The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 311

Tho reaping of the harvest may begin 11.t which its p1wm'Bo?'II hl\ve originated. The onoo, 11.nd so the Sower (the Son of God) Tiibingen critics here, true to their theory of and reapers who gnther fruit unto life tho origin of tho Fourth Gospol in the second cternnl may R.nd will rcjoioo togother. oontury, suppose that, by the "othors," JesnA V,,r. S,.-Forherein-iu this harvest-field, is supposed to mean Philip the evangelist, alrendy whitening before your eyes-is the and, by the "rcl\pers," Peter and John, who word veritably realized-it tinrls an idea.I entered into his hibours, in Acts viii. 15. il\ustrn t.ion of its meaning-One is the sower, Hilgenfcld thinks by the " othors" wne and another iB the 1'8aper. It belongs to all meant Paul, and by the "reapers" tho common experience in such things; the first twelve apostles, who sought to enter upon hie stone is laid by one, the topstone by another. work and appropriate its fruit. Thome. has The toil and teors of the sower with the followed vigorously nlong the same lines, e.nd precious sC'cd e.re often the reason why supposos tlmt the Pauline thought l Cor. iii. 11.uoihcr returns with joy, bringing his sheaves 6-8, and the story of the conversion of the with him. It is an all-but universal law. Snmnritnns and of the heathen worlcl to Children inherit the toil of their fathers. the Church, are hore forthshadowed by the We all stand where the sh011lders of the fourth evangelist. mighty dee.d have lifted us. Still, though Vers. 39-42.-(4) The 1iaMJBBt of the one be the sower o.nd nnother is the reaper Lord's sowitl{I, ond the Saviour of the world. in this Samar,tan field, yet, sinc-e "already" Ver. 39,-Thfa ho.rvest is dt"scribed iu the reaper is busy with the sickle, the sower vers. 39-42. As this sublime discourse was and reapers may rejoice together. The law proooeding, the impression produced by the will he established on a grander scale by- word of the wome.n was becoming deeper. and-by, when the grest Sower, who is the The breath of God was moving them mightily. Lord of the harvest, shall send forth all hie They were prepared by a thousand untraoe- reapers to their great enterprise, and he able influences for fai!th in the great Deliverer and they will rejoice together. and Teacher. litany of the Samaritans from Ver. 38.-If this be the meaning, then, in that oity, in the first instance, had been the following verse, the whole conception of summarily convinced of the presence among their relntion to the past and dependence them of the long-looked-for Prophet, and upon it is singled out for additional com- believed on him by reason of the word '(or, ment. I have sent you, and am now sending discourse) of the woman, who testified, He toM yon, to reap that whereon ye have not toiled me all things that I ever I did. Not merely to weariness. The idea of sowing (,nrelp .. v) is this one snying referred to, but the whole is now expanded to (,mr,av) exhansting toil; report of the words of Jesus of which that i.e. to all the l:i.borious preparation of the saying was the crowning or most startling soil for the seed, clearing of the forest, nnd expression. They are the first specimens of ploughiug on the rocky places, the cultivation men who believe by the testimony of tl,oee of the jungle and fen. Much has been done who know. "Blessed are they who have by taose who have gone before you. Others not seen, but yet believe." have toiled thus; their footmarks are red Ver. 40.-They were already convinced: with blood. their tea.re have WRtered the but they did more-they came to him. ·So earth, and ye have entered (and are now when the Samaritans oame to him, they oon- entering) into their toil. There is no limi- tinned asking him-they persistently pro.yed tation here to the Cl"cles of work and suffer- that he would abide with them. How unlike ing, of disappointment and awe.rent failure the treatment of Jews nnd Gndarenee, of which have preceded you. The "others" scribes and Pharisees I There were some is surely not a pleonasm for himself. He who besought him to depart from them, does nrily associate with himself all his others who stoned him, He1·odians and Phari- forerunners. This K6,ros is far more than sees who plotted to desti·oy him. But these the mere sowing of seed or diffusion of hated Samaritans yearnecl for more of his truth, and they who have during many fellowship, more of his words and searching centuries contributed of their life to the glance, more of the Word of life. So-called creation of the state of mind which makes heresy s,nd heterodoxy may sometimes show tlieee people susceptible to the truth, have itself more susceptible to the mind and prepared the way of the disciples. In a fit Spirit of Christ than a bigoted nnd self- place, and in the fulness of the times, he satisfied orthodoxy. The Lord 1·eepondecl to came. '!'he disciples of Jerns, moreover, the request, and he abode there two dO:ys. have always had a greater or Iese <lcgree Why should a biographer of the second of pioneer work to do. The efforts of the century hnve limit'-'d this visit to "two miBsionary Church may be represented at do.ye," wh,·n it is obvious that he passes all times as toiling as well as sowing. Each 1 Nearly the so.me authoriticH read 4 for gen<'.mtion of l.&oourera in the great field of love to man enters upon work anti toil 3ua, ns in vcr. 28. OH. IV, 1-64.] 'fHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 17.,