Wonderful news! Filled with surprise and joy, she “left her waterpot” on the well, and ran into the city, forgetting all about her own need, as well as the request of the Saviour for a drink of water. Her haste shows how absorbed she had become in the wonderful words from the lips of Him who declared Himself the long-expected Son of God. And He, the blessed Lord, was so intent on saving a soul that He had forgotten all about His thirst and His weariness.
Just as she had left the well, the disciples came, having made the necessary purchase of food, and “marveled that He talked with the woman,” yet were mysteriously restrained from asking Him why He did so. Presently they spread their noonday meal, but observing that Jesus did not share with them their meal, they urged Him, saying, “Master, eat.” But great was their surprise when He answered, “I have meat to eat that ye know not of.” They could not understand that the chance to help an inquiring soul was more to Him than food or drink, and said to one another, “Hath any man brought Him ought to eat?” He astonished His inquiring disciples yet more, when knowing the thoughts uppermost in their minds, said, “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,” and to carry out the mission for which I am in the world.
In the meantime the flying feet of the woman had reached the city, and she hastened from street to street delivering her message, “Come, see a Man who told me all that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?”
The theological questions over which Jews and Samaritans contended, whether Jerusalem or Gerizim was the place where “men ought to worship,” had dropped entirely out of her mind. But she proved an excellent evangelist, for presently the people came flocking out of the city in the direction of Jacob’s well, pouring out of every gate, and led over the fruitful plain by the woman.
It must have been a grand sight, and showed that Jesus was not mistaken when, looking into the face of the woman, He saw a pearl of great beauty and worth beneath the rough exterior of this semi-heathenish, yet quick-witted, sprightly and susceptible Samaritan.
As the Saviour lifted up His eyes over the plain and saw the approaching multitude, He was evidently well satisfied in withgoing His weariness and thirst while talking to this Samaritan Magdalene as she came with her water-pitcher to the well, and not only was He satisfied with the results of His labors, but He seems also to have been pleased, for, as the host filled the plain, He called the attention of his disciples to the beautiful sight, and exclaimed, “Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harvest!” Doubtless this was true in the physical world, but spiritual conditions do not have to depend upon the slow processes of the natural world, and the well-sown seed amid the glare of the noontide, was already ripening unto the harvest. Behold the thronging people! said our Lord. “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to the harvest.”
“Laborers wanted!” The ripened grain
Waits to welcome the reaper’s cry;
The Lord of the harvest calls again;
Who among us shall first reply,