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NASB | John 4:38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 4:38 "I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked. Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work." |
Subject: Who were the sowers? |
Bible Note: Hi Brent, I don't think of God as the Ultimate Sower. I think of these as parables and I think that a comparison of Matthew 13:37 and John 4:48,49 would be a good one. Matthew 13:36b, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field." And He said, "The *one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, and the field is the world;..." John 4:37, "For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." I think that the Matthew passage says that the one (in the parable) who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. I also believe that John 4:37 says that one sows and another reaps; as is suggested in the references of Job 31:8 and Micah 6:15 there. The comparison of the Matthew and John passages points out the importance of the words spoken by Jesus and the woman at the well. The words of the woman were influential for many to believe in Him; but "Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." Just as Jesus told the woman at the well, "I who speak to you am He" so also the men realized that this One was the Savior. So in a sense, He is the Ultimate Sower, but I don't believe that that is what the passages are showing by these parables. We all have the responsibility to spread His word. I'm sorry Brent if I cut in on the wrong branch here. Later, Ray |