Going God’s Way

Going God’s Way

John 4:1-9, NLT

Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2(though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 4He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

Setting the Scene

The Pharisees were wrong about Jesus baptizing people, but they were right in realizing that he was drawing larger crowds than John the Baptist. That shouldn’t have been surprising since John was pointing people to Jesus. The vigilant Pharisees would have turned their attention to Jesus, so Jesus decided to leave Judea and return to Galilee.

Although the most direct route from Judea to Galilee is through Samaria, many strict Jews would travel east of the Jordan River through Perea, miles out of the way, to prevent contact with any despised Samaritans. Jews hated Samaritans because they weren’t pure-blooded Jews, having intermarried with Assyrians and other foreigners through the years after the nation’s exile. When the remnant of Jews returned from captivity in Babylon, for example, they refused to allow the Samaritans living in the land to help rebuild the Temple or the city of Jerusalem, even though they claimed to worship the same God. The Samaritans had adopted the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) as their Scriptures and had set up a place for worship on Mount Gerizim. They knew about a coming Messiah but were far from having an accurate knowledge of the truth.

Jacob’s well was highly valued by the Samaritans, who claimed Jacob as their father just as the Jews did. Jesus was thirsty because of the long walk and because noon would have been the hottest part of the day. His weariness and thirst show his true humanity.

Two facts are unusual about the Samaritan woman drawing water. First, she could have gone to a well closer to her town. Second, women generally would draw water later in the day, when the temperature was cooler. Because of her reputation, this woman may have chosen this well and time of day to avoid other women.

Since Jesus did not have a container, he asked the woman for a drink. This request drew her into conversation. The woman was surprised that Jesus, a Jewish male, would speak to her and, even more shocking, that he would drink from her cup. The explanatory phrase “to have anything to do with Samaritans” literally means “to share the use of anything with Samaritans.” John may have been saying that Jews and Samaritans would not share the same utensils or facilities. In strictly religious terms, many Jews of Jesus’ time considered the Samaritans permanently unclean.

Jesus crossed those barriers to strike up a conversation with this woman. He wanted more than water; he was reaching out to a person in need. Everything Jesus did and said had a purpose. He didn’t just wander into Samaria; Jesus chose to make contact with Samaritans, to bring the Samaritans what he had given Nicodemus—the offer of eternal life. Jesus didn’t hold the Jewish prejudices. Throughout his ministry, Jesus continually reached out to all kinds of people—Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles, men, women, rich, poor, religious, and totally irreligious.

Getting Personal

What religions or types of people are subjected to prejudice these days?

When have you been looked down on for what you believe? How did you feel? How did you react?

Jesus sees each individual as someone who needs him. Nothing keeps Jesus from loving people and bringing them his good news. Nothing could keep Jesus from coming and dying for us.

Jesus has come to your well, and he sees you—not as a race, nationality, gender, political party member, or any other social category. He sees you as someone who needs him, and he wants to come close to you.

Talking to God

God sees people in terms of his love for them and their need of him. Lay your personal biases before the Lord and ask him to help you see those around you as he does.