John 4:41 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And many more believed because of his word.

NIV: And because of his words many more became believers.

NASB: Many more believed because of His word;

CSB: Many more believed because of what he said.

NLT: long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.

KJV: And many more believed because of his own word;

NKJV: And many more believed because of His own word.

The testimony of the Samaritan woman brought many people to meet Jesus (John 4:29–30). In particular, it seems her mention that Jesus knew her past added curiosity to the crowd (John 4:39). Her willingness to bring others to Christ started a revival in the town. Most people would have cast her aside as an immoral (John 4:17–18) and uneducated Samaritan woman. Jesus' conversation with her proves that no opportunity for evangelism is wasted. For all the faults she had, according to the world, she immediately became an effective ambassador for Jesus.

Of course, those who came to see Christ as a result of the woman's testimony were just the beginning. As Jesus stayed with the people (John 4:40), He had even more opportunities to proclaim the gospel. Based on this verse, it's reasonable to say that more people came to hear Jesus after He was invited to town than came at the request of the woman. That doesn't change the sequence of events: she told others, and it grew into a bigger and bigger event (John 4:42).

Some of the most influential people in history are not the celebrity names we read about. Truly, some of the world's most impactful lives are those whom we never even knew existed. They don't get the credit others do (John 4:38), but their influence is what makes other people's accomplishments possible. Thankfully, God knows and will reward each person accordingly (Matthew 6:18).

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.