Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men (Acts 17:11-12).

This was when Paul went to the city of Berea on his second missionary journey. There was a Jewish synagogue in the city, and the Jews who heard Paul peach searched “the Scriptures everyday to see if what Paul said was true.” Why did they examine the Scriptures? Didn’t they believe what Paul said? If they did it out of their doubt on Paul’s preaching, don’t you think it was not so good? But Luke says, “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians…”

When the disciples returned, the Samaritan woman at the well went down to the town, and told the people what she heard from Jesus.

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did (John 4:39)."

These people believed in Jesus through the words of the woman. This is one way to believe. But then:

So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. 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 (John 4:40-42)."

The same people, who had heard from the woman, now heard directly from Jesus, and came to believe. This ‘believing’ was not the same as the previous ‘believing.’

Job experienced the same thing. Not knowing why the disasters suddenly came upon him, he came to wish that he could speak directly with God. When all the discussions between him and his friends were exhausted, God spoke to him out of the storm.

Then Job replied to the Lord:

"I know that you can do all things;

no plan of yours can be thwarted.

[You asked,] ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

["You said,] ‘Listen now, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you shall answer me.’

My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.

Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (Job 42:1-6)."

Note that he said, “My ears had heard of you but my eyes have seen you.” He came to realize that all what he had known about God so far was simply by hearing from others with his physical ears, and had never learned anything directly from God. It was a big surprise for him when God spoke to him. For the fist time, he came to have ears to hear. It was this kind of ears that the Bereans used when they examined the Scriptures.