John 4:27-38

Daily S.O.A.P. Prompts

S – What verse stands out to me today?

O – What is God revealing about Jesus?

A – How should this change my life today?

P – What is my prayer in response?

Scripture

John 4:27-38 (LEB) 27 And at this point his disciples came, and they were astonished that he was speaking with a woman. However, no one said, “What do you seek?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I have ever done! Perhaps this one is the Christ?” 30 They went out from the town and were coming to him. 31 In the meanwhile the disciples were asking him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something!” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples began to say to one another, “No one brought him anything to eat, did they?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is that I do the will of the one who sent me and complete his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months and the harvest comes'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already. 36 The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, in order that the one who sows and the one who reaps can rejoice together. 37 For in this instance the saying is true, ‘It is one who sows and another who reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have worked, and you have entered into their work.”

Observation

• The disciples return and discover Jesus is speaking with this Samaritan woman, and they are “astonished” by this interaction. The New Living Translation uses the word “shocked” to describe the disciple’s reaction. This type of behavior by a Jewish man would have been considered inappropriate. 

• They may have been thinking it and even discussed it among themselves, but never brought it up to Jesus. 

• The Samaritan woman leaves the well and begins to tell other people about her interaction with Jesus. She still isn’t convinced but is leaning towards the truth that Jesus is the Christ. 

• She invites people to “come, see” this man Jesus, who claims to be the Messiah. 

• Ministry is happening, and the disciples are concerned that Jesus hasn’t eaten. It makes sense for them to care for their Rabbi, but Jesus uses this moment to teach them a deeper truth. 

• Once again, like the symbolic living water discussion, Jesus draws another symbolic meaning out of food. He explains to the disciples that his food is to do the will of the one who sent him and finish (or complete) the work. 

• Jesus often used common phrases or cultural axioms to teach people in the gospels. He uses a common phrase related to “harvest”. But again, it isn’t about the wheat in the field. It is about a harvest of people. 

• He invites the disciples to “lift up [their] eyes and look at the field” because the harvest is ready. It appears that Jesus is speaking directly about the Samaritans who are coming to see Jesus and the coming harvest that will happen at the end of time. 

• There is a lot of sowing and reaping language in the last few verses as Jesus is speaking about harvest. 

• Interestingly, the reaping that is happening right now is a result of sowing that had occurred in the past. The disciples get to enjoy the harvest from work that others have done.

Application

• Cultural norms can keep us from ministering to the people that God wants to reach with the gospel. 

• The harvest is all around me. Do I see it? 

• I am grateful for all the people who shared the gospel message with me so that I could believe. 

• I will sow as much as possible so others can reap.

Prayer

Dear Lord, you are the Lord of the harvest. I pray for more workers to come to bring in the abundant harvest. Help me to see the fields that are white for harvest and work to bring in that harvest. Thank you, Jesus, for sending people to share the gospel with me. I am eternally grateful! Give me the opportunity today to share about you. In Jesus’ name, amen!

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