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Selected Verse: John 4:38 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 4:38 |
King James |
I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. |
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] |
I sent you, &c.--The I is emphatic--I, the Lord of the whole harvest: "sent you," points to their past appointment to the apostleship, though it has reference only to their future discharge of it, for they had nothing to do with the present ingathering of the Sycharites.
ye bestowed no labour--meaning that much of their future success would arise from the preparation already made for them. (See on Joh 4:42).
others laboured--Referring to the Old Testament laborers, the Baptist, and by implication Himself, though He studiously keeps this in the background, that the line of distinction between Himself and all His servants might not be lost sight of. "Christ represents Himself as the Husbandman [rather the Lord of the laborers], who has the direction both of the sowing and of the harvest, who commissions all the agents--those of the Old Testament as well as of the New--and therefore does not stand on a level with either the sowers or the reapers" [OLSHAUSEN]. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
I sent you - In the commission given you to preach the gospel. You have not labored or toiled in preparing the way for the great harvest which is now to be gathered in.
Other men laboured -
(1) The prophets, who long labored to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.
(2) the teachers among the Jews, who have read and explained the law and taught the people.
(3) John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way. And,
(4) The Saviour himself, who by his personal ministry taught the people, and prepared them for the success which was to attend the preaching of the apostles.
Especially did Jesus lay the foundation for the rapid and extensive spread of the gospel. "He" saw comparatively little fruit of his ministry. He confined his labors to Judea, and even there he was occupied in sowing seed which chiefly sprang up after his death. From this we may learn:
1. That the man who is crowned with eminent success has no cause of "boasting" over others, any more than the man who reaps a field of grain should boast over the man who sowed it. The labor of both is equally necessary, and the labor of both would be useless if God did not give the increase. Compare Co1 3:6.
2. We should not be discouraged if we do not meet with immediate success. The man that sows is not disheartened because he does not see the harvest "immediately" spring up. We are to sow our seed in the morning, and in the evening we are not to withhold our hand, for we know not whether shall prosper, this or that; and we are to go forth bearing precious seed, though "weeping," knowing that we shall come again rejoicing, bearing our sheaves with us, Ecc 11:4; Psa 126:6.
3. Every part of the work of the ministry and of teaching men is needful, and we should rejoice that we are permitted to bear any part, however humble, in bringing sinners to the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Co1 12:21-24. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
I sent (ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα)
The I is emphatic. The aorist tense points back to the mission of the disciples as involved in their original call.
Other men
Jesus himself and all who had prepared the way for Him, such as John the Baptist.
Labored (κεκοπιάκασι)
The perfect tense. Rev., rightly, have labored, their labor showing its effects in the present case. On the word labor, see on Luk 5:5. Compare Jos 24:13. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| I - he Lord of the whole harvest, have sent you - He had employed them already in baptizing, Joh 4:2. |
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.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)