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Selected Verse: John 4:34 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 4:34 |
King James |
Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| My meat is, &c.--"A Servant here to fulfil a prescribed work, to do and to finish, that is 'meat' to Me; and of this, while you were away, I have had My fill." And of what does He speak thus? Of the condescension, pity, patience, wisdom He had been laying out upon one soul--a very humble woman, and in some respects repulsive too! But He had gained her, and through her was going to gain more, and lay perhaps the foundations of a great work in the country of Samaria; and this filled His whole soul and raised Him above the sense of natural hunger (Mat 4:4). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
My meat ... - Jesus here explains what he said in Joh 4:32. His great object - the great design of his life - was to do the will of God. He came to that place weary and thirsty, and at the usual time of meals, probably hungry; yet an opportunity of doing good presented itself, and he forgot his fatigue and hunger, and found comfort and joy in doing good - in seeking to save a soul. This one great object absorbed all his powers, and made him forget his weariness and the wants of nature. The mind may be so absorbed in doing the will of God as to forget all other things. Intent on this, we may rise above fatigue, and hardship, and want, and bear all with pleasure in seeing the work of God advance. See Job 23:12; "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necesary food." We may learn, also, that the main business of life is not to avoid fatigue or to seek the supply of our temporal wants, but to do the will of God. The mere supply of our temporal necessities, though most people make it an object of their chief solicitude, is a small consideration in the sight of him who has just views of the great design of human life.
The will of him that sent me - The will of God in regard to the salvation of men. See Joh 6:38.
To finish his work - To "complete" or fully to do the work which he has commanded in regard to the salvation of men. It is his work to provide salvation, and his to redeem, and his to apply the salvation to the heart. Jesus came to do it by teaching, by his example, and by his death as an expiation for sin. And he shows us that "we" should be diligent. If he was so diligent for our welfare, if he bore fatigue and want to benefit us, then we should be diligent, also, in regard to our own salvation, and also in seeking the salvation of others. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Meat (βρῶμα)
A different word from that in Joh 4:32, signifying what is eaten.
To do (ἵνα ποιῶ)
Literally, in order that I do. Emphasizing the end and not the process. Frequently so used in John. See on Joh 3:19.
Finish (πελειώσω)
Better, as Rev., accomplish. Not merely bring to an end, but perfect. From τέλειος, perfect. The verb is characteristic of John, and of the Epistle to the Hebrews. See Joh 5:36; Joh 17:4; Joh 19:28; Jo1 2:5; Jo1 4:12; Heb 2:10; Heb 5:9, etc. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| My meat - That which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| My meat is to do the will of him that sent me - In these words, our blessed Lord teaches a lesson of zeal and earnestness to his apostles, and to all their successors in the Christian ministry. Let the salvation of souls lie nearer your heart than life itself. Let eating and drinking, labor and rest, reading, thinking, study, prayer, and all things, be directed to the accomplishment of this great work. Ministers of Jesus! imitate your Lord! Souls are perishing for lack of knowledge - God has given you the key of the kingdom, the knowledge of his word - O open unto them the gate of life! They are dropping by thousands into hell! O pluck the brands out of the burning! |
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.