Dust rose and the sound of men talking grew louder on the road to Jacob’s well in Samaria, the setting of John 4. Suddenly, the familiar friends’ chatter stopped as each came in sight of the well. There was Jesus, sitting where they had left Him to go get lunch. Yet, He was in the middle of an animated conversation with…a woman! A local woman. A Samaritan woman. It’s a wonder they didn’t drop lunch.
Everyone knew Jews and Samaritans had no dealings. Yet this was something else entirely. The rabbis taught that you were not to privately associate with non-relatives of the opposite gender. Doing so led to sexual immorality – and whoever this lady was, she sure wasn’t Mary. “What do you seek?” they wanted to ask her. Or better yet, ask Jesus, “Why are you talking to her?” Even the normally outspoken Peter was dumbfounded, so they stood there in silence.
The woman suddenly ran past the stunned disciples. What did Jesus just say to her? Oh well. She was gone now, headed back into the village. Best to forget the episode and move on. Presenting Jesus with lunch, the disciples urged, “Rabbi, eat.” He replied, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
Huh? “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” Maybe that was why Jesus and the woman spoke. She looked vaguely familiar. Didn’t they pass her coming to the well as they first headed into the village? If so, they hadn’t really noticed her.
And therein lies the problem. Jesus the Messiah – He who is called Christ – met a hurting woman and spoke wonderful words of life. His food was to do God’s will, bringing eternal life to those who believe in Him as God’s Son. The disciples saw His glory and believed, but they hadn’t yet learned to desire accomplishing the will of Him who sent them above all else.
If they had, then they would have known exactly why Jesus spoke to the woman. In fact, they probably would have spoken, too.
Ready to start speaking more words of life yourself? Listen to our sermon series “Selfie: What Our Words Say About Us.”