Daily Devotions
John
The Samaritan Messianic hope
Text: John 4:1-45
THE SAMARITAN MESSIANIC HOPE
Something about Jesus stirred up the Messianic hope in the heart of the woman of Samaria. Perhaps it was the way He taught. Or perhaps it was His depth of spiritual knowledge. Whatever it was, the woman of Samaria said wistfully,
“I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ).
When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
John 4:25
The Samaritans shared common roots with their Jewish neighbours. God had sent prophets to Israel. Many preached the Word of the Lord to both Israel and Judah. Thus they shared a common hope in a Messiah whom God would send to deliver His people from their sins, and who would “tell them all things”.
Could Jesus be more than just a prophet? Could this Stranger who spoke to her so kindly and yet so penetratingly be the Messiah that the Samaritans had longed for?
The woman of Samaria expressed her faith in the Messianic promise preached by the prophets of old. Along the pathways of life, she strayed and ended up with a life of sin. However, deep down in her heart, she held on to a tiny ray of faith. She believed in God’s Messiah. He would come one day, and to the Samaritans too. He would come and teach them all things!
THE DISCLOSURE OF THE IDENTITY OF THE MESSIAH
When Nicodemus came to speak to Jesus, though the discussion was long and deep in content, there was no disclosure of the Messianic identity such as that revealed here. The woman of Samaria had already declared that she had faith in the Messiah. It was just that she did not know who this Messiah was! How tenderly Jesus must have said the next few words.
“I who speak to you am He.”
John 4:26
How does one respond to such a statement? No ordinary person would make such a claim! It would not be difficult to prove or disprove claims to Messiahship! Yet, here was a Person who stated plainly and simply that He was the Anointed One of God, the Christ, the Messiah!
“COULD THIS BE THE CHRIST?”
The woman of Samaria did not know exactly how to respond to this statement. She noted that a group of men had come to the well and they seemed to be the disciples of the Stranger. They were typical Jews. They were not like this Friendly Stranger who said that He was the Messiah. How should she respond? She just wasn’t quite sure. John noted her state of confusion. She had come under the hot noonday sun to fetch water. However, she did something most uncharacteristic.
“The woman then left her waterpot,
went her way into the city, and said to the men,
‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did.
Could this be the Christ?’ “
John 4:28-29
In her heart, she had faith in God’s Promise of a Messiah. However, to actually meet up with the Promised Messiah just seemed too astounding to be easily true! How could the Messiah be at Jacob’s well? How could the Messiah speak to her, a mere woman, and one who had such a tainted reputation?
Yet, this Man was so extraordinary! He spoke of God in a way that no one else ever had! He spoke with such authority too! Besides, He seemed to know all about her! How could anyone see into the heart of another human being? How could anyone speak with such love and tenderness as He had? He did not condemn her, but kindly taught her deep spiritual truths that spoke to her heart.
Could this be the Christ? In her heart, she must have believed. She declared that belief when she went back to her city and began telling people about “The Christ”. This was all done under a hot afternoon sun!
A COMPELLING WITNESS
The woman must have been quite a compelling witness. It would not have been easy to witness to people, given her background and reputation. It would not have been easy to share her faith that she had indeed met the Messiah! Who would easily believe that the Messiah of God would have chosen to appear to her, of all people?
Nevertheless, her words prevailed. If nothing else but out of curiosity, she made enough of an impression that the city dwellers of Sychar came out to Jacob’s well to check out her story. John made this observation,
“Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”
John 4:30
Would the people have taken the trouble to come out to see Jesus if they had not been touched in some way by the testimony of the woman of Samaria? Her reputation in the city of Sychar must have been fairly well known, for one cannot easily hide the kind of misdeeds perpetrated. The last person anyone expected to speak of a Messiah would be this woman, and yet here she was sharing with people about her encounter with Jesus!
A MESSIAH THAT CARED FOR A SINFUL WOMAN!
What struck the woman of Samaria about Jesus as astounding? What was it about the testimony of the woman of Samaria that struck the men-folk? It might well be captured in this observation. Jesus took time to genuinely care for a sinful woman!
“And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled
that He talked with a woman; yet no one said,
‘What do You seek?’ or ‘Why are You talking with her?’ “
John 4:27