinguish between those who are truly His and those who are not. This separation is not arbitrary but based on the nature of the "seed" sown and the "fruit" produced.
3. **The Consummation of History**: The "harvest" is explicitly identified as "the end of the age." This signifies that history is moving towards a divinely appointed climax, where all things will be brought to account. The reapers are active participants in this culmination, bringing God's purposes to fruition.
4. **Justice and Retribution**: The fate of the weeds—being bound and burned—speaks to divine retribution for evil. Conversely, the gathering of the wheat into the barn signifies the eternal security and blessing for the righteous. The reapers are therefore instruments of both justice and salvation.
5. **Call to Discernment and Righteous Living**: While the reapers are angels, the parable implicitly calls believers to live as "wheat"—to bear good fruit and remain faithful—in anticipation of this final, discerning act. The presence of both wheat and weeds until the harvest also teaches patience and trust in God's timing for judgment.
### Summary
The Greek term θεριστής (theristḗs - `{{G2327}}`) literally denotes "a reaper" or "harvester," derived from the verb "to reap." Its sole New Testament occurrences in [[Matthew 13:30]] and [[Matthew 13:39]] are highly significant. In the Parable of the Weeds, θεριστής specifically refers to the angels who are identified as the agents of God's final separation and judgment at "the end of the age." These divine reapers are tasked with gathering the righteous into God's kingdom and consigning the wicked to destruction. Thus, θεριστής is a term imbued with profound eschatological meaning, signifying the divine agency, the inevitability of separation, and the ultimate consummation of God's justice and salvation at the close of history.
TRV