'Jesus therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the
well…. He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.'—JOHN
iv. 6,32.
Two pictures result from these two verses, each striking in itself, and
gaining additional emphasis by the contrast. It was during a long hot
day's march that the tired band of pedestrians turned into the fertile
valley. There, whilst the disciples went into the little hill-village
to purchase, if they could, some food from the despised inhabitants,
Jesus, apparently too exhausted to accompany them, 'sat _thus_ on the
well.' That little word _thus_ seems to have a force difficult to
reproduce in English. It is apparently intended to enhance the idea of
utter weariness, either because the word 'wearied' is in thought to be
supplied, 'sat, being thus wearied, on the well'; or because it conveys
the notion which might be expressed by our 'just as He was'; as a tired
man flings Himself down anywhere and anyhow, without any kind of
preparation beforehand, and not much caring where it is that he rests.
Thus, utterly worn out, Jesus Christ sits on the well, whilst the
western sun lengthens out the shadows on the plain. The disciples come
back, and what a change they find. Hunger gone, exhaustion ended, fresh
vigour in their wearied Master. What had made the difference? The
woman's repentance and joy. And He unveils the secret of His
reinvigoration when He says, 'I have meat to eat that ye know not
of'—the hidden manna. 'My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me,
and to finish His work.'
Now, I think if we take just three points of view, we shall gain the
lessons of this remarkable contrast. Note, then, the wearied Christ;
the devoted Christ; the reinvigorated Christ.