Final answer:
John 4:38 speaks to the reward of spiritual labor, emphasizing that some may reap the benefits of work they did not directly contribute to, in a spiritual and communal sense.
Step-by-step explanation:
John 4:38 from the Bible says, “I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” This verse is part of a conversation Jesus has with His disciples regarding spiritual work and the spreading of the Gospel. The context is metaphorical, equating the sowing and reaping of crops to the spiritual sowing of teaching and preaching and the reaping of the benefits of that spiritual labor by others.
The subjects touched upon include the toil and reward of labor, the passage of legacy, and the spiritual truth that we may benefit from the works of others and should likewise labour for the benefit of future generations. The verse can also encourage contemplation of how we inherit and build upon the past efforts of others in our personal lives and in the continuity of religious tradition.