Vers. 31-38.-Jesus and his disciples. The surprise of the disciples at our Lord's talking with the woman o.t the well did not break forth into question; they rather resolved to bide their time for an explnnation. I. THE BPffiITUAL MEAT OF THE SoN OF Gon. "My meat is to do the will of my Father, and to finish his work," 1. The disciples were naturally anxious to supply his bodily wants; for they knew that he was both hungry and thirsty. 2. The interview with the woman had for the time put his physical wants in abeyance ; for he was filled with an extraordinary elation of spirilual joy. 3. The delight of success had brought a new strength to his spirit, "I have meat to eat that ye know not of." The disciples did not then understand the true virtue or efficacy of this meat. 4. ..ds meat is pleasant lo the appetite and refreshing to the body of man, so was it to Jesus to do the will of his Father. The deeply suggestive phrase marks how natural and how easy was the obedience that Jesus rendered to the Divine will. (1) He did his Father's will (a) exactly, with all faithfulness; (b) with supreme wisdom aud 11rudence; (c) with con- 186 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [on. 1v. 1-IH,
etancy. (2) Hr fini~hed his Father's work (a) in preaching the gospel; (b) in working mimclr~ of hraling; (c) in givinii; his life at last for his sheep. IT. THE RAPID RIPENING OF TRE SPIRITUAL HARVEST. "Say not ye, There are yet fonr months, e.nd then cometh harvest? Dehold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes and look on the fields ; for they are white to harvest." 1. These words firr; the time of thi; con- t•ersation. As harvest occurred in the end of April, it must then have been about tho middle of December. Jesus must, therefore, he.ve remained eight months in Judaia, 2. The sp1'.;n·tual haf'1Je8t, which was in our LortFs mind, was obvious in the large body of Sam.ar1ta11s, who were at that moment crossmg the fields from Sychar to profess their faith in him. The thought of JC'sus was the ripeness of the people to be gathered into the kingdom. 8. Thi,s ha1·vest is very rapid ; and the seed germinates and matures in an instant. Ill. THE ENCOURAGEMElIT OF THE SOWER AND THE REWARD OF THE REAPER. "And he that rcapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he th:it re:i.peth may rejoice together." 1. The sowers are in this case John the Baptist and our Lnrd himself; the reapers are the apostles, who are to receive these Sam:iritan disciples into the kingdom of God. 2. The worker in tltis field has the prospect of reward; for, besides being "a labourer worthy of his hire," he (1) has a special delight in the conversion of souls; (2) and will receive the crown of righteons- ness, and shine as the stars for ever and ever. 3. The sowe1· does not always live to see the fruit qf his labour. "And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another rc:ipeth." (1) All God's servants are not to encounter the same difficulties, nor to meet with the same success. "I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour"- the disciples had not laboured among the Samaritans at all-" other men laboured n.:..._ the Baptist and the Redeemer himself-" and ye are entered into their labours." 'l'he lesson would be fruitful of comfort as well as warning in the future history of the disciples. (2) Yet there is no room for complaint; for the work is the Lord's, not theirs; they are responsible for work, not for results. ' Vere. 39-42.-Jesus and the Sa'TTW.ritana. The woman was the instrument of bringing her townspeople to the Saviour. I. THE FIRST DEGREE OF Su,URITAN FAITil WAS DEPENDENT ON TESTIMONY. "Now many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him because of the saying of the woman, who testified, He told me all that ever I did." 1. Faith is essentially the belief ef testimony. It thus depends upon evidence. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heh. xi. 1). 2. The Samaritans were entitled to the higlter blessing. "Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." We must receive the facts of the gospel history upon testimony, or we cannot receive them at all. 3. Faith rests firmly upon testimony that is tltoroughly verified by experience. This Samaritan woman's experience ended all doubt. Il. THE FAITH OF THE SillABITANB SOUGHT A CLOSER CONTACT WITH JESUS. "They besought him that be would tarry with them." 1. Though faith rests on knowledge, it longs for fall,er knowledge. 2. T!touglt Jesw, was a Jew, they sought immediate fellowship with him. 3. Their conduct is very different from that ef the Jews, who asked no such interview during his eight months' stay in their midst. 4. Jesus complied with their request, though he knew that it might involve him in the imputation of being a Samaritan (eh. viii. 48). Ill. THE FAITH OF THE SAMARITANS WAS STRENGTHENED, AND MORE DISCIPLES WERE Mi.DE, BY THE TWO DAYB' SOJOURN AT SYCHAn. "And many more believed because of his own word." 1. Th,ey di,d, not ask for signs, like tlte Jews (ver. 48), neither were miracles 1vrougltt for their benefit. 2. His word was effectual to confirm their faith:· it came to them, not in word only, but in power; for it was the power of God unto salvation. "For we have heard him ourselves." (1) This is the language of personal experience. (2) '!'heir personal experience was final and ~atisfactory. " And know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." (a) Mark the absence of all narrow particularism. They knew from their Scriptures that in " Abraham and his seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed." Jesus might have brought this ancient promise under their notice. (b) '!'hey recognize Jesus no longer as a mere prophet, but as Redeemer. "Sa.Ivation may be _of the Jews," but the Samaritans are the first to acc~pt 011, IV. 1-54.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 187
It in the mass. (c) The faith of the So.maritans is the condemnation of the ,Jews' unbelief.