John 4:38

38 I sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others laboured, and ye into their labour have entered.

John 4:38 Meaning and Commentary

John 4:38

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 Matthew 10:7 ) ;

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 tilled and manured, that the Messiah was come, and the kingdom of heaven was at hand.

Other men laboured;
the prophets, and John the Baptist:

and ye are entered into their labours;
to finish the work they had begun, and which was almost done to their hands.

John 4:38 In-Context

36 `And he who is reaping doth receive a reward, and doth gather fruit to life age-during, that both he who is sowing and he who is reaping may rejoice together;

37 for in this the saying is the true one, that one is the sower and another the reaper.

38 I sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others laboured, and ye into their labour have entered.

39 And from that city many believed in him, of the Samaritans, because of the word of the woman testifying, -- `He told me all things -- as many as I did.'

40 When, then, the Samaritans came unto him, they were asking him to remain with them, and he remained there two days;