Spiritual Food – John 4:27-42

When you are invited to a dinner, you know, don’t you, that you are supposed to ask, “What shall I bring”?  That is a social convention.  Social conventions are “established rules, procedures and methods that are accepted as a guide for social conduct.”  They are usually good guides to safe behavior, but they can actually at times get in the way of doing what is right or necessary.  That’s why Jesus was not a slave to social conventions, but to the direction of the Spirit.

At just this moment Jesus’ disciples arrived and were amazed to see him speaking to the woman.  But no one said anything like “Why are you seeking to speak with her.”  The woman left her water jar and went into town and told the people there, “Come see a man who told me everything I do.  Could this be the anointed one?”  They left town and came to him.

In the meantime the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat!”  But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not understand.”  So the disciples were saying among themselves, “Who gave him something to eat?”  Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to complete His task.  Don’t you say, ‘There are still four months until harvest,’ but I say, ‘Look, raise up your eyes to the fields and see that they are already white for the harvest.’  Already the one who is reaping has earned his wage and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps might rejoice.  For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  I have sent you to reap what you did not labor for.  Others have labored and you have taken advantage of their labor.”

Many from this Samaritan town believed in him through the woman’s testimony that “He told me everything I do.”  So when the Samaritans came to him they asked him to remain with them and he stayed there two days.  And a great many more believed because of his teaching, saying to the woman, “No longer do we believe because of what you told us, for we have heard for ourselves and come to know that he is the true Savior of the world.”  (John 4:27-42)

The disciples are amazed at Jesus’ breach of protocol but say nothing, while the woman is amazed that she has found the Messiah and wisely tells all in town how he knew about her life and asks them if this could be the Christ.  They are curious enough to come and see for themselves.  She knows there is no reason for them to trust her conclusion so she makes it a question.  Sometimes it is best to let people find out for themselves what the truth is rather than authoritatively saying you’ve found it.  Andrew, on the other hand, is completely trusted by his brother Peter, and so he states emphatically that he has found the Messiah (John 1:41).

The disciples have brought back food but Jesus is full to the brim emotionally with having seen the Father’s will accomplished in the conversion of this woman.  He challenges his disciples and us to heed what the Spirit is already doing in people’s lives who are ready for harvesting, like ripe crops, because someone else has been used by God to sow the seed.  Perhaps John the Baptist’s teaching had had an impact in some way here, and now Jesus’ teaching in the life of this woman is bringing a harvest from the town.

In fact, many Samaritans do believe at the woman’s testimony combined with their own experience of Jesus.  Jesus really again breaks protocol by staying with the Samaritans for a couple of days to bring them the good news.  Sometimes God alters our plans if we listen and brings great fruit from unexpected places.

Discussion Questions

1. Describe a time you were so happy or excited that you did not feel a need to eat?
2. Do you think the disciples were embarrassed or ashamed of Jesus for talking to this woman?  Why or why not?
3. During his temptation in the wilderness Jesus had told Satan, quoting Deuteronomy 4, “Man does not live on bread alone,” and here he is saying his nourishment has been seeing the woman come to faith.  How would you describe the fullness Jesus is experiencing?
4. Are you aware of a situation in which your witnessing for Christ was aided by someone’s previous witness?
5. What do you think became of these Samaritans who believed in Jesus?
6. Who is God possibly calling you to witness to that you have prejudice against?