The Samaritan woman at the well — John 4:4-46
The Samaritan woman at the well — John 4
- Verse 3: “…he left Judea…” — Jesus had just been with Nicodemus, a man of wealth, social status, influence, and power. He now goes out of his way to be with the Samaritan woman, who is poor, of low social status, rejected, and denounced. As always, he went about doing good.
- Verse 4: “…must needs go through Samaria…” — Christ could have traveled another way, avoiding Samaria as all Jews did, but the Spirit compelled him to go through Samaria, and hence he needed to. As always, when there was a need to be met, Christ was there, willing to serve.
- Verse 6: “…wearied…” — Jesus dealt with fatigue and other physical ailments, just as we do.
- Verse 6: “…sixth hour…” — It would have been about noon, with heat and humidity.
- Verse 7: “…to draw water…” — The Samaritan woman probably chose this time of the day to get water because the other Samaritan women would have come in the early morning hours, when it was cooler and when they could socialize. She was probably an outcast, shunned by her society, due to her promiscuous lifestyle. It is estimated that the water containers used in those times weighed about 40 pounds when full of water. Procuring water was hard work!
- Verse 7: “…Give me to drink…” — The Jews considered Samaritans as unclean and filthy, being of mixed blood. If Jesus were to even touch a cup or vessel that the Samaritan woman had touched, he would be considered unclean and in need of ceremonial cleansing.
- Verse 8: “…his disciples were gone away unto the city…” — The disciples had followed the Savior’s lead, and were mingling with Samaritans (perhaps against their will).
- Verse 9: “…the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.” — She had three strikes against her, being Samaritan, being a woman, and being an adulteress.
- Verse 10: “…living water…” — Jews considered natural water, rain water, spring water, and moving water to be enlivening, purifying, cleansing water.
- Additional commentary:
- Notice the progression in the Samaritan woman’s respect for Christ. In verse 9 she calls him ‘a Jew’, in verse 11 ‘Sir’, in verse 19 ‘a prophet’, and finally in verse 29 ‘the Christ’.
- Christ came to where she was. He will do the same for us.
- She had water to offer. What meager things do we have to offer Christ?
- We each have our own well. Without Christ, the water satisfies only temporarily and we are always found wanting. With Christ, the water is purifying, cleansing, living, nourishing, strengthening
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