3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. – John 4:3-4
God’s Love
John chapter 4 is a beautiful picture of the heart of God. In John chapter 3 we have the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus. During their discussion, Jesus makes the earth-shattering statement, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). How much of this profound Truth, Nicodemus understood at the moment is a matter of mere speculation. But according to verse 1 of John Chapter 4, the Pharisees, the group of religious leaders to which Nicodemus belonged, were becoming increasingly intolerant of Jesus. Accordingly, Jesus and His disciples left Judea and made their way to Galilee.
Had to Pass
Although the path through Samaria was the shortest route between Judea and Galilee, most Jews avoided it and made a circuitous trek around it. Why? The Samaritans and Jews were bitter enemies. The Samaritans were “half breeds” and therefore repulsive to the Jews. Further, the town of Sychar, where Jesus chooses to rest, was known for the vices of drunkenness, lying, and idolatry. Despite this animosity, the text says Jesus, “had to pass through Samaria”. Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” because He had a divine appointment.
Upon reaching Sychar, Jesus was weary. He sent His disciples into town for food and sat beside a well. From all physical observations, Jesus must have looked like any other man. He was tired. He was hungry. He was thirsty. But Jesus was not at the well in Sychar to alleviate his needs. Real though they were. He was there to work on the spiritual well of a woman in need. He wanted to alleviate her spiritual needs forever.
Divine Appointment
Jesus had a divine appointment with someone who was the complete antithesis of Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Jewish man who was educated, wealthy, and from the upper class of society. In contrast, Jesus comes to Sychar, to meet with a Samaritan woman who is ignorant, poor, and probably an outcast. As she approaches the well where Jesus is sitting, she could have just as well been Nicodemus. She approached the well as a child of God. No other titles were necessary.
She comes to the well alone, probably as a consequence of the shame of her lifestyle. It is speculated that the other woman of Sychar would not want to be seen with this woman (whose name is never mentioned) so she comes to the well in the heat of the day, as opposed to the cool of the evening which is when the women would typically draw water. Even the mixed raced Samaritans had prejudices. How low can a person be? Never too low for Jesus!
Thirsty
What does Jesus do to turn everything upside down? He speaks to her. More specifically He asks her for a drink. No big deal? Great big deal. A man talking to a woman (especially her) alone. Taboo. A Jew willing to drink with a Samaritan. Unacceptable. God in the flesh meeting one of His children at her time and place of need. Unimaginable. Smashing man-made prejudices and barriers. Exemplary.
Why did Jesus ask this woman for a drink? So He could help her. Before He could get to the bottom of the well he had to start by breaking down barriers. By asking a favor of her, He put Himself in a position of indebtedness to her. She is surprised by His request because it was not culturally acceptable for Him as a Jew to have “any dealings” with her as a Samaritan. Culturally acceptable or not, it was necessary for this Jew to deal with this Samaritan woman. Jesus then offers her a gift.
Living Water
What does Jesus offer this Samaritan woman? The same thing he offered the wealthy, educated Jewish religious leader. Eternal life. The wording is different but the gift offered was the same. She came to the well for water to alleviate her physical thirst, He offered her living water (Holy Spirit) so she would never thirst again.
Back to the well we go.
Deep Well & No Pail
When she first saw Jesus sitting at the well, He was merely a Jewish man in her eyes. When Jesus offers her living water she says to Him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?” Look closely at what she is saying to Jesus. Sir, you are sitting next to a well that is very deep and you don’t even have a pail!!! Meditate on that statement. The Jewish man has more work to do.
After pointing out that the well is deep and Jesus is pail-less, the woman proceeds by asking Jesus if He is greater than the Patriarch Jacob who dug the well. Jesus’ response is basically one of comparison. Whoever drinks water from this well will be thirsty again. Whoever drinks the water I offer will never again experience thirst. She may not be educated but she can see that a permanent alleviation of thirst is better than a temporary one so she asks Jesus for His water.
Back to the well we go.
Full Heart & Empty Jar
Knowing that the woman is not yet ready to “drink” the water He is offering, Jesus tells her to go and get her husband. Now things get personal, but she wanted to know if Jesus was greater than Jacob. Her response is very short, “I have no husband”. True; just not complete. So Jesus fills in the missing details. He tells her, that she has had five husbands and is now living with a man who is not her husband. This impresses her. Now, in her estimation, Jesus has been elevated from a mere Jewish man to status of a prophet. Jesus is drawing up the pail in her spiritual well.
Now that He is a prophet, the woman asks Jesus a theological question. This exchange ultimately ends with Jesus revealing Himself to the woman as the promised Messiah. As they are finishing their discussion Jesus’ disciples are returning with the food they had been sent for. The woman drops her water jar and runs into town to tell everyone about Jesus. A dam is about to break because Jesus met one lonely woman, an outcast even among outcasts, at a deep well without even as much as a pail. He must have smiled as he picked up her abandoned water jar and thought to Himself, she will never need that again.
Jar Collection
Jesus used this outcast to reach a mission field. Many people from this town of drunks, liars and idolaters became Believers. All because Jesus met a thirsty woman at her place of need and gave her a testimony. He still does it every day.
What is your well? Are there circumstances in your life that cause you to tell God “the well is too deep and you have no pail?” Jesus is sitting there waiting to meet you. He has a divine mandate, He must pass through your Samaria. Don’t worry about any prejudices, He has none. Don’t worry about your past, He already knows it. Just come with your thirst, He wants to fulfill it. Forever. Don’t miss your divine appointment.
And don’t forget your water jar. He wants to add it to His collection.