John 4:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"

NIV: "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?"

NASB: Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is He?'

CSB: "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?"

NLT: Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?'

KJV: Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

NKJV: “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Some commentators note that a woman who had five prior husbands, and was living in sin (John 4:17), might well have been "connected" to many other men in town. In its own way, this might have been part of the motivation for some men to come and speak to Jesus (John 4:39). When she said Jesus knew everything in her past, it could have made some of the Samaritan men nervous. The Scripture itself doesn't specify. Regardless of motivation, the response to this woman's witness is impressive. The next few verses will describe many people meeting Jesus, and a door being opened for more evangelism.

Yet again, this Samaritan woman shows her shrewd and clever mind. In Jesus' day, women were considered unreliable witnesses. Fair or not, the Samaritan woman knew that if she made any overt claims about Jesus, they'd be dismissed. In that culture, nobody would trust the word of a woman. So, just as she used clever tactics with Jesus (John 4:11, 15, 19–20), she uses them on the people of town.

The way she asks her question, "Can this be the Christ?" is intended to be given a negative answer. She might have said it as, "This isn't the Messiah, is He?" By referring to Jesus' amazing knowledge, and suggesting the idea of the Promised One, she sparks curiosity. As a result, she brings many people to Christ, both physically (John 4:35), and in terms of introducing them to their Savior (John 4:39–42).

John 4:27–45 is an object lesson for the disciples. Jesus has just finished a conversation with a Samaritan woman, while the disciples were in town buying food. As it turns out, this supposedly unclean woman will bring many people to meet Christ. The disciples have brought no one. Jesus explains that some work to plant spiritual seeds, while others collect the harvest. Both are valuable and we should be ready for opportunities in either case.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. He confronts her about sin, yet He also comforts her with the truth of the gospel. Even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, are reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.

John chapter 4 continues the use of contrast. Jesus goes from conversing with an educated, powerful, prestigious man (John 3:1–2) to talking to an outcast, unlearned, self-conscious woman. The combination of this passage, along with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, makes an important spiritual point: the gospel is for all people, in all places, and all times. Christ can reach each person exactly where he or she needs to be reached.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.