¶4:31-42 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
4:32, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. ~ For Jesus, natural food may nourish the physical body, but the soul is nourished by doing the will of the Father. Jesus said: in v34, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work’. 4:34, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. ~ One is reminded of Christ’s words, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the month of God” (Matt 4:4). Christ spoke of the nourishment of the spirit. Oh, how Christians could advance the Kingdom of God is only that meant more to them than natural food. And to finish his work. ~ Concerning this statement, one should think on John’s commentary from v4: “he must needs go through Samaria” (Also, see the commentary on v18.). The “work” of the Father was the saving of the remnant of Israel: the Samaritans were included. 4:35, Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh the harvest. … Look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. Here, Christ is referring to the people of the city who were even at that moment coming across the newly cut grain fields dressed in their common dress, which was white in color (see v30). “White already” has reference to the cotton harvest of that region that was yet four months in the future. Jesus was the master teacher, utilizing the world around Him to illustrate His teachings. 4:36, Both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. ~ Jesus is not speaking of a natural harvest of grain or cotton, but of a harvest of souls. The disciples were not to compete against one another for numbers, for one would sow and another would reap, but both would be rewarded (see 1Cor 3:6). The Lord’s Church is blessed with different types of ministers: bishops; presbyters: apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers; deacons and deaconesses (Eph 4:11-13); each have their part to play in world evangelism. 4:37, And herein is that saying true. ~ While a common enough saying among the Greeks and Romans, Jesus is most likely referencing the prophets (Deut 20:6; 28:30; Job 31:8; Micah 6:15). “He alludes to what often happens, namely, that after he has sown his field, a man dies before he gathers in the harvest, and so leaves it to another, who enjoys the advantage of his pains. But the application which our Lord makes of this proverb here, does not imply any discontent in the persons who sow without reaping, as it seems to do in common uses; for the sower and the reaper are represented as rejoicing together in the rewards of their spiritual husbandry” (Benson). 4:38, I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour. ~ No labour of tilling or sowing the ground. Other men laboured. ~ “Namely, the ancient prophets, in sowing the seeds of piety and virtue among the Jews, and thereby exposed themselves to great hardships, persecutions, and sufferings. And ye are entered into their labours. ~ Ye are employed to reap the fruit of that seed which they with great difficulty sowed, for ye are gathering into the kingdom of God, into the gospel church here, and into the kingdom of glory hereafter, those who, by the writings of the prophets, having been endued with a sense of religion, are prepared for entering into it”. (Benson). Other men laboured. ~ Jesus is, here, most likely referencing John the Baptist and the prophets of the OT. 4:39, Believed ... for the saying of the woman. ~ The woman from the well is portrayed as a missionary (evangelist) and is described in essentially the same words as are the disciples in Jesus’ High Priestly prayer of ch 17:20: “Pray I … for them also which shall believe on me through their word”. 4:42, The Saviour of the world. ~ While the Jews were expecting only a national Messiah, the Samaritans accepted Him as the Saviour of the entire world. The Samaritans had arrived at the revelation sooner than even His apostles. As late as the ascension they were expecting a national mission for the Messiah (see Acts 1:6). Islam, which accepts Jesus as the Messenger to Jewry, should take note of this universal mission that truly embraces them as well as the whole world (see Matt 1:1 and ch 4:13-16).
Apostolically Speaking,
Bp. Jerry L Hayes, D.D.
