The Disciples Return To Jesus
THE DISCIPLES RETURN TO JESUS
JOHN 4:27-38
What lessons does Jesus draw for Christian work and evangelism from this picture of the harvest?
The private personal conversation which Jesus has with the woman has to come to an end with the arrival of the disciples. They are still at the stage of being surprised at his attitude to women, but have become aware that they are in no position to question his actions. The woman left her waterpot and went off to spread the news of her meeting with someone so remarkable that he might even be the Messiah.
If the woman has made a possible discovery after misunderstanding, the disciples continue to misunderstand. They are rightly concerned about Jesus’ physical welfare, but cannot appreciate his spiritual metaphor. He was sustained by doing his Father’s will (5:30; 6:38) and completing his work (5:36; 17:4; 19:28-30). Others too were to be sustained (and still are) by his obedience to the uttermost (6:51).
In the natural world there may have been four months between the end of sowing and the beginning of harvest. In the spiritual world sowing and reaping may seem almost simultaneous. The work of the gospel is teamwork, and there are always different parts for different people to play in its furtherance (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6). As far as the presentation of the gospel to the Samaritans was concerned, John the Baptist and his disciples had done their part, Jesus and his disciples were now doing theirs, and in due course Philip and others were to do theirs (Acts 8:5-25). Each group and individual is helping in the mission of the Son and of the Spirit. No comparison should be made between the importance of the spiritual work of one group and that of another.
Notes 4:28: she left her jar probably because she was in a hurry to tell her friends and come back. It was not necessarily because her mind was totally absorbed with what she had heard. 4:35: although this could have been a proverbial saying there is no precise evidence that it was. It might simply be that the scene was set four months before harvest. The fields were “white” probably with the head-dresses of the Samaritans.
For meditation One simple, factual testimony led many to “come and see” (4:29f.). Does your testimony provoke such a response?