4:39-42
Although the woman was almost certainly not highly thought of, and although she had only known Jesus a short while, and although her understanding was far from complete, many of the Samaritans believed. We do not need to have a perfect testimony in order for it to be effective. There are two things that make a testimony effective: the Holy Spirit, and the reality of God working in our lives. It was the fact that Jesus knew her that spoke to the woman.
So many Samaritans went to Jesus and asked Him to stay with them, so He did so for two days. Jesus spoke to them, though we are not told what He said to them. But whatever it was it was effective for many more believed in Him.
The Samaritans declared that they believed because they had heard directly from Jesus. All of us need a direct personal encounter with the Lord. They now knew that Jesus was the Saviour of the world. This is one of only two places (the other being 1 John 4:14) where this term is used.
In the whole incident from Jesus encountering the woman herself, and then His speaking to the other Samaritans, there is a key role of Jesus speaking personally to people. Sometimes “words of knowledge” get a bad press, and no doubt they can be misused, but a key feature of God’s dealing with people throughout the Bible is that He speaks personally to us, and genuine words of knowledge can help lead people to the Lord. Note also that the word from Jesus was effectively about her sin! Yet it was not given in a condemnatory way.
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