Could He Be?

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

COULD HE BE?

John 4:27-30

27 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?" 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

NIV

It does seem rather odd that narrative here does not include the fact the woman was a Samaritan, perhaps the reader is supposed to insert that from previous recorded narrative, but it might simply be that in that cultural men did not engage in conversation with woman who were strangers. This was a patriarchal society unlike ours of today in which there is a far greater equality. Nevertheless his disciples did not want to question him why he was talking to her as they did have some clue to his nature or they understood him being a rabbi, he was the leader and they would not dare question his authority. But we should focus on this woman who did as Jesus suggested, she went back to town and told others to come and see this man who told her everything she had every done. We are not clear if his disciples grasp the fact he is the Christ, as we will see they still call him rabbi, but it does appear this woman has had a glimpse into the divinity of Jesus, seeing how he told her he was the Christ. But she did not tell people come to see the Christ, she only put the question out there, “Could this be the Christ?” This is certainly a unique form of witnessing, yet a very effective way. The people, how many we do not know, came out to see Jesus. He knew this would happen, this was his plan all along, give one a special moment and that one would tell others. Of what value is a great truth if kept to oneself? Of what value is church if it is just for those who know Jesus already? Actually, of what value is a life of knowing Jesus if we do not tell others about what he has done in our lives? If all we do is expect his blessings in our lives, go to church and attempt to be spiritual with all the others doing the same thing what good is that? Should we not be going to town and telling everyone about our encounter with Jesus? Surely we cannot think that everyone will simply know we are such great believers just because we of the way we live. There are hoards of nice people out there, doing acts of kindness in only their humanity. Being a good person just doesn’t make it, we have to tell everyone we have met someone who has revealed our whole life to us, maybe asking them, “Could he be the Christ?” “Could he be?”