John 4:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Why did He not say directly that these people were coming to believe in Him and were already ready to receive His teaching? They had been instructed by the prophets and now were bringing forth fruit.

Why did He call them a field and a harvest? What do such figures mean? He does this not only here, but throughout the Gospel.

The prophets used the same manner, speaking figuratively of many things. What is the reason? The grace of the Spirit did not establish this without purpose. Why, then, and for what reason?

For a twofold purpose. First, to make the word more expressive and to present more clearly what is being said. The mind, occupied with images from familiar things, is more strongly awakened.

When it sees representations as though in a picture, it is more drawn by them. This is the first reason.

Second, it sweetens the speech and makes what is said more firmly established in the memory. Plain statements are not grasped so well, nor do they attract the attention of most hearers so much.

But when they are set forth through objects and represented concretely, they are received more readily. This, as may be seen, is done with great wisdom in the present parable.

You may explain the meaning of these words according to the likeness of visible and historical things. Understand the intellectual sowing and the multitude of spiritual ears of grain, prepared in advance by the voice of the prophets for the faith in Christ that was to appear.

He is white who has ripened, is already ready for faith, and is established in piety.

The sickle of the reaper is the radiant and most sharp word of the Apostles. It cuts hearers away from service under the law and transfers them to the threshing floor, that is, to the Church of God.

Remaining there and struggling in good labors, they will prove to be pure bread, worthy of the garner of Him who gathers.

He sent reapers, not sowers. Where are reapers needed? Where others have already labored. Where the work has already been done, that is, where it has been sown, and what was sown has reached maturity, the sickle and threshing are needed.

Where, then, were the reapers to be sent? Where the prophets had already preached, for they are the sowers. If they had not been sowers, how could that woman have said, "I know that Messiah is coming" (Jn 4:25)?

That woman was already ripe fruit. The fields had become white, and the sickle was needed. Therefore, I sent you. Where? "To reap what you did not sow. Others sowed, and you have entered into their labor" (Jn 4:38).

Who, then, are those who had already labored? Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Read of their labors: in all their labors the prophecy of Christ abides. Therefore they are sowers.

Moses and the other patriarchs and all the prophets did much in those cold times when they were sowing. Therefore in Judea the harvest had already been prepared.

It is fitting to say that the harvest ripened there when so many thousands brought the price of their possessions and laid it at the apostles' feet. Freed from the worldly burden on their shoulders, they followed Christ the Lord (Acts 4:35).

Truly, the harvest had ripened. What was done with it? Many grains from that harvest were scattered and sown throughout the whole circle of the lands.

Another harvest is growing, which will be gathered at the end of the age. Of this harvest it is said, "Those who sow with tears shall reap with joy" (Ps 125:5).

And to this harvest not the apostles, but the Angels, will be sent. "The reapers," He says, "are the Angels" (Mt 13:39).

This harvest grows among the tares and waits to be cleansed at the end of the ages. But the field to which the disciples were first sent, and where the prophets had labored, was already ripe.

Yet, brothers, see what was said: "Both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together" (Jn 4:36). They carried out their labors at different times, but they will enjoy the same joy.

Together, as their reward, they will receive eternal life.

From these words one must conclude that Christ was returning to Galilee four months before the harvest. Since the harvest in Palestine takes place in April, the departure from Judea could not have occurred before the beginning of December.

Consequently Jesus remained in Judea from April to December.

They were going through fields only just sown, where greenery was already appearing in places. The sight of these Shechemites coming gives the Lord a beautiful image for expressing the lofty thought about spiritual food.

You say, to paraphrase His speech, that in four months the harvest will come. So it is in visible nature. But in spiritual sowing it is sometimes otherwise.

Look at this field, the Lord continues, pointing with His hand to the approaching Samaritans. See how it has already become white and ready for harvest.

I have only just sown the seed of My word among them. But look how it has already grown. See how many are coming here, ready to believe, so that the harvest is already prepared.

The farmer, casting his seeds into the earth, condemns himself to a long wait until they ripen and yield him fruit. But it is not so with the gospel seed.

It has only just been cast, and its harvest is already ripe. I have only just spoken with this woman, and see how many are already coming, ready to believe; cf. Theophylact.

These crowds are drawing near to Him. He continues, "Do you not say, 'There are still four months, and then comes the harvest'? But I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are white and ready for harvest."

"Do you not say?" These words themselves show that Jesus is citing common speech. In the language of the people He expresses to the disciples His joy that whole crowds of Shechemites are coming to Him, some believing, others ready to believe.

Only recently He sowed spiritual seeds in the heart of the Samaritan woman. Now the field is already ripe: the inhabitants of Sychar, with changed hearts.

The Savior often elsewhere compared the gospel to seed, and the conversion of souls to harvest: Mt 9:37ff.; Mt 13:3ff.; Mk 4:26ff.; Lk 8:5ff. In Palestine wheat was sown in November and early December.

By February the grain is already as high as it is among us in May. In the month of Nisan, which corresponds to our April, the firstfruits of barley were offered.

Christ Jesus took the image for His thought from the green field surrounding Him. This is important for determining the times in the Savior's life. From this it is evident that from Pascha, in April, until early February Jesus remained in the land of Judea (Jn 3:22; Jn 4:3).