Church Fathers Commentary John 4:39-42

"And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that [ever] I did. So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his word; and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world." — John 4:39-42 (ASV)

Origen of Alexandria: After this conversation with the disciples, Scripture returns to those who had believed because of the woman's testimony and had come to see Jesus.

St. John Chrysostom: It is now, as it were, harvest time, when the grain is gathered and a whole threshing floor is soon covered with sheaves. Many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the woman's testimony: He told me all that I ever did. They considered that the woman would never, of her own accord, have developed such admiration for one who had rebuked her for her offenses, unless He were truly some great and wonderful person. And so, relying solely on the woman's testimony without any other evidence, they went out to beg Christ to stay with them. When the Samaritans came to Him, they begged Him to stay with them.

The Jews, when they saw His miracles, so far from begging Him to stay, tried in every way to get rid of His presence. Such is the power of malice, envy, and vainglory—that obstinate vice which poisons even goodness itself. Although the Samaritans wished to keep Him with them, He only stayed there for two days.

Origen of Alexandria: It is natural to ask why our Savior stays with the Samaritans when He had commanded His disciples not to enter any city of the Samaritans. But we must explain this mystically. To go the way of the Gentiles is to be imbued with Gentile doctrine; to go into a city of the Samaritans is to accept the doctrines of those who believe the Scriptures but interpret them heretically. But when people have given up their own doctrines and come to Jesus, it is lawful to stay with them.

St. John Chrysostom: The Jews disbelieved in spite of miracles, while these Samaritans exhibited great faith before even one miracle was performed, and when they had only heard our Lord’s words. And many more believed because of His own word.

Why then do the Evangelists not record these words? It is to show that they omit many important things. The result itself reveals what His words were, for the result was that the whole city was convinced. On the other hand, when the hearers are not convinced, the Evangelists are obliged to record our Lord’s words so that the failure may be seen to be due to the indifference of the hearers, not to any defect in the preacher.

And now, having become Christ’s disciples, they dismiss their first instructor. As they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of your saying, for we have heard Him ourselves and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.

How soon they understood that He had come for the deliverance of the whole world and could not, therefore, confine His purposes to the Jews but had to sow the Word everywhere! Their saying, the Savior of the world, implies that they looked on this world as miserable and lost. It implies that whereas prophets and angels had come to save it, this was the only real Savior, the author of not only temporal but eternal salvation. And observe, whereas the woman had spoken doubtfully, Is not this the Christ?, they do not say, “we suspect,” but “we know”—know that this is indeed the Savior of the world, not one Christ out of many. Though they had only heard His words, they said as much as they could have if they had seen ever so many great miracles.

Origen of Alexandria: With the aid of our former observations on Jacob’s well and the water, it will not be difficult to see why, when they find the true word, they leave other doctrines (that is, the city) for a sound faith. Observe, as St. John particularly remarks, they did not ask our Savior only to enter Samaria or that city, but to stay there. Jesus stays with those who ask Him, and especially with those who go out of the city to Him.

They were not yet ready for the third day; they had no anxiety to see a miracle, as did those who supped with Jesus in Cana of Galilee. (This supper was after He had been in Cana for three days.) The woman’s report was the basis of their belief. The enlightening power of the Word itself was not yet visible to them.

St. Augustine of Hippo: So then, they knew Christ first by the report of another and afterwards by His own presence, which is still the case for those who are outside the fold and not yet Christians. Christ is announced to them by charitable Christians—by the report of the woman, that is, the Church. They come to Christ and believe in Him through the instrumentality of that woman. He stays with them for two days, that is, He gives them the two precepts of charity. And from then on, their belief is stronger. They believe that He is indeed the Savior of the world.

Origen of Alexandria: For it is impossible for the same impression to be produced by hearing from one who has seen and by seeing for oneself; walking by sight is different from walking by faith. The Samaritans now believed not only from testimony, but from truly seeing the truth.