Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
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 I Corinthians 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, Ecclesiastes 11:4; Psalms 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, I Corinthians 12:21-24.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing John 4:38:
1 Thessalonians 5:12
Revelation 2:2
Revelation 14:13
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