John 4:27
And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
The disciples were amazed to find Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman because bitter enmity between Jews and Samaritans condemned all social intercourse beyond necessary trade. Though a Jew, He deliberately set aside Pharisaic custom and Jewish prejudice to mingle freely with the despised Samaritans, accepting their hospitality, eating at their tables, teaching in their streets, and treating them with kindness, courtesy and human sympathy. His speaking with her at Sychar showed that His love, grace and salvation are not limited by race or nation but are for all people, even those regarded as outsiders. Though a sinner, she had a teachable spirit emptied of prejudice and received Him by His word alone without any miracle, while the learned Jews would not receive Him even with mighty miracles, like old dried skin bottles unable to hold new wine. She at once published what she had received and brought a whole city to hear Him, showing that everyone who receives the living water becomes a giver of spiritual life, while the disciples saw little value in her and failed to see Samaria as a field already white for harvest.
Setting and Disciples' Amazement
The amazement of the disciples rests on the bitter enmity between Jews and Samaritans, who avoided all dealing with each other except necessary trade. A Jew would not borrow from a Samaritan nor receive from him even bread or water, and all social intercourse was condemned. When they found Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman they were surprised because they despised her, and their reaction exposed inherited intolerance and the social and religious barriers between the peoples. They saw little value in His attention to her and failed to recognize Samaria as a field ready for harvest, while she carried the light to her countrymen and brought a whole city to hear Him. His willingness to speak with her already taught that love and grace are not limited by race or nation and gave a lesson in how to treat those regarded as outsiders.
The conversation to which their return belongs began with a request for water and moved from dispute over Jew and Samaritan relations to the offer of living water. It marks the beginning of the mission among a people the Jews despised. The disciples in buying food were acting in harmony with the custom of their nation, but beyond this they did not go. To ask a favor of the Samaritans or in any way seek to benefit them did not enter into their thought, so Jesus asking the woman for a drink and seeking to find the key to her heart went beyond what they thought right.
Love Crossing Every Barrier
Though a Jew, Jesus deliberately set aside the Pharisaic customs of His nation and mingled freely with the despised Samaritans in the face of Jewish prejudice against them. His speaking freely with the Samaritan woman crossed the prejudices and customs that separated Jews from Samaritans. He accepted the hospitality of this despised people, slept with them under their roofs, ate with them at their tables food prepared and served by their hands, and taught in their streets. He treated them with utmost kindness and courtesy, with hospitality and human sympathy, and by sympathy and social kindliness recognized their human dignity.
His work was not to create barriers or to constantly tell people they were wrong and emphasize that they were wrong. Despite their rude treatment of Him, He continued to regard the Samaritans with love. While He drew their hearts to Him by the tie of human sympathy, His divine grace brought them salvation, which the Jews rejected. His words fell on their thirsty souls with blessed, life-giving power, awakening new impulses, creating a longing to become worthy of His confidence, and opening to these outcasts of society the possibility of a new life.
His willingness to speak with the woman challenged the social and religious barriers between Jews and Samaritans. His conversation at Sychar had already shown that His love and grace were not limited by race or nation. It taught that salvation was for all people, and gave a lesson in how to treat people regarded as outsiders.
Receptive Hearts Become Witnesses
Jesus gave earnest personal attention to one despised person at the well and opened His richest teaching to her because He saw her receptive spirit. Though she was a sinner, she had a teachable spirit with heart emptied of prejudice, ready to bring her ideas to the Scriptures rather than bringing the Scriptures to her ideas. She listened and found place for the precious truth He came to give the world, and she accepted Him by His word alone without any miracle, becoming a new bottle into which He could pour the new wine of His kingdom.
In contrast the learned Jews, scribes and Pharisees would not receive Him or recognize God working, though they saw His majesty and grace in mighty healings and the outpouring of His Spirit. They were like old, dried-up skin bottles that could not hold the new wine, and prejudice reigning in their hearts made even the mightiest miracles have no effect on them. This shows that people who had not previously heard the truth could be more receptive than those who already had its evidence but resisted it.
She published what she had received to her neighbors and carried the light to her countrymen, bringing a whole city to hear Jesus. The disciples were surprised at His speaking with her because they despised her, saw little value in His attention to her, and failed to see Samaria as a field ready for harvest. Her response shows that everyone who hears and believes with practical faith and receives the living water becomes a giver of spiritual life, a missionary to others. The words about fields white already for harvest mean crowds of eager, attentive people hearing the truth, such as those in Brisbane and Newcastle, are ready to be gathered for God.