John 4: 39-45, Samaritan Believers

Jesus has been talking with a woman in the small town of Sychar, in the (non-Jewish) region of Samaria.  Convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah, the woman invites the townspeople to meet him.

John 4: 39-42, Samaritan Believers
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 
40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 
41 And because of his words many more became believers.
42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

The residents of Sychar are first attracted to Jesus because of the claims of the woman who invites them. Trusting her claims, that this Messiah has miraculous knowledge of her, they invite Jesus to stay for a time.  During this time, the villagers deepen their belief in this Messiah because of his teachings, not because of her initial claims.

The gospel writer has a lot to say about belief.  Belief has many levels and the villagers have transitioned from one fairly shallow level to a deeper one.

The Samaritans were not quite Jews, but a religious and ethnic group who had many Jewish beliefs.  This ministry in Sychar is a prequel to Jesus' ministry, at times, to Gentiles.

John 4: 43-45, Return to Galilee
After the two days he left for Galilee. 
44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 
45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

After staying in Sychar for two days, Jesus moves on north to Galilee. The gospel writer inserts a famous quote, appearing in the other gospels, about the lack of honor given prophets. (See Mark 6:4-6, Matthew 13:57) Yet, at this time, Jesus is welcomed home in Galilee.  Apparently the Galileans had seen Jesus clear out the temple in Jerusalem and are impressed.