John 4:34 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

NIV: "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

NASB: Jesus *said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.

CSB: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work," Jesus told them.

NLT: Then Jesus explained: 'My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

KJV: Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

NKJV: Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

Food is meant to refresh and recharge the body. A body which does not consume the right kinds of food will be weak, ineffective, and sickly. On the other hand, eating a good meal provides the body with energy and strength. Spiritually speaking, the "food" of our spirit is the will of God. Jesus was tired and weary from a long journey (John 4:6). And yet, simply following the will of God gave Him a spiritual boost (John 4:31–33).

This makes sense when we consider the idea of God as the Creator. If we are created for a purpose, and that purpose is the will of God, then it makes sense that we feel best when we're accomplishing that purpose. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 when being tempted by Satan (Matthew 4:1–11). His comment then was that "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). There is more to our lives than simply keeping the physical body alive; we have a purpose beyond this world. We can't feel "right" unless we're living out that purpose. We can't help but feel refreshed when we've made progress on behalf of the One who created us.

John 4:27–45 is an object lesson for the disciples. Jesus has just finished a conversation with a Samaritan woman, while the disciples were in town buying food. As it turns out, this supposedly unclean woman will bring many people to meet Christ. The disciples have brought no one. Jesus explains that some work to plant spiritual seeds, while others collect the harvest. Both are valuable and we should be ready for opportunities in either case.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. He confronts her about sin, yet He also comforts her with the truth of the gospel. Even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, are reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.

John chapter 4 continues the use of contrast. Jesus goes from conversing with an educated, powerful, prestigious man (John 3:1–2) to talking to an outcast, unlearned, self-conscious woman. The combination of this passage, along with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, makes an important spiritual point: the gospel is for all people, in all places, and all times. Christ can reach each person exactly where he or she needs to be reached.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.