rwp - John:4:27-38

rwp@John:4:27 @{Upon this} (\epi touti\). This idiom only here in N.T. At this juncture. Apparently the woman left at once when the disciples came. {They marvelled} (\ethaumazon\). Imperfect active describing the astonishment of the disciples as they watched Jesus talking with a woman. {Was speaking} (\elalei\). As in strkjv@2:25|, so here the tense is changed in indirect discourse from \lalei\ to \elalei\, an unusual idiom in Greek. However, \hoti\ here may be "because" and then the imperfect is regular. It is not "with the woman" (\meta ts gunaikos\), but simply "with a woman" (\meta gunaikos\). There was a rabbinical precept: "Let no one talk with a woman in the street, no, not with his own wife" (Lightfoot, _Hor, Hebr_. iii. 287). The disciples held Jesus to be a rabbi and felt that he was acting in a way beneath his dignity. {Yet no man said} (\oudeis mentoi eipen\). John remembers through the years their amazement and also their reverence for Jesus and unwillingness to reflect upon him.

rwp@John:4:28 @{Left her waterpot} (\aphken tn hudrian\). First aorist active indicative of \aphimi\, ingressive aorist, in her excitement and embarrassment. It was too large for speed anyhow (2:6|). And says (\kai legei\). Graphic historic present indicative again.

rwp@John:4:29 @{All things that ever I did} (\panta ha epoisa\). {Ha}, not \hosa\ (as many as), no "ever" in the Greek. But a guilty conscience (verse 18f.|) led her to exaggerate a bit. {Can this be the Christ?} (\mti houtos estin ho Christos;\). She is already convinced herself (verses 26f.|), but she puts the question in a hesitant form to avoid arousing opposition. With a woman's intuition she avoided \ouk\ and uses \mti\. She does not take sides, but piques their curiosity.

rwp@John:4:30 @{They went out} (\exlthon\). Second aorist (effective) indicative of \exerchomai\, at once and in a rush. {And were coming to him} (\kai rchonto pros auton\). Imperfect middle, graphically picturing the long procession as they approached Jesus.

rwp@John:4:31 @{In the meanwhile} (\en ti metaxu\). Supply \kairoi\ or \chronoi\. See \to metaxu Sabbaton\, "the next Sabbath" (Acts:13:42|) and \en ti metaxu\ (Luke:8:1|). \Metaxu\ means between. {Prayed him} (\rtn auton\). Imperfect active, "kept beseeching him." For this late (_Koin_) use of \erta\, to beseech, instead of the usual sense to question see also verses 40,47|. Their concern for the comfort of Jesus overcame their surprise about the woman.

rwp@John:4:32 @{Meat} (\brsin\). Originally the act of eating (Romans:14:17|) from \bibrsk\, but soon and commonly as that which is eaten like \brma\ once in John (verse 34|). Songs:here and strkjv@6:27,55|. Cf. vernacular English "good eating," "good eats." {I... ye} (\eg... humeis\). Emphatic contrast. Spiritual food Jesus had.

rwp@John:4:33 @{Hath any man brought him aught to eat?} (\M tis negken auti phagein;\). Negative answer expected (\m\). "Did any one bring him (something) to eat?" During our absence, they mean. Second aorist active indicative of \pher\ (\negken\) and second aorist active infinitive of \esthi\ (\phagein\), defective verbs both of them. See strkjv@4:7| for like infinitive construction (\dos pein\).

rwp@John:4:34 @{To do the will} (\hina pois to thelma\). Non-final use of \hina\ and the first aorist active subjunctive as subject or predicate nominative as in strkjv@6:29; strkjv@15:8; strkjv@17:3|. The Messianic consciousness of Jesus is clear and steady (5:30; strkjv@6:38|). He never doubted that the Father sent him. {And to accomplish his work} (\kai teleis autou to ergon\). \Hina\ understood with \teleis\ in like idiom, first aorist active subjunctive of \teleio\ (from \teleios\), to bring to an end. See strkjv@5:36|. In strkjv@17:4| (the Intercessory Prayer) he will say that he has done (\teleisas\) this task which the Father gave him to do. On the Cross Jesus will cry \Tetelestai\ (It is finished). He will carry through the Father's programme (John:3:16|). That is his "food." He had been doing that in winning the woman to God.

