Lesson for February 24, 2021
The Life of Christ
Lesson 10
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
John 4:1-42
The first five verses of John 4 tell us that Jesus left the region of Judea and traveled to the region of Galilee. These verses also give us the reason why Jesus departed this area. We are told that the Pharisees (the Jewish leaders) were upset with the large number of people who were following Jesus. The Greek word for more in verse one is “pleinoas” and means a lot more or much greater. The point is that there were a more significant amount of people following Christ than John the Baptist. John 4:1, “So then, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was making and baptizing more disciples than John.” Jesus knew that He was a greater threat to the Jewish leaders than John and that He was in great danger. Therefore, Jesus wisely departed into Galilee.
In order to get to Galilee, a person must go either directly through Samaria, find another longer route or take a route that would have taken them into Herod’s headquarters for that region. Herod was also concerned with Jesus and His followers, and it would not be smart to travel directly into Herod’s headquarters. Jesus chose to go the direct route where He came to a city called Sychar. This city was near an area where Jacob’s well (an Old Testament site) was located. It was at this well that Jesus stopped to get a drink of water.
By way of background, the Samaritans were considered Gentiles because they had intermarried with Assyrians many years earlier. Many still worshipped the true God and many were believers. It does seem evident from these passages that the people of Sychar had positive volition and were eagerly waiting for the Messiah to appear on the scene. This area was parceled to Joseph and his descendents according to Genesis 33:18, 48:22. Some, if not all of the citizens of Sychar are from the line of Joseph.
It was at this well that Jesus met a woman that had come to draw water from the well. It is interesting to note that there was another well much nearer town. The reason that this woman chose to come to Jacob’s well instead of the nearer well became clear as Jesus spoke with her. It seemed that she was an “outcast” from society because she had had five husbands and was now living with a man outside of marriage. Therefore, this woman would have avoided the well in town where the “respectable” women drew water. Jesus simply asked her for a drink of water because He was thirsty from His journey. This was not an unreasonable request, unless you are Jewish asking a Samaritan woman for a drink. Notice that this woman made the point that not only was she a Samaritan, but she was a woman. The reason she knew Jesus was a Jew was because of His clothing (a Jewish robe normally had a fringe). We also know that the general Jewish population did not associate with the Samaritans and especially not with Samaritan women.
Jesus now skillfully turned the conversation to the Gospel. As the greatest teacher Who ever lived, Jesus used what was available as a teaching aid – water. But Jesus offered this woman “living water” (a metaphor for eternal life, as we will see). This woman was not yet a believer, and Jesus was offering her eternal life. In verse 10, Jesus used the second-class condition of “if,” meaning “if and it is not true.” If this woman knew to whom she was speaking (but she didn’t) and if she knew the gift of God (but she didn’t), she would have asked Jesus for this “living water” (and she didn’t at this point).
The woman’s response clearly indicated that she was an unbeliever. She did not understand that this was a spiritual statement but viewed it from only the “natural.” She asked Jesus how He could draw this (living) water without a device to draw with. Staying with human viewpoint, this woman used the only analogy she could think of and that was Jacob, a Jewish hero. Her comparison of Jesus to Jacob seemed to be meant to question His ability to provide this water of which He spoke. She did not yet recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
Jesus now gave the Samaritan woman a full explanation of this living water. Notice that the water to which Christ referred is a gift, it is a well of water and it springs up into eternal life. This could refer only to the Gospel. Asking for this water is a metaphor for positive volition. Drinking is a metaphor for faith (a non-meritorious act). Living water is a metaphor for eternal life.
The woman was intrigued but not yet a believer, as her statement confirms. She wanted the living water, but only so she would not have to come to the well and draw again. Of course, Jesus recognized this fact and used His great intellect to show the woman her need for a Savior. Before a person can come to faith in Christ, they must first acknowledge their need for salvation. Such was the case with this woman. By pointing out the fact that she had many husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband, Jesus showed her that she was a sinner in need of a Savior. Also notice that Jesus did not make a huge issue of her sin; He simply used it to open her eyes to her need.
Now the woman perceived that Jesus was more than an ordinary man. Her conclusion was that He must be a prophet. But the woman was still in unbelief. Instead of addressing the issue of her need for salvation, the woman brought up a controversial issue regarding worship. Jesus was not distracted by her statement. In a masterful way He brought the conversation back to the Gospel and her need. Jesus told her, and in doing so tells us, that where a person worshipped was not the issue. The issue was, and is today, who and how you worship. First, a person must be a true worshiper (a believer). Second, the Father must be worshipped “in spirit and in truth.” Spirit in this passage refers to the Holy Spirit and truth refers to Bible doctrine. The believer worships God through the filling of the Holy Spirit and through the study and application of Bible doctrine.
In verse 25, the Samaritan woman made a reference to the Messiah and the fact that she had been taught that He would come and reveal all things. What the woman seemed to be saying was that she did believe that the Messiah would come but she did not understand the purpose for which He would come. In verse 26, Jesus revealed to her that He was the Messiah. At that moment, the disciples returned and interrupted the conversation. The woman then returned to her town and began to tell everyone of her encounter with Jesus and how He had told her things which He could not have known from His human knowledge. This information regarding her lifestyle could have been revealed to Christ only by God the Holy Spirit.
The result was that the “entire town” came out to see Jesus and to see if indeed this was the Messiah, as the woman believed Him to be. As the town came up the mountain to see Jesus, He took the opportunity to teach His disciples about their responsibility as His ambassadors. As the disciples urged Jesus to eat food, He pointed out the fact that He was more interested in the spiritual harvest that was coming up the mountain. The analogy He used to teach a spiritual principle was that the seed (the Gospel) had been planted, the crop (the people) had been watered (the Holy Spirit was convincing them of truth) and was now ready to be harvested (they were ready to believe). This town was exhibiting positive volition and they were ready to believe in Christ as the Messiah (Savior).
The point which Jesus was making to the disciples was that they should always be ready to share the Gospel. Others had labored before them in preparing men and women for the reception of the good news of the Gospel. This is also the case with you and me. Sharing a clear Gospel message is the responsibility of every believer. It is not our responsibility to win anyone to Christ, that ministry belongs to God the Holy Spirit. He may use you or me to plant the seed, water the crop or to reap the harvest (see a person trust Christ as Savior), therefore we should always be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel.
The final part of our story tells us that the result of Christ’s faithfulness in presenting the Gospel was that many in the town of Sychar believed in Him. As a matter of fact, they urged Him to stay with them and He did for two days, which resulted in even more people believing in Him.
In verse 42, we are told why this town believed in Christ. John 4:42, “And they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”One would think that it was because of the testimony alone of the Samaritan woman and the fact that Jesus knew things about her that only a person from God could have known. However, this was not the case. Her testimony was certainly used by God the Holy Spirit to bring these people to Christ, but it was the words of Christ that ultimately convinced this group that He was the Savior.