2 Timothy 2:6
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
Original Language Analysis
τὸν
G3588
τὸν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
1 of 8
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
κοπιῶντα
that laboureth
G2872
κοπιῶντα
that laboureth
Strong's:
G2872
Word #:
2 of 8
to feel fatigue; by implication, to work hard
δεῖ
must be
G1163
δεῖ
must be
Strong's:
G1163
Word #:
4 of 8
also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding)
τῶν
G3588
τῶν
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
6 of 8
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Hebrews 10:36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.1 Corinthians 9:23And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.Matthew 20:1For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.Luke 10:2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
Historical Context
Agriculture dominated ancient economies. Most people farmed or depended on farming. Everyone understood farming's demands: long hours, physical exhaustion, dependence on weather, delayed gratification. Farmers worked spring through fall with little rest, investing labor before seeing return. Harvest was reward for months of toil. Ancient agricultural law recognized farmers' rights: workers could eat from fields they harvested (Deuteronomy 25:4), which Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 9:9 and 1 Timothy 5:18.
Questions for Reflection
- How faithfully are you supporting gospel workers—pastors, missionaries, teachers—who labor to serve you spiritually?
- In your own ministry, are you willing to invest patient, persevering labor without demanding immediate visible results?
- What areas of Christian service require you to keep planting and watering in faith, trusting God for eventual harvest even when progress seems slow?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Paul's third metaphor shifts to agriculture. "Husbandman" (geōrgon, γεωργόν) means farmer or agricultural worker. "That laboureth" (ton kopiōnta, τὸν κοπιῶντα) emphasizes strenuous toil—kopiaō (κοπιάω) denotes exhausting labor producing weariness. Farming in antiquity was backbreaking work: plowing, planting, weeding, irrigating, harvesting—all manual labor under Mediterranean sun.
The principle stated is "must be first partaker of the fruits" (dei prōton tōn karpōn metalambanein, δεῖ πρῶτον τῶν καρπῶν μεταλαμβάνειν). The verb dei (δεῖ) indicates divine necessity—this isn't suggestion but principle. "First" (prōton, πρῶτον) means priority in time and right. Farmers rightfully eat from their harvest before selling produce. Those who labor deserve to benefit from their work.
Applied to ministry, Paul teaches that gospel workers deserve support from those they serve (1 Corinthians 9:7-14, 1 Timothy 5:17-18). More broadly, the metaphor emphasizes that fruitful ministry requires patient, persevering labor. Farmers don't see immediate results—they plant, water, wait for seasons to pass, then harvest. Similarly, faithful teachers plant gospel seeds, water through ongoing ministry, and eventually see spiritual fruit.