And herein is that saying true ,.... This verifies that proverbial expression so much in use, and which may be applied to different persons and cases: one soweth, and another reapeth ; the prophets sowed, and the apostles reaped. read more
I sent you to reap ,.... To preach the Gospel, and gather in souls by your ministry; referring to the mission of them in Matthew 10:6 ; that whereon ye bestowed no labour ; being sent to the Jews, who had the writings of the prophets, and were versed in them; and had learned from them that the Messiah was to come, and were now in general expectation of him; so that they had nothing more to do, than to declare to those persons who were cultivated by the prophets, and were like to ground... read more
And many of the Samaritans of that city ,.... Of Sychar, which was a city of Samaria; believed on him ; that he was the true Messiah he had told the woman he was; and she put it to them whether he was or not: before they saw him, or had any conversation with him themselves, they believed in him; see John 20:29 ; for the saying of the woman which testified, he told me all that ever I did : the account she gave was so plain, and honest, and disinterested, that they could not but give... read more
So when the Samaritans were come unto him ,.... The Ethiopic version reads, all the Samaritans; they came to him at Jacob's well, upon the woman's solicitations, and the account she gave of this extraordinary person: and after they had conversed with him, and heard him themselves, they were taken with his divine discourses, and being thoroughly persuaded that he was the Messiah, they besought him that he would tarry with them ; they were not like the Gergesenes, who besought him to... read more
And many more believed ,.... The Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions add, "on him": when he was come into the city, and had preached to the inhabitants in general, a larger multitude than before believed in him as the Messiah, and professed him, and became followers of him. Because of his own word ; which came to them, not in word only, but in power, and was the power of God unto salvation to them; and was received by them, not as the word of man, but as the word of God; and it... read more
And said unto the woman ,.... Who, it appears, kept hearing Christ, attending on him, and conversing with him; for having tasted of his grace, she could not leave him: now we believe, not because of thy saying ; not on account of that only: it should seem that these were the same persons that believed upon her word before they went out of the city; and who, when come to Christ, invited him into it; and now, having heard his excellent discourses, were confirmed in the faith of him: for... read more
Now after two days he departed thence ,.... When he had stayed two days at Sychar conversing with, and discoursing to the Samaritans, which were the means of the conversion of many of them; he departed out of that country, and passed on his way: and went into Galilee ; as he first intended; see John 4:3 . read more
For Jesus himself testified ,.... Matthew 13:57 ; that a prophet hath no honour in his own country : all the Oriental versions read, "in his own city"; that is, Nazareth: for these words must not be understood as a reason why Christ left Judea, and went into Galilee, because he had no honour in Judea, in which was Bethlehem, the place of his nativity; but are a reason why, when he came into Galilee, he did not go to Nazareth, his own city, where he was educated, and had been brought... read more
Then when he was come into Galilee ,.... That part of it in which Cana lay, as appears by what follows: the Galilaeans received him ; willingly, readily, and cheerfully, with much delight and pleasure, and with marks of great esteem and respect: they received him into their houses, and entertained him, and provided for him and his disciples: having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover; the miracles he wrought there, see John 2:23 ; for they... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 4:36
And he that reapeth receiveth wages ,.... Angels are sometimes called reapers, and so are ministers of the Gospel here. The works and ministry of the apostles are here expressed by "reaping": for as in reaping, when the corn is ripe, the sickle is put in, and the corn is cut down, and laid to the ground, and then bound in sheaves, and gathered into the barn; so when things are ripe in providence, and God's set time is come to convert any of his people, he makes use of his ministers for the... read more