John 4:25
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
The woman at Jacob's well spoke the shared hope of Samaritans and Jews that the promised Messiah, called Messias or Christ, was coming to explain and make all things known. She said this after her past life had been laid open and conviction awakened, when she had called Him a prophet and, after hearing that true worshipers must worship the Father in spirit and in truth neither on that mountain nor at Jerusalem, she stated her expectation of His teaching. In reply Jesus plainly declared that He who was speaking to her is that Messiah, which astonished her and awakened faith with the water of life already springing up in her heart. That open declaration could not have been made to the self-righteous Jews, to whom He was far more reserved, but was given to her because, made sensible of her want and convinced He read her life while pitying and loving her without denunciation, she was ready to receive it and bring others to share His grace. She believed His word without any miracles with heart emptied of prejudice, and telling others He might be the Christ she brought her countrymen out to hear Him until many believed He is the Saviour of the world, showing salvation is for all mankind with grace not limited by race or nation.
Setting and Conversation at Well
The words belong to Jesus' meeting with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well at Sychar, at the opening of His mission work, where bitter hostility and prejudice between Jews and Samaritans shaped the encounter. He began the conversation by asking her for water, and asking a favor rather than offering one helped awaken trust. They stand among His positive, authoritative invitations of mercy and goodness.
He crossed those barriers by accepting Samaritan hospitality, teaching among them, and treating them with human sympathy, kindness and courtesy, which drew thirsty souls. Though a Jew, He set at naught Jewish prejudice and mingled with them, slept under their roofs, ate with them at their tables partaking of food prepared and served by their hands, and taught in their streets. By sympathy and social kindliness He recognized the dignity of humanity, so His words fell upon thirsty souls with blessed, life-giving power, new impulses were awakened, and the possibility of a new life was opened to these outcasts of society.
His grace in Sychar shows He did not share Jewish intolerance, that the Samaritans had some knowledge of God, and that His grace was not limited by race or nation. His love toward the Samaritans remained unchanged despite their earlier rejection of Him. His words and works of mercy won Samaritan hearts, preparing them to receive the gospel and its messengers, and brought them the salvation the Jews rejected.
She spoke after her past life was spread out before her and conviction of sin was awakened in her. Having called Him a prophet, she tried to turn the talk from her sin to the religious dispute between Samaritans and Jews over the right place of worship. After being told that true worshipers must worship the Father in spirit and in truth neither on that mountain nor at Jerusalem, she stated her expectation that the coming Messiah called Christ will tell all things.
In this encounter Christ offered her the water of life as positive, authoritative invitation of mercy and goodness, showing that no soul need remain in ignorance and questioning whether mercy and grace and salvation can be found in God, whether the Lord will hear prayer and have mercy and give favor. This work fulfills God's promise that the woman's Seed would bruise the serpent's head. It is work He will continue until every soul has been tested and tried.
The conversation shows He gave profound, rich spiritual teaching about His spiritual kingdom patiently and freely to one listener, though she was a despised stranger, outcast and sinner, not only to large crowds. Though despised, she was a receptive listener to whom Christ opened His richest teaching. She carried what she learned to her townspeople and brought her countrymen out to hear Him, and many came to believe.
The talk took place just before He told His disciples to lift up their eyes because the fields are white already for harvest.
Messiah Expected, Revealed, Shared
The woman's words state the Samaritan expectation, shared with the Jews, that the promised Messiah, called Messias or Christ, was coming to tell, explain and make all things known. Her confidence in this hope prepared her to recognize and accept Jesus when He revealed Himself as the Christ. At the well He spoke to her about His spiritual kingdom, and she was filled with admiration for Him.
She was interested in Scripture, had studied the Old Testament promise of a Prophet like Moses, and longed to understand the prophecy. She was waiting for light and instruction with a teachable, appreciative mind prepared by the Holy Spirit, so hearing Him awakened faith. She knew the Messiah was coming and expected Him to make all things known, placing her among those waiting for light. The water of life was already springing up in her heart as she declared her knowledge.
The Samaritans eagerly awaited Him to enlighten them and teach the true religion. They expected a Redeemer not only for the Jews but for the world, while the Jews' expectation that He would exalt Israel and subdue other nations reflected a mistaken reading of prophecy. The Messiah was the one the Jews had long expected, yet Satan sought to blind them so they would not recognize Jesus as the Promised One and world's Redeemer.
In reply Jesus plainly declared that He who was speaking to her is that Messiah. That answer filled her with astonishment. Faith sprang up in her heart as she accepted the announcement, with the water of life already springing up within her.
That plain declaration could not have been made to the self-righteous Jews, to whom He was far more reserved. It was what was withheld from the Jews and the disciples were afterward enjoined to keep secret, but was revealed to her because she was ready to receive the noblest revelation. She had been made sensible of her want and soul-thirst, and was convinced He read her life's secrets while pitying and loving her without denunciation and offering grace to renew the soul. She was ready also to use her knowledge to bring others to share His grace.
She listened with heart emptied of prejudice and believed His word without any miracles, glad for the light. She became a new bottle into which He could pour the new wine of His kingdom, as when He called Matthew the publican and the fishermen. The scribes and Pharisees were like old dried-up skin bottles that could not hold it. The Jews would not recognize Him despite mighty healings and the outpouring of His Spirit because prejudice reigned in them, so that even the mightiest miracles had no effect. Her openness contrasts with people whose fixed interpretations kept them from receiving what Jesus came to teach.
Her encounter led her to tell others He might be the Christ, asking whether He who had revealed all she had done was the Christ. She brought her countrymen out to hear Him, published the light to neighbors, and helped bring a whole city to Jesus. Many Samaritans investigated and believed He is the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Her witness shows He offered instruction and salvation even to a woman who was a stranger and an outcast.
The incident shows Christ presenting the gospel to a humble person rather than being received by the learned Jews. He taught Samaritans and reached people whom many considered unworthy of salvation, bringing them the salvation the Jews rejected. His human sympathy drew them to Him. Thus salvation is for all mankind with no division of peoples, and grace is not limited by race or nation.
Her example teaches that coming to Scripture with that teachable spirit, bringing ideas to Scripture rather than bringing Scripture to ideas, gives knowledge of doctrine and discernment of where God is working without needing wonderful miracles. Those who never heard truth among the unbelieving can be more open and susceptible to God than those long in the truth with evidences yet in unbelief. Eager, attentive crowds seeking truth, like those in Brisbane and Newcastle, are the white harvest field of which He spoke just after this talk when He told His disciples to lift up their eyes because the fields are white already for harvest.