John 4:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

NIV: Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'

NASB: And at this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, 'What are You seeking?' or, 'Why are You speaking with her?'

CSB: Just then his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, "What do you want? " or "Why are you talking with her? "

NLT: Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, 'What do you want with her?' or 'Why are you talking to her?'

KJV: And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

NKJV: 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?”

Jesus had sent the disciples into town to buy food earlier in the passage (John 4:8). The fact that He was alone was probably the only reason the Samaritan woman had approached the well. She might not have even known Jesus was there; in that time and place it would have been unwise for a woman to approach a group of strangers. While they were gone, Jesus opens up the truth to the woman, who responds immediately to what she has learned (John 4:28–30).

No matter how a person looks at it, this passage is embarrassing for the disciples. These men are the students of Christ, and they know Him better than anyone else. And yet, they have told no one about Jesus. They didn't bring a single person back to meet Jesus. Several verses from now, a large number of Samaritans from the town will come to see Him. But they will have been brought by a woman with a sinful reputation, of all people. This makes Jesus' description of the work of God all the more stinging.

In the disciples' defense, they are still very early in their travels with Jesus. Their Jewish culture despised the Samaritans for being half-breeds both in race and religion. And Jesus has not yet given them a command to spread the gospel to others. While being outdone in evangelism by a Gentile woman is awkward, it's not a great moral failure, either.

The verse also shows the immediate impression Jesus has made on His disciples. Even this early in their travels together, they are not openly questioning His actions. Virtually every detail of the prior passage was against cultural norms. Jesus was speaking to a woman, also a Samaritan, in a way that His culture considered inappropriate. But the disciples already know Jesus well enough to trust that He must have a good reason for what He is doing.

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 soon bring back many people to meet Christ, while the disciples have brought no one. Jesus explains that some work to plant spiritual seeds, while others might be the ones collecting 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. Jesus both confronts her about her sin, and comforts her with the truth of the gospel. In particular, He explains that 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, have to be 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 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 gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. 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”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.