A Most Profound Conversation Interrupted

John 4:25-30, CEB

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.”  Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

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.

                When Jesus, in response to the woman at that well’s reference to the Messiah, reveals that he is the One to whom she speaks, the conversation is abruptly halted.  The disciples of Jesus, who had gone seeking provisions, return.  As they do, they are astonished to see Jesus speaking with this woman.  This is the same astonishment that the woman expressed openly to Jesus when the Messiah first spoke to her.  I ask you to notice the difference.  The woman questions Jesus about that astonishment while the disciples remain silent.  Reflect on that for a moment before you continue reading.

                I have to believe that the woman noticed the disciples’ astonishment.  She might have even felt a bit judged by their disapproving glances.  Nevertheless, she has already heard enough from Jesus to take the next step.  She prepares to leave.  As she does, she does something rather curious.  She leaves her water jar behind.  She had come to get water in that jar to take back to her household, but she leaves it behind. 

                Much scholarly musing has been done on this easily overlooked detail.  The empty water jar is left as a witness to the woman’s embracing of Jesus’s living water, which is beyond literal water.  The jar symbolizes the woman’s connection to the conversation that will take place between Jesus and His disciples after she leaves.  There are other musings as well, all of which I believe are possible if not inspiring. However, I find a more literal interpretation of the woman’s action to be even more inspiring.

                She intended to come back!  She has abandoned her now less important task of fetching ordinary water to go tell her people about her breathtaking encounter.  Instead of going to get water and bring it back to her people, she is now going to get her people and bring them to Living Water!  She wants them to confirm what she suspects she already knows – she has found the Messiah!  The concluding quote of this whole episode (found in our verses for the next reflection) are her conclusions after they have experienced Jesus for themselves:

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.” (4:38, CEB)

They confirm her suspicion; Jesus is exactly who He said He is.

Questions:  Have you found the Messiah?  If so, what are you going to do about it? 

Prayer:  Lord, many things we do are important, but show us the most important and help us not to neglect those.  Amen.

Prayer Focus:  Spend time talking to God while you are about doing ordinary but necessary tasks today. 

Song:  If I’ve Got Jesus – Ben Fuller