John - Chapter 4, Part 1
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
JOHN 4:1-42
Before we begin the study of chapter 4, it seems right to take a pause to recall what we have seen before in John's gospel that brought us to this point.
Each scene in the first three chapters has taught us a different theme but each was an aspect of the awful condition that Judaism was in as Jesus was revealed as the Christ slowly to His own.
A blinded priesthood (1:19 & 26)
A nation without joy (2:3)
A temple profaned (2:14)
A spiritually dead temple leadership (3:7)
Jesus' authority questioned to the Baptist (3:25-26)
His testimony rejected (3:32)
Now after all these sad teachings, we are given a clear view of the heartless indifference of Israel to their neighbors. (Both Leviticus 19:18 & Mark 12:33 are clear on this point as we are to love our neighbors as ourselves and this is of more value than ALL the burnt offerings and sacrifices given).
After the rejection of Christ we saw in the last verses of chapter 3, Jesus now makes a prophetic turn in His ministry. He turns toward the gentiles. Romans 11 provides the strong lesson on this matter by Paul.
Just as an interesting start, notice that verse 40 says that Jesus abode with the Samaritans two days. What did Peter teach us about days? In 2 Peter 3:8, Peter teaches that one day is 1000 years and 1000 years is one day. So Jesus abode with these Gentiles the same amount of time that the Lord has turned away from the Jews toward us, the Gentiles, 2,000 years. Just a thought to ponder as we begin.
Verse 4:1 begins by telling us that Jesus started ministry by making and baptizing more disciples than John, and with an adder that Jesus himself did not baptize. Now Jesus leaves Judea toward Galilee and verse 4 tells us that He must needs go through Samaria. This path was a somewhat direct route but most Jews chose a longer and more circular route to Galilee, going around Samaria. Into this region Jesus travels, stopping alone at the well at the small town of Sychar. His disciples had gone onward to purchase food and Jesus stopped at the well.
The wording of verse 4 “He must needs go through Samaria” provides the clear teaching that the will and plan of God is here unfolding as designed. We could have been told that He traveled this way to set this stage. But the teaching is that He MUST NEEDS, which means that the Lord's will compelled this way. Divine necessity required it to be so in order that all who would ever read the words of John would understand that this path was ordained that the Messiah and His salvation has a Gentile portion.
The relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans in those days was strained. The Jews looked down on these people as half breeds and verse 9 specifically says the Jews have no dealings with them. While the Samaritans believed in God the Father, and accepted that a Savior would come, they remained in distrust and discord with the Jews.
The Samaritans had built a temple to God on Mount Gerizim around 400 B.C. which was destroyed by the Jews around 128 B.C. The scripture of the Samaritans was the first five books (the books of Moses). So perhaps there were good reasons for the hard feelings toward the Jews.
Also, it is important to know that this well in Sychar was known as the well of Jacob. Even though OT provides no proof of Jacob digging a well, the people there were sure that this was the land that Jacob gave his son, Joseph, which we know from Genesis 33 that he bought from the sons of Hamor and it later served as the burial place of Joseph. The well was a convenient stopping place for those who traveled this way to drink and refresh their camels.
Jesus displays once more the evidence for us that although fully God, his dual person was also fully man. He sat down at the well. 4:6 tells us He was weary and 4:7 tells us He was thirsty. And He meets a Samaritan woman there, who is alone, and asks her for a drink. We are told it was the sixth hour, meaning noon. The sun would have been very hot overhead and we are taught (Genesis 24:11) that most women came to draw their daily water in the evening, not in the heat of the day. It may be possible, that as we will learn later, that due to her low reputation in her village, that the other women did not wish her to walk with them.
Jewish men usually did not speak to any women in public, and never one that was considered Gentile and was alone. Such a moment would have been considered improper and perhaps even a flirting moment.
As the conversation begins, we notice quickly that the woman was not diminished in the talk (as was Nicodemus who said less and less as his talk with Jesus went on). She was quite conversant and open with this stranger at the well. After Jesus asks for the drink of well water, the woman is sharp toned and terse with Jesus, asking him why a Jew would ask a Samaritan for a drink, and noting that Jesus is ill equipped to get His own water, having brought no bucket or jar to hold water or to draw it from the deep well. Then she is confrontational by challenging Jesus as to whether He was greater than Jacob, who gave the well.
Jesus answers that whoever drinks of this water will again thirst but he who drinks of the water Jesus provides will never again be thirsty, and that His water will bring everlasting life. Now the woman changes her tune and asks for the water Jesus described. Notice the next verse (16) in which Jesus gives two commands, “... Go, call thy husband, and come hither”. Jesus knew she had no husband, and she confirms that fact. Jesus knows all. He tells her she had had five husbands before, and the one that she now has is not her husband (perhaps he is someone else's husband). We will learn later in 7:37-39 that this living water is the Holy Spirit.
This issue of thirst is a symbol of meeting a critical human need. Thirst is seen in scripture as a spiritual desire (PS 42:2 & 63:1 & 143:6). As she realized that Jesus knew the sins of her life, she became somewhat hurt and maybe more serious as it no longer was necessary to conceal her life as Jesus already knew it. So now she concludes that He must be a prophet.
Now she does the only thing she can think of which is to change the subject. Is it possible that we do the same thing when we try hard not to reveal and confess ALL sin to the Lord in prayerful communion?
She now wants to discuss “where” worship should be done. She tells Jesus that her people worship on Mount Gerizim (where the Israelites were blessed by Moses in Deut 11:29). She further pushes Jesus by saying that the Jews say worship should be at Jerusalem. Now Jesus imparts one of His strongest messages to her (and to us) that the time is coming when the “where” no longer matters, but will be replaced by the “what” men worship. He teaches that the Lord is a spirit and wishes men to worship in spirit and truth.
Now, the HOLY TRUTH is revealed not from some apostle but from the lips of Jesus himself. Notice that the woman says “I know that Messiah is coming which shall be called Christ”. Notice that the woman does not seek to cover her words as Nicodemus did, by saying “we know”. She is direct and clear and says “I know”.
In verse 26 Jesus says “... I that speaketh unto thee am he”.
This disclosure is unique to all gospels, as Jesus chose not to disclose it before His trial except here to a Gentile serial fornicator. Now she leaves her water jar and goes to gather her people to come and meet the Lord. She left her previous work to go and witness for Jesus (exactly like each Apostle had done).
Now the disciples return and ask Jesus to eat but Jesus has no wish to accept as he tells them He has other meat to give him sustenance, doing the Father's will and finishing his work.
The Samaritans return, listen to Jesus, ask Him to stay with them and He agrees. Now many more believe on Him and the most profound statement is given by these of her village, not because of her words, but because they heard Him their selves, and they “... know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world”.
Do we see the irony again that He is despised and rejected of His own but quickly accepted by the Gentiles? The age of the Gentiles has begun!
