John 4: 27-33, Real Food

Jesus had been talking to a woman at the well in the small town of Sychar. He has explained to her that he is the long-awaited Messiah, who offers her eternal fresh water.

John 4: 27-33, Come see this man
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 
29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 
30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

The disciples are, of course, surprised to see their Jewish rabbi talking to a woman -- those things were not done in that society -- but they keep their questions to themselves.  Meanwhile the woman goes back to the townspeople to talk about this strange man. If she has been viewed as an outcast then this conversation has given her the courage to talk to the rest of the village. Naturally they townspeople are curious about the visitor.

John 4: 31-33, Real food
Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

Jesus continues to speak in metaphors.  Having identifying himself as the (eternal) Fresh Water for mankind, he now speaks of his work in terms of food (or meat.)  But the disciples miss the metaphor and wonder if their traveling to get food was in vain.

Jesus will explain his metaphor in the next passage.