A Study of John's Gospel

John 4:31-34: My Food Is Doing God's Will

My Food Is Doing God's Will

A study of John 4:31-34

"Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work."

‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭31‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Meanwhile: phrase: "ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ", "en tow metaxsu"; "μεταξύ"; verb - meanwhile, in the meantime.

-Were Urging: "ἠρώτων"; "ἐρωτάω", "erōtaō"; verb - to request, entreat, beseech.

-Rabbi: "ῥαββί", "rabbi"; masculine noun - a title used by the Jews to address their teachers (and also honor them when not addressing them).

-Eat: "φάγε"; "ἐσθίω", "esthiō"; verb - to eat, consume a thing.

-Food: "βρῶσιν"; "βρῶσις", "brōsis"; feminine noun - that which is eaten, food.

-Know About: "οἴδατε"; "εἴδω", "eidō"; verb - get knowledge of, understand, perceive.

-Disciples: "μαθηταὶ"; "μαθητής", "mathētēs; masculine noun - a learner, pupil, disciple; of Jesus — in a wide sense, in the Gospels, those among the Jews who favored him, joined his party, became his adherents; but especially of the 12 apostles.

-One Another: "ἀλλήλους"; "ἀλλήλων", "allēlōn"; reciprocal plural noun - one another; reciprocally, mutually.

-Brought: "ἤνεγκεν"; "φέρω", "pherō"; verb - to bring, bring to.

-Food (v.34): "βρῶμα", "brōma"; neuter noun - in John 4:34: of the soul's nourishment: that which delights and truly satisfies the mind and soul.

-To Do: "ποιήσω"; "ποιέω", "poieō"; verb - to carry out, to act rightly.

-Will: "θέλημα", "thelēma"; neuter noun - what one wishes or has determined shall be done.

-Sent: "πέμψαντός", "πέμπω", "pempō"; verb - Teachers who come forward by God's command and with his authority are said to be (or to have been) sent by God.

-To Accomplish: "τελειώσω"; "τελειόω", "teleioō"; verb - to carry through completely; to accomplish, finish, bring to an end.

-Work: "ἔργον", "ergon"; neuter noun - that with which anyone is occupied.

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

After returning from their food buying errand, and finding Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman who just hurried into town to tell everyone to come and see Him, the disciples were urging Jesus to eat something. But Jesus told them He had food to eat that they knew nothing about. They were confused by this, because they had just gone into town because Jesus was weary and they had no food. They asked each other if someone else had brought Him something to eat, but Jesus told them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work."

Implication (what does this mean to us):

Jesus' disciples are urging Him to eat in this passage, because they had just returned with food for Him. At the beginning of chapter 4, we learned they had gone into the city of Sychar to buy food, while Jesus sat down and waited by Jacob's well, because He was exhausted from the journey they had been on together. To their surprise however, Jesus tells them He has food they do not know about.