rwp@John:4:35 @{Say not ye?} (\Ouch humeis legete;\). It is not possible to tell whether Jesus is alluding to a rural proverb of which nothing is known about there being four months from seedtime to harvest (a longer time than four months in fact) or whether he means that it was then actually four months to harvest. In the latter sense, since harvest began about the middle of April, it would be December when Jesus spoke. {There are yet four months} (\eti tetramnos estin\). The use of \eti\ (yet) and the fact that the space between seedtime and harvest is longer than four months (\tetra\, Aeolic for \tessara\, and \mn\, month) argue against the proverb idea. {And then cometh the harvest} (\kai ho therismos erchetai\). "And the harvest (\therismos\, from \theriz\, rare in Greek writers) comes." The possible Iambic verse here is purely accidental as in strkjv@5:14|. {Lift up your eyes} (\eparate tous ophthalmous humn\). First aorist active imperative of \epair\. Deliberate looking as in strkjv@John:6:5| where \theaomai\ also is used as here. {Fields} (\chras\). Cultivated or ploughed ground as in strkjv@Luke:21:21|. {White} (\leukai\). Ripened grain like grey hair (Matthew:5:36|). {Already unto harvest} (\pros therismon d\). Probably \d\ (already) goes with verse 36|. The Samaritans could already be seen approaching and they were the field "white for harvest." This is the meaning of Christ's parable. If it is the spring of the year and Christ can point to the ripened grain, the parable is all the plainer, but it is not dependent on this detail. Recall the parable of the sower in strkjv@Matthew:13|.

rwp@John:4:36 @{Already he that reapeth receiveth wages} (\d ho therizn misthon lambanei\). The spiritual harvester can gather his harvest without waiting four months. Jesus is reaping a harvest right now by the conversion of this woman. The labourer is worthy of his hire (Luke:10:7; strkjv@2Timothy:2:6|). John does not use \misthos\ (reward) again, but \karpos\ (15:2-16|), "fruit for life eternal" (cf. strkjv@4:14|). {That he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together} (\hina ho speirn homou chairi kai ho therizn\). Final use of \hina\ with present active subjunctive of \chair\, to rejoice, in the singular with \ho speirn\ (the sower) and to be repeated with \ho therizn\ (the reaper). The adverb \homou\ (together) elsewhere in N.T. only strkjv@20:4; strkjv@21:2; strkjv@Acts:2:1|. Usually considerable time passes between the sowing and the reaping as in verse 35|. Amos (Amos:9:13|) spoke of the time when "the ploughman shall overtake the reaper" and that has happened here with the joy of the harvest time (Isaiah:9:3|). Jesus the Sower and the disciples as the reapers are here rejoicing simultaneously.

rwp@John:4:37 @{For herein} (\en gar touti\). In this relation between the sower and the reaper. {The saying} (\ho logos\). Like strkjv@1Timothy:1:15; strkjv@3:1|, etc. Probably a proverb that is particularly true (\althinos\ for which see strkjv@1:9|) in the spiritual realm. {One soweth, and another reapeth} (\allos estin ho speirn kai allos ho therizn\). "One is the sower and another the reaper." It is sad when the sower misses the joy of reaping (Job:31:8|) and has only the sowing in tears (Psalms:126:5f.|). This may be the punishment for sin (Deuteronomy:28:30; strkjv@Micah:6:15|). Sometimes one reaps where he has not sown (Deuteronomy:6:11; strkjv@Joshua:24:13|). It is the prerogative of the Master to reap (Matthew:25:26f.|), but Jesus here lets the disciples share his joy.

rwp@John:4:38 @{I sent} (\eg apesteila\). Emphatic use of \eg\ and first aorist active indicative of \apostell\ common in John for to send. {Whereon ye have not laboured} (\ho ouch humeis kekopiakate\). Perfect active indicative of \kopia\ for which see strkjv@4:6|. Songs:also \kekopiakasin\ in next line. The disciples had done no sowing here in Sychar, only Jesus and the woman. {Others} (\alloi\: Jesus, the Baptist, the prophets). {And ye} (\kai humeis\). Emphatic contrast. {Have entered} (\eiselluthate\). Perfect active indicative of \eiserchomai\. {Into their labour} (\eis ton kopon autn\). Into the fruit and blessed results of their toil (\kopos\). This is always true as seen in strkjv@Acts:8:5-7,14f|.