Jn.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 were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Jesus had started this whole discourse in Samaria talking about the water of life. He was bringing the message of nourishment and satisfaction to fallen man by drinking this living water. Now Jesus turns to His own source of nourishment as the Son of Man. He told His disciples it was doing the Father’s work that brought Him His nourishment. What was the work of God? Of course it was the redemption of fallen man. Jesus came to suffer and die to bring us to God, this would be the very source of this living water, eternal life that flows out to us from the Son of God. He was giving all of us a lesson about what can satisfy our soul, it is the living water that we drink in and in the same way it is in bringing others into this new life. Here Is how the New Covenant Commentary Series describes this.
“Jesus now clarifies by saying, “My food is that I may do the will of him who sent me and may accomplish his work”. His source of life was in the accomplishment of the Father’s work.
The sending of the Son by the Father into the world is a familiar theme in John. The Father sent his Son. That is, the Son was sent from heaven to save the world. However, John particularizes Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross as the means by which he accomplished the work of the Father. Just like food nourishes all living beings, so also accomplishing his Father’s plan of salvation gives nourishment to Jesus.”
This teaching is so contrary to the way the world and its culture teaches us to live our lives. They would say it is our accomplishments or possessions that satisfy us. Jesus teaches us there is a better way; drinking the water of the Spirit that becomes a fountain inside of us and feeding on the Father’s food, advancing the kingdom of God by winning people to Jesus.
