Homilies on the Gospel of John

“Herein is that saying true, One sows and another reaps.”

These words the many used whenever one party had supplied toil and another had reaped the fruits; and He says, “that the proverb is in this instance especially true, for the Prophets labored, and you reap the fruits of their labors.” He said not “the rewards,” (for neither did their great labor go unrewarded,) but “the fruits.” This also Daniel did, for he too makes mention of a proverb, “Wickedness proceeds from the wicked”; and David in his lamenting makes mention of a similar proverb. Therefore He said beforehand, “that both he that sows and he that reaps may rejoice together.” For since He was about to declare, that “one has sowed and another reaps,” lest any one should deem that the Prophets were deprived of their reward, He asserts something strange and paradoxical, such as never chances in sensual things, but is peculiar to spiritual only. For in things of sense, if it chance that one sow and another reap, they do not “rejoice together,” but those who sowed are sad, as having labored for others, and those who reap alone rejoice. But here it is not so, but those who reap not what they sowed rejoice alike with those who reap; whence it is clear that they too share the reward.