# 74 What They Didn't Say

# 74 What They Didn’t Say

Joh 4:27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

This is a rare occasion in Scripture. A time when the Holy Spirit records words that WERE NOT spoken! The disciples marveled to find Jesus talking to a woman. In their culture a woman was to be seen but not heard. They marveled, they wondered, “Why is Jesus talking to a woman? Why is He giving her the time of day?”

They thought these things, but not one of them brought forth the obvious questions: “What do you want from this woman” “Why are you talking with her? Here’s where I wish the written word can give us the inflection used! Was “her” spoken without inflection, or was it spoken with a sneer?

The implications of both questions speaks mounds about the culture and the status of women. In the first question, it is implied that the only reason you would speak to a woman, was because you wanted something from her. “What do you seek?” In the second question, it is inferred that just speaking to a woman is below the dignity of man.

Thank You Holy Spirit for including this bit of non-verbal communication for us in God’s holy Word! By including it, we learn  something about how we are to treat women.

Understand that there are biblical roles for men and women, and both should strive to fulfill their roles, but in our treatment of others, (in this case women) we are not to treat them as property. We are not to treat them as something to be used! We are not to treat them as inferior beings.

Oh you can talk about the submissive wife (Eph 5:22) and biblical roles of men and women, but these biblical mandates NEVER give license to use a woman or look down on her or mistreat her in any way!

Ga 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

The next time you are tempted to think more highly of yourself because of your “nationality,” or your “social status” or your “gender” remember what the disciples didn’t say at the well, and go, and do likewise. Treat others as you  would desire to be treated, because behind every set of eyes is a soul that matters to God!