2 Corinthians 6:5; In Labours

“Labours” strictly means “beatings” referring to exhausting physical or mental exertion of toil, labour, work in particular to Jesus’ words to His disciples after His encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well and having missed His meal – John 4:34-38 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.Say not ye, There are yet four months, and thencometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 

The word also refers to “exhausting and wearisome difficulties encountered” for the woman who anointed Jesus with an alabaster box of very precious ointment and was charged for being wasteful – Matthew 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

Here it is the testimony to the rigours of the gospel work that the Apostle Paul underwent in the three missionary journeys that resulted in the gospel reaching the heart of the Roman Empire in Rome, the salvation of souls and the establishment of churches from Asia Minor into Europe.

Thank God for every advance of His kingdom in every age. May the Lord bless the labours of His servants in this generation. Amen.