John 4:39-48: a reflection

39From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I have done.” 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed there two days. 41Many more believed because of his word. 42They said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” 43After the two days he went out from there and went into Galilee. 44For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45So when he came into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast, for they also went to the feast. 46Jesus came therefore again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water into wine. There was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him and begged him that he would come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will in no way believe.”

When Jesus comes to a Samaritan town, many believe in him, and the account traces a movement from secondhand faith to firsthand knowledge. At first they believe because of the woman's testimony, her word about what Jesus had told her. But then they come to Jesus themselves and hear him for two days, and they say to the woman: Now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Their faith began on another's testimony, but it did not stay there; they came to know Christ for themselves, through their own encounter with him. What started as belief on the woman's word became a firsthand knowing, no longer resting on her report but on their own hearing. They moved from believing because someone told them to knowing for themselves.

Notice the movement in their faith: from secondhand testimony to firsthand knowledge. The woman's testimony brought them to Jesus; that was a real beginning. But they did not remain content with a faith resting only on her word; they came to Jesus, heard him for themselves, and came to know him firsthand. Now we believe, they say, not because of your speaking, but because we have heard for ourselves. Their faith grew from resting on another's report to resting on their own encounter with Christ. It is good to be brought to Christ by another's testimony; but the testimony is meant to lead us to Christ himself, to a firsthand knowing that no longer depends on the messenger. Faith that begins on another's word is meant to become our own knowledge of Christ, heard and known for ourselves. Secondhand faith is a beginning; firsthand knowing is where it is meant to go.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are meant to come to know Christ for ourselves, not only on another's testimony. Our faith may begin on the testimony of others, on what we have been told about Christ, and that is a real beginning; but the Samaritans did not stop there, they came to know Christ for themselves, hearing him firsthand. A faith that rests only on what others have said is meant to grow into a firsthand knowing of Christ, our own. Do not be content with a faith resting only on what others have told you about Christ; come to know him for yourself, as the Samaritans heard him firsthand. Come to know Christ for yourself, not resting only on another's testimony, as the Samaritans moved from believing on the woman's word to saying, we have heard for ourselves and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world; for the testimony of others is meant to bring us to Christ himself, and a faith that begins on another's report is meant to grow into our own firsthand knowing of him, heard and known for ourselves rather than resting only on what we have been told.

Lord Jesus, when you come to a Samaritan town, many believe in you, and the account traces a movement from secondhand faith to firsthand knowledge. At first they believe because of the woman's testimony, her word about what you had told her. But then they come to you themselves and hear you for two days, and they say to the woman: now we believe, not because of your speaking; for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Their faith began on another's testimony, but it did not stay there; they came to know you for themselves. Show me the movement in their faith: from secondhand testimony to firsthand knowledge. The woman's testimony brought them to you; that was a real beginning. But they did not remain content with a faith resting only on her word; they came to you, heard you for themselves, and came to know you firsthand. Their faith grew from resting on another's report to resting on their own encounter with you. It is good to be brought to you by another's testimony; but the testimony is meant to lead us to you yourself, to a firsthand knowing. Take that to my heart, for I am meant to come to know you for myself, not only on another's testimony. My faith may begin on the testimony of others, and that is a real beginning; but the Samaritans did not stop there, they came to know you for themselves. A faith that rests only on what others have said is meant to grow into a firsthand knowing of you, my own. Keep me from being content with a faith resting only on what others have told me about you; help me come to know you for myself, Lord, as the Samaritans heard you firsthand and said, we have heard for ourselves and know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.