Jesus Meets the Samaritan Women
February 27, 2022
Commentary
To avoid conflict with the Pharisees, who were alarmed at His increasing popularity, Jesus left Judea and started north for Galilee (vv. 1-3) It states that “He must needs go through Samaria” (v. 4). An Orthodox Jew would have crossed the Jordan River near Jericho, made his way through Perea, and then crossed back near the Sea of Galilee all to avoid going through Samaria. This was because of their long-standing, deep hatred for the Samaritans. The Samaritans were a mixed race, part Jew and part Gentile. This was a result of their intermarriages that took place during the Assyrian Captivity of the ten northern tribes in 727 B.C.
Because Jesus was on a divinely appointed schedule and was no respecter of persons, He went through Samaria. Earlier, He had counseled a moral Jewish man (Chapter 3), and now He would be witnessing to an immoral Samaritan woman. He and His disciples stopped at Jacob’s well near Sychar at about the sixth hour which is thought to be at noontime, though it may possibly have been six in the evening (v. 5). The disciples went on to do some shopping while Jesus waited at the well (v. 6).
Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus asked her to give Him a drink (vv. 7-8). The woman was amazed at this request because of the animosity between Jews and Samaritans (v. 9). Having aroused her curiosity, Jesus then pointed out that she was ignorant of three important facts: Who He was, what He had to offer, and how she could receive it. When He spoke about living water, she interpreted His words to mean literal water (vv. 10-15).
Application
If I never get thirsty and want a drink physically, I have a problem. If I find myself never getting thirsty spiritually for the Word of God, I have a more serious problem.
John 4:1– 15 (NET)
1 Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was winning and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), 3 he left Judea and set out once more for Galilee.
4 But he had to pass through Samaria. 5 Now he came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since he was tired from the journey, sat right down beside the well. It was about noon.
7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone off into the town to buy supplies.) 9 So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you—a Jew —ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you had known the gift of God and who it is who said to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said to him, “you have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do you get this living water? 12 Surely you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.”
13 Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”