Only now does Jesus address the Samaritan who still lies reverently kneeling at his feet. He may stand up and go on with his life of every day. But then he hears something that surprises him:
Your faith has made you well.
The Greek word sesoken expresses more than that he is healthy again in life and limb. The alternative translation of the ESV gives has saved you
and is to be preferred above has made you well.
This Samaritan showed his faith in God by his return to his Healer.
For the Jewish bystanders these words must have been shocking. Does this man not first of all need to be circumcised?! Should he not be introduced to the Jewish faith step by step? Only then can one speak of a real faith that can exist before God, and only then may he belong to God’s people; is that not how it should be?
Jesus opens the door for a Samaritan here. This faithful man now already belongs to God’s people and receives the promise of eternal salvation. Kneeling before Jesus is the only prerequisite for this. That is what the Samaritan did. In this he preceded many Jews at that time.
And so, during Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem a strong appeal is made to those born as Jews to acknowledge Jesus as the Master of Israel and as the Saviour of the world
(John 4:42).
19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”