“And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”
My Notes
What Does John 4:42 Mean?
The Samaritans tell the woman at the well: "Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves." Their faith has graduated from secondhand testimony to firsthand encounter. The woman's report got them to Jesus; Jesus' own words made them believe. The intermediary was necessary but insufficient.
The title they give Jesus — "the Christ, the Saviour of the world" — is remarkable coming from Samaritans. This isn't just a Jewish Messiah claim; it's a universal one. The Savior of the world — not just of Israel, not just of Samaria, but of the world. Samaritans, who were considered religious outsiders by Jews, articulate one of the most expansive Christological confessions in the Gospels.
The phrase "we have heard him ourselves" emphasizes personal encounter as the basis of lasting faith. The woman's testimony was the catalyst; Jesus' direct communication was the foundation. The chain of faith moves from witness to encounter to confession.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Is your faith based on someone else's testimony or on your own encounter with Jesus?
- 2.What does the progression from secondhand report to personal encounter look like in your spiritual journey?
- 3.Why do the religious outsiders (Samaritans) produce a more expansive confession than the insiders?
- 4.How does the title 'Savior of the world' (not just of one group) challenge limited views of Jesus' mission?
Devotional
"We've heard him ourselves now." The Samaritans graduate from the woman's story to their own experience. Her testimony was the bridge; Jesus' own words were the destination. The faith that started with someone else's report is now grounded in personal encounter.
The progression matters: the woman told them → they came to Jesus → they heard him directly → they believed. The intermediary was essential — without the woman's testimony, they'd never have come. But the intermediary wasn't the endpoint. Personal encounter with Jesus replaced secondhand information. The faith that lasts isn't the faith someone else told you about. It's the faith you've heard for yourself.
The title — "the Christ, the Saviour of the world" — coming from Samaritans is one of the Gospel's most beautiful ironies. The Jews considered Samaritans heretics. The disciples were shocked Jesus talked to the woman (4:27). And the Samaritans produce a more expansive confession than most Jewish characters in John's Gospel. Not just the Christ. The Savior of the world. The outsiders see the universal scope that the insiders miss.
This pattern recurs: the people you'd least expect often produce the most profound confessions. The Samaritan woman becomes the evangelist. The Samaritan village becomes the confessing community. The religious outsiders recognize what the religious insiders can't see.
Is your faith still secondhand — based on someone else's saying? Or have you heard him yourself?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And said unto the woman,.... Who, it appears, kept hearing Christ, attending on him, and conversing with him; for having…
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him, ... - There is seldom an instance of so remarkable success as…
We have heard him ourselves - On seeing and hearing our Lord, the faith of those who had already believed on the woman's…
We have here the remainder of the story of what happened when Christ was in Samaria, after the long conference he had…
thy saying Not the same word as in Joh 4:4, the Greek for which is the same as that translated -word" in Joh 4:4. Joh…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture