A Samaritan Woman Meets Jesus – Part 3

Recap of Parts 1 & 2 – vs 1-30

Jesus had started to get attention from the Pharisees, so he withdrew to his home territory of Galilee by way of Samaria. While there he initiated an encounter with a woman who had come to draw water. Jesus engaged her in a dialogue about living water. She seemed to think he was talking about a better source of physical water – but she was clearly drawn to Jesus and wanted to know more. As they continued to dialogue, Jesus revealed the deepest secrets of her heart, invited her to become a true worshipper of the Father and told her that He was the long-awaited Messiah. She went off into the town and told everyone that she had met a man who told her everything she had ever done. The people of the town began coming to Jesus.

Vs 31-34 – Jesus’ secret food supply

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

Part of the assignment of a rabbi’s disciples was to look after his needs.  When Jesus told them that he had an alternate food source, they were confused.

• What was Jesus referring to when he said he had food that they didn’t know about? (vs 32)
• What did he mean by the statement “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (vs 34)?
• What challenge do these words pose to us?

Vs 35-38 – Reaping the harvest

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

• four months (vs 35) – the interval between sowing and reaping.
• white for harvest (vs 35) – ripe for harvest. Wheat turns a light golden colour when it is ripe. In the sunlight it can appear almost white.
• Already the one who reaps is … gathering fruit for eternal life (vs 36) –  In this Samaritan village, there was no four month interval between sowing the seed and reaping the harvest. The harvest of souls was almost immediate.
• I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor (vs 38) – Jesus had sowed the seed. He was the one who had initiated contact with this woman and shared the good news with her. Now he was inviting his disciples to help him reap the harvest.

Vs 39-42 – The Savior of the world

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

• the woman’s testimony  (vs 39) – the testimony of a woman was not given much weight in courts at this time. But the Samaritans found this woman’s testimony quite convincing. Probably her transparency had something to do with this. She had been humbled and yet also given a new dignity by her encounter with Jesus. A genuine testimony is powerful.
• they asked him to stay with them (vs 40) – they wanted more of Jesus. Contrast John 1:11.
• many more believed because of his word (vs 41) – Jesus was all about making disciples. He would leave behind him the beginnings of a church.
• we have heard for ourselves ( vs 42 )  – new believers need to get to know Jesus for themselves, not just because of what someone else has told them.
• the Savior of the world  ( vs 42 ) – they had become convinced of Jesus’ true identity.

Reflection and Prayer

• We can ask Jesus to work into our hearts a desire to do the Father’s will. My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work ( vs 34 ).
• Even if we aren’t gifted evangelists, we can ask Jesus for eyes of faith to see the harvest (vs 35) , and willingness to work with Him in reaping that harvest.
• We can pray that many around us will come to see that He is the Savior of the world.