27 And upon this came his disciples, and were wondering that with a woman he was speaking, no one, however, said, 'What seekest thou?' or 'Why speakest thou with her?' 28 The woman then left her water-jug, and went away to the city, and saith to the men, 29 'Come, see a man, who told me all things—as many as I did; is this the Christ?' 30 They went forth therefore out of the city, and were coming unto him. 31 And in the meanwhile his disciples were asking him, saying, 'Rabbi, eat;' 32 and he said to them, 'I have food to eat that ye have not known.' 33 The disciples then said one to another, 'Did any one bring him anything to eat?' 34 Jesus saith to them, 'My food is, that I may do the will of Him who sent me, and may finish His work; 35 do not say that it is yet four months, and the harvest cometh; lo, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and see the fields, that they are white unto harvest already. 36 'And he who is reaping doth receive a reward, and doth gather fruit to life age-during, that both he who is sowing and he who is reaping may rejoice together; 37 for in this the saying is the true one, that one is the sower and another the reaper. 38 I sent you to reap that on which ye have not laboured; others laboured, and ye into their labour have entered. 39 And from that city many believed in him, of the Samaritans, because of the word of the woman testifying,—'He told me all things—as many as I did.' 40 When, then, the Samaritans came unto him, they were asking him to remain with them, and he remained there two days; 41 and many more did believe because of his word, 42 and said to the woman—'No more because of thy speaking do we believe; for we ourselves have heard and known that this is truly the Saviour of the world—the Christ.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 4:27-42
Commentary on John 4:27-42
(Read John 4:27-42)
The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for some good end. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the word and providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that all is well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected the woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And the power of his word. He told her secret sins with power. She fastened upon that part of Christ's discourse, many would think she would have been most shy of repeating; but the knowledge of Christ, into which we are led by conviction of sin, is most likely to be sound and saving. They came to him: those who would know Christ, must meet him where he records his name. Our Master has left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did; with diligence, as those that make a business of it; with delight and pleasure in it. Christ compares his work to harvest-work. The harvest is appointed and looked for before it comes; so was the gospel. Harvest-time is busy time; all must be then at work. Harvest-time is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all; so the time of the gospel is a season, which if once past, cannot be recalled. God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and carrying on a good work. Our Saviour, by teaching one poor woman, spread knowledge to a whole town. Blessed are those who are not offended at Christ. Those taught of God, are truly desirous to learn more. It adds much to the praise of our love to Christ and his word, if it conquers prejudices. Their faith grew. In the matter of it: they believed him to be the Saviour, not only of the Jews but of the world. In the certainty of it: we know that this is indeed the Christ. And in the ground of it, for we have heard him ourselves.