Jesus' Water Is That Good (John 4:1-15) Series

Let's start this morning by simply rereading 4:1-3. These three verses mark a transition in John to a new story:

(4:1) Then, when Jesus knew that the Pharisees heard

that Jesus, many more disciples he is making and baptizing than John--

although Jesus himself was not baptizing,

but his disciples--

(3) he left Judea,

and he departed again for Galilee.

What we are going to start to see in the gospel of John is that Judea is a place of resistance, of ignorance, and of danger. At this point, Jesