31.1 News of John's stalwart testimony reached Jesus and his disciples in Judea where they were still making and baptizing disciples. There was other news too: News of the Pharisees' attacks.
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, He left Judeo, and departed again into Galilee. But he needed to go through Samaria.
John 4:1-3
31.2 John was baptizing in Ænon, near Salim -- a very strategic location since it was in the center of all Palestine (see map) . We do not know exactly why Jesus needed to go through Samaria on his way to Galilee. It was the shortest way to his home in Nazareth, 0r perhaps he had a (divine) appointment with a certain Samaritan woman ... At any rate he ended up in Sychar, near mount Gerizim.
31.3 There he stopped by a well which would have had some interest to him, for it was Jacob's well.
Then he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the piece of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from his journey, sat on the well: and it was about twelve o'clock, (noon). Then a woman of Samara came to draw water. Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. (For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food). John 4:5-8
31.3 Of course Jesus would have had to ask for help to get a drink of water because the well was deep and Jesus had nothing to draw the water with. But the Jews normally would not even talk to a Samaritan.
Then the woman of Samara said to him, "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans." John 4:9
31.4 The woman was naturally suspicious, but also intrigued. She could see that Jesus was different.
Jesus answered and said unto her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, Give me a drink: you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." John 4:10
The "gift of God" Jesus talks is salvation by grace, and the "living water" is the eternal Spirit of God by whom this grace and salvation would be given. Jesus had this living water that would give everlasting life to the woman, and her thirst for God would be satisfied. One taste would be enough, she would thirst no more.
31.5 The woman's attitude changed from suspicion to wonder, but she did not understand.
The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep; so where did you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and also his children and his cattle? John 4:11-12
31.6 The woman was not mocking, she really wanted to know. Already she was aware that she was talking with someone special ... a Jew who was not prejudiced against Samaritans. Jesus replied,
"Whoever drinks this water will become thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I shall give him, will never thirst again. The water that I will give him will be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life." John 4:13-14
How strange, one drink would not only fill the vessel, but it would become a fountain, (a geyser)!
31.7 Something about Jesus made this woman believe him. She said,
"Sir, give me this water, so I will not thirst, or have to come here to get water." John 4:15
This woman knew that Jesus was offering her something valuable. She believed him. With her readiness to accept his offer she showed that she was far in advance of most others. What he was offering, she would receive. But she misunderstood Jesus' offer. She thought he was talking about the kind of water people drink. She was a stranger to the things of God. Her mistake was understandable. Jesus did not scold her. He could see that she stood ready to receive the living water, and the salvation He really had to offer.
31.8 But there was one thing that might prevent her from actually receiving salvation, and that was her wrong relationships with men.. This woman had sin in her life. It had to be confronted. The Spirit of God is the only one who can convict of sin. Jesus relied on the Spirit.
Jesus said to her, "Go call your husband and come here." John 4:16
31.9 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband".
Jesus' asking the woman to "go call" her husband was really giving her an opportunity to confess her sins. Indeed, at this point she had an opportunity to pretend that she had a husband. She could have pretended to go after him, and escaped from Jesus, avoiding confession. But she made no move to get away. And she did not lie by pretending to have a husband. Instead she stood there before this strange Jew and confessed. "I have no husband". Those few words cost her something. Her disgrace was revealed. Her quick mind surely told her that Jesus might probe further. But she did not evade. She did not lose her temper, or run away, or try to cover her sin. Somehow she knew that Jesus was different. He had spoken of living water. He had come to help, not condemn.
Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband', for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband. In that you spoke truly." John 4:17-18
31.10 The woman lost all resistance. How could Jesus have known that? I can see her putting her water pot down. Surely he must be a prophet. What more did he have to say to her?
The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our Fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one should worship"
John 4:19 -20
31.11 She was not trying to change the subject. It was in connection with her sin. She really wanted to know who was right. The matter was of gravest personal concern to her. She was guilty of sin. She had probably tried to escape from her bondage without success. She knew she needed cleansing. But where could she get it? Her people said at Gerizim, "in this mountain". Looking up, she could see it not far from the well where they were sitting. But the Jews said, "At Jerusalem."... Surely Jesus would require her to offer sacrifices for sin there... The Hebrew word for "worship" means "approach God". In the Old Testament the only way to do that was through sacrifices... for sin. But Samaritans were not allowed in the temple in Jerusalem. Was there no way out for her? She was desperate.
31.12 Jesus answered her need directly.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:21-24
He had said, "The Father". It was a tender and personal term. It meant more than if he had said, "God'. It implied personal relationship. He had said, " you will .... worship the Father." That meant her. Also, he had used a term for worship which literally meant "to touch with kisses". It was very tender, and it opened the door. Samaritans could be children of the Father also -- through worship that was worship in spirit and Truth.
But Gerizim was not the place, for "Salvation is of the Jews", yet, strangely, Jerusalem was not the place either. The act of worship is more important than the place, and the way a person worships is most important. God has requirements. True worshippers must worship the Father in spirit and Truth. He is talking about the heart. There will be a heart change in response to God's Truth, the Gospel. The facts matter. This is the way it will be, and in a sense, already is, because Jesus, has come. The sacrifices at Jerusalem will end. Jesus, God's Son, will be the sacrifice for sin. Jesus speaks of "the Father", his Father, who sent him to work salvation. Those who worship in spirit and Truth are children of the Father by faith in His Son. For the woman this means that she does not need to wait. She would not have to go to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices for cleansing from sin. Right here and now she could perform the very highest act of worship. She could, by faith in God's Son, receive the Father's free gift of salvation -- full pardon for her sins, then give him in return her heart's worship, praise, and thanks! Sacrifices God is well pleased with.
Jesus continued on, "The Father is looking for people like that to worship him." ... an open invitation!
31.13 She would take it! But she knew there had to be a Messiah. Her longing thoughts now turned wistfully to the coming of the One she knew would be the Savior.
The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." John 4:25
Had not Jesus just told her "all things" about herself, and many other wonderful things as well? Could He be?... or at least perhaps HE would know... And in that eternal instant the loving light of God's Son dawned full force directly upon her, the Samaritan woman.
31.14 Jesus said, "I that speak to you am HE!"
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