"Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His own blood. He longs with inexpressible desire that they should come to Him and have life. As the mother watches for the smile of recognition from her little child, which tells of the dawning of intelligence, so does Christ watch for the expression of grateful love, which shows that spiritual life is begun in the soul. DA 191.1"
"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."
The EGW passage uses the metaphor of thirst to describe Christ's longing for people to come to Him for life, which directly echoes the imagery in John 7:37 where Jesus offers living water to those who thirst.
"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities."
Both passages speak of Christ's satisfaction in the salvation of humanity. Isaiah 53:11 speaks of Christ's satisfaction after his suffering, and the EGW quote speaks of Christ's desire for recognition and love from those he saved. While not a direct quote, the theme of Christ's satisfaction is present in both.
"The woman had been filled with joy as she listened to Christ's words. The wonderful revelation was almost overpowering. Leaving her waterpot, she returned to the city, to carry the message to others. Jesus knew why she had gone. Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour's thirst, which she had purposed to supply. With heart overflowing with gladness, she hastened on her way, to impart to others the precious light she had received. DA 191.2"
"The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,"
EGW elaborates on the detail in John 4:28 about the woman leaving her waterpot, interpreting its significance.
"“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did,” she said to the men of the city. “Is not this the Christ?” Her words touched their hearts. There was a new expression on her face, a change in her whole appearance. They were interested to see Jesus. “Then they went out of the city, and came unto Him.” DA 191.3"
"Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"
EGW directly quotes John 4:29.
"As Jesus still sat at the well side, He looked over the fields of grain that were spread out before Him, their tender green touched by the golden sunlight. Pointing His disciples to the scene, He employed it as a symbol: “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” And as He spoke, He looked on the groups that were coming to the well. It was four months to the time for harvesting the grain, but here was a harvest ready for the reaper. DA 191.4"
"Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."
The EGW passage directly quotes and elaborates on John 4:35, using the same imagery of the harvest to illustrate a spiritual principle. This is a clear and direct allusion.
"“He that reapeth,” He said, “receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.” Here Christ points out the sacred service owed to God by those who receive the gospel. They are to be His living agencies. He requires their individual service. And whether we sow or reap, we are working for God. One scatters the seed; another gathers in the harvest; and both the sower and the reaper receive wages. They rejoice together in the reward of their labor. DA 191.5"
"And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together."
EGW directly quotes and expands upon John 4:36, applying it to the work of spreading the gospel.