“For This I Was Sent”

1-4. (a) How does Jesus skillfully teach a Samaritan woman, and with what result? (b) How do his apostles react?

THEY have been walking for hours. Jesus and his apostles are trekking northward, heading from Judea toward Galilee. The shortest route​—a journey of about three days—​takes them through Samaria. As the sun nears its zenith, they approach a small city named Sychar, where they stop for refreshment.

² While his apostles go to buy food, Jesus rests by a well outside the city. A woman approaches to draw water. Jesus could choose to ignore her. He is “tired out . . . from the journey.” (John 4:6) It would be understandable if he just closed his eyes and let this Samaritan woman come and go unnoticed. As we saw in Chapter 4 of this book, the woman would likely expect any Jew to treat her with disdain. Yet, Jesus strikes up a conversation with her.

³ He opens with an illustration, one taken from the woman’s daily life​—indeed, from this very moment. She is here to draw water; Jesus speaks of life-giving water that will quench her spiritual thirst. Several times, she raises points that are potentially controversial.a Jesus tactfully sidesteps such issues and keeps the conversation on track. He focuses on spiritual matters​—pure worship and Jehovah God. His words have far-reaching effects, for the woman relays them to the men of the city, and they too want to listen to Jesus.​—John 4:3-42.

⁴ Upon their return, how do the apostles feel about the remarkable witness that Jesus is giving here? There is no sign of enthusiasm on their part. They are surprised that Jesus is even talking to this woman, and evidently they say nothing to her. After she leaves, they keep urging Jesus to eat the food they have brought. However, Jesus says to them: “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” Puzzled, they take his words literally at first. Then he explains: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:32, 34) Jesus thus teaches them that his main work in life is more important to him than eating. He wants them to feel the same way about it.