What does "My food is to do the will of Him" mean? The Setting in John 4 - Jesus and His disciples are traveling from Judea to Galilee and stop in Samaria. - While Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, the disciples go into town to buy food. - They return and urge Him to eat. Instead, He says He has food they know nothing about. - John 4:34: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.’” What “Food” Signifies Here - Food normally sustains physical life; Jesus uses it as a picture of what sustains His inner life. - “Food” represents satisfaction, energy, purpose, and delight. - For Jesus, genuine sustenance comes from obeying His Father’s will, not merely from bread. Doing the Father’s Will as Sustenance - Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” • Obedience to God’s word feeds the soul just as bread feeds the body. - John 6:38: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” • Jesus’ entire earthly life centers on the Father’s plan. Finishing the Father’s Work - “To finish His work” points ahead to the cross and resurrection. • John 19:30: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished.’” - Hebrews 10:7, quoting Psalm 40: “Here I am… I have come to do Your will, O God.” • The Messiah’s mission is mapped out in Scripture and carried out completely. Key Truths Wrapped in the Phrase - Dependence: Jesus models total reliance on the Father for direction and satisfaction. - Priority: Spiritual obedience outranks physical needs; the Father’s agenda comes first. - Purpose: Knowing and doing God’s will gives life meaning and momentum. - Completion: True obedience presses on until God’s assignment is fulfilled. Related Scriptures That Echo the Theme - John 5:30: “I can do nothing by Myself… I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.” - Luke 2:49: “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” - John 6:27: “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life.” Practical Takeaways - Make God’s revealed will—His Word—your primary source of guidance and satisfaction. - Let obedience determine your priorities, even over legitimate physical needs. - Measure success by faithfulness to the assignment God gives, not by personal comfort. - Draw strength and joy from seeing God’s purposes advance, just as Jesus did. |
    |