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The fourth chapter of Genesis introduces the events that followed the fall of man; acts of wickedness multiplied because of the fall of man.
Adam and Eve bore Cain and Abel; Cain worked the soil, and Abel kept the flocks.
When it was time for the harvest, Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord from their produce.
Although Abel’s gift was described as the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock, that was not necessarily the yardstick for his acceptance.
Notably, the acceptance of Abel translates to the acceptance of his gift, and the rejection of Cain translates to the rejection of his gifts.
God, however, cautioned Cain and advised him to do what was right with his life, and then he would be acceptable, or else sin would overtake him.
Unfortunately, Cain allowed sin. He lured his brother to the field and killed him, and evil continued to multiply.
Jesus said his nourishment comes from doing the will of God and completing it.
The people are familiar with the regular harvest time but here is the dawn of the season of spiritual harvest.
Asking the disciples to open their eyes is figurative because they were not literarily closed.
More to the agricultural season is the season of soul-winning, for through the ministry of Jesus, the earth has become ripe for harvest.
The Samaritans' response to Jesus’ message is evidence that the harvest has already begun in the history of salvation.
Jesus further instructed his disciples to go out to reap the benefits of the labor of laborers before them.
In this context, reaping the labor of others is not a material gain of other people’s wealth but the winning of souls by building on the works of the laborers (prophets) that have been before them.