While Jesus was still speaking with the Samaritan woman, the disciples returned from the city with supplies of food for the group’s journey to Galilee (John 4:27; cp. 4:1-8). They were astonished that, not only did Jesus speak with a woman in the street, but he also spoke with this woman, a Samaritan (cp. John 4:9), because, as a rule, no Rabbi spoke publicly with women, not even close relatives. Nevertheless, none of Jesus’ disciples either questioned him, as to why he spoke with her, or inquired of her what she desired of him. Instead, after the woman left to return to the city (John 4:28-30), the disciples tried to get Jesus to eat something for the journey. Because, as was mentioned earlier, they left Judea hurriedly for Galilee and didn’t stop to even purchase supplies for their journey (cp. John 4:1, 3-6, 8), and Jesus was very weary (cp. 4:6). Nevertheless, as we see here, the Kingdom of God is not physical food and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit (Romans 14:17), which Jesus says was his very satisfying spiritual meal (John 4:31), even more than his necessary food (cp. Job 23:11-12).
Understanding spiritual matters is difficult for any man, because folks are constantly trained in the reality and nature of physical things. Just as the woman originally thought Jesus spoke of physical water (John 4:10-11), so Jesus’ disciples understood his mention of a satisfying meal to be a pleasing physical meal (John 4:32-33). At this stage in Jesus’ public ministry, the disciples’ spiritual understanding wasn’t much better than that of the Jewish authorities, who wouldn’t trust him as their Messiah. Moreover, the disciples’ spiritual understanding wasn’t much greater than this Samaritan woman who had never met Jesus up to this point in time. Nevertheless, it seems that this event changes things for Jesus’ disciples. John is, now, in prison, and they had to flee Judea for their own safety. So, Jesus began teaching them the nature and reality of spiritual matters by saying his food is to do the will of his Father (John 4:34; cp. Job 23:11-12).
Notice that Jesus calls their attention to the newly planted fields all around them. The spring harvest was over, which they celebrated by coming to Jerusalem at Pentecost (cp. John 3:22). It was four months until the fall harvest, which was celebrated during the Feast of Tabernacles (cp. John 4:35). Therefore, Jesus told them to lift up their eyes and see the (spiritual) fields that are already ripe for harvest, perhaps pointing to the approaching crowd of people coming from the city to meet him, after they heard the witness of the woman (John 4:28-30).
The harvest seasons, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, were physical festive events that pictured or foretold of the spiritual harvests of souls for the Lord. All things in the word of God pointed to spiritual matters that needed to be fulfilled. The physical is symbolic for what must occur in the spiritual realm, but these things were forgotten by those whose spiritual ears had become dull of hearing (Matthew 13:15; Hebrews 5:11). Therefore, Jesus had to reacquaint his disciples of things spiritual, because the Jewish authorities had recreated the spiritual Kingdom of God and made it a physical matter (John 12:34: cp. Luke 19:11) that could and would (if their claims were true) eventually pass away.
Therefore, Jesus reminded his disciples of the labor of the prophets, who planted seeds among a people who didn’t believe their report (Isaiah 53:1; John 12:37-38). Nevertheless, the word of God, which the prophets spoke to the people, would never return to the Lord void of fruit (Isaiah 55:11). The word of God must fulfill the Lord’s original intent. So, Jesus would soon be sending his disciples into the fields that were sown by the prophets, and they, Jesus’ disciples, would reap the fields the prophets had sown (John 4:36-38), thus fulfilling the word of God (Isaiah 55:11).
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