How does John 4:25 reveal the Samaritan woman's understanding of the coming Messiah? Setting the Scene at Jacob’s Well The Lord Jesus has engaged a Samaritan woman in conversation about living water. His words stir her curiosity and expose her heart. Now she voices what she already believes about the long-awaited Deliverer. John 4:25 in Its Own Words “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.’” What Her Statement Tells Us • Certainty of His Coming – “I know that Messiah … is coming” shows firm conviction, not vague hope (cf. Genesis 3:15; Numbers 24:17). – Even in Samaria, where only the Pentateuch was accepted, messianic expectation lived on. • Recognition of His Title – She uses “Messiah”—Hebrew for “Anointed One”—and John supplies the Greek “Christ.” – She shares the same foundational concept as the Jews: a divinely appointed Savior-King. • Expectation of Comprehensive Revelation – “He will explain everything” points to the Messiah as ultimate Teacher (cf. Isaiah 11:2; Psalm 25:5). – She anticipates clarity on worship, doctrine, and life—mirroring the promise of Deuteronomy 18:15-18 that God would raise a Prophet like Moses. • Trust in His Authority – Her confidence isn’t in human priests or mountains but in the coming One who will settle every question (cf. Malachi 3:1; John 1:17). Roots of Her Expectation • Pentateuchal Promise – The Samaritans centered on the first five books. Deuteronomy 18 foretold a Prophet whom they called the Taheb (“Restorer”), essentially their term for Messiah. • Historical Hope – Centuries of division hadn’t erased the core hope of Genesis 49:10—a ruler from Judah—or Numbers 24:17—a star out of Jacob. Understanding the Messiah’s Mission The woman expects: 1. A personal arrival (“He comes”). 2. Divine teaching authority (“will explain”). 3. Exhaustive truth (“everything”). Her words echo later New Testament affirmations that Jesus is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and that “in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). What She Still Needed • Personal Identification – She believes in the concept of Messiah but hasn’t yet recognized He is standing before her (John 4:26). • Heart Response – Knowledge had to move from expectation to confession and surrender (Romans 10:9). Key Takeaways • Even incomplete Scripture exposure can foster true messianic hope. • Right doctrine—Messiah will come and teach—prepared her to meet Jesus face-to-face. • God uses genuine, though partial, understanding as a bridge to full revelation in Christ (John 7:17). John 4:25 therefore reveals that the Samaritan woman possessed a confident, Scripture-rooted expectation of a singular, authoritative Messiah who would bring complete revelation—an understanding that set the stage for her life-changing encounter with the very One she anticipated. |
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