Jesus Teaches Using Humor in John 4

A Video Supplement for
Come, Follow Me Lesson 7:
“Ye Must Be Born Again”

Transcript

In John 4:31-34, the Lord has just concluded talking with a Samaritan woman at a well. His disciples are surprised by this because it involved violating some social taboos which Jesus didn’t especially seem to mind doing. One of the fun parts of Jesus’s ministry is watching him step on the wicked traditions of the fathers over and over and over again. But there is actually another situation that his disciples are more concerned about. They have just returned from buying food and when they offer some to him he gives this cryptic response. Starting at verse 31,

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

I enjoy this passage because it illustrates a really fantastic teaching device. Jesus initially says something which confuses his disciples; something they don’t understand. Usually we try not to confuse people, but it looks like the Lord totally did this on purpose. Confusion is kind of a harsh condition, but a valuable teacher because it gets your mind active and searching and prepares them for the moment of revelatory teaching; the punch line as it were.

To show how this works, I am going to render the passage using a more modern idiom instead of the one that he actually used and hopefully it will make clear what I mean.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have [bread and butter] to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My [bread and butter] is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

I love this because the Lord used all the tools at his disposal, including even messing with disciples if necessary, in order to teach them the Gospel. Quirkily powerful teaching like this is a manifestation of his love for his disciples and his desire to help them understand his mission and lead them to God.

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