The Woman of Samaria
W. Jay. John 4:35-38 Say not you, There are yet four months, and then comes harvest? behold, I say to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields… After expressing His own regard to the work that was given Him to do, our Saviour stimulates His disciples to similar zeal. For this purpose He employs three arguments, all borrowed from husbandry. 1. The first is taken from the necessity for their exertions. When the grain is ripe, the sickle must be thrust in. 2. The second is taken from the profitableness of their exertion. The reaper is well paid. 3. The third is taken from the facility of their exertion; the work being prepared to their hands. "They besought Him that He would tarry with them."How natural was this! 1. They were eager to give Him entertainment. 2. They wished to be instructed by him more perfectly. It is the nature of grace to wish its increase. 3. They hoped that He would be useful to those of their families and of their neighbours, who had been either unable or unwilling to come. What a work of God was here!Let me conclude by calling upon you to observe, who were the subjects of this work, and who was the instrument. 1. The subjects were Samaritans, not Jews: and we may exclaim with our Lord, on another occasion, we "have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel." 2. The instrument was, not a philosopher, not an apostle armed with tongues and miracles, but a poor, wicked, but converted woman. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. WEB: Don't you say, 'There are yet four months until the harvest?' Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.