Truth Uncovered

I wonder if the disciples found Jesus to be a bit strange at times.

Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you speaking with her?” Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.” - John 4:27-42

John tells us that the disciples saw Jesus talking with the woman but didn't ask him anything about her.  Do you think they were not curious?  Or did they just want to avoid the issue since a man was not supposed to be with a woman alone?

Obviously the woman was excited by what she learned, because she left her water jar and ran off to tell the people of the town, the same people who may have shunned her and thought ill of her.

So, while she is off telling others all Jesus had said about her, things she might not be proud to reveal, Jesus is telling the disciples he doesn't need their food.

Jesus tells them his work is his food.  That means the encounter with the woman was the work he was sent to do, right?

Jesus then tells them that they get to benefit from the work done by others before them and by joining in the work, they get to see the results.

The same is true, in a way, for the Samaritans who come to see Jesus and hear him for themselves.  Because the woman spoke with him and had her life revealed to her, these others got to experience the harvest.

The message is for all of us.  We are the beneficiaries of the work done by those who came before us.  So, this is not all our own doing, when we succeed.

We do so because of the foundation laid by others.

Maybe we should stop and think.  Before we take credit for what we uncover, remember there were other, like the woman, who led us there.

More to come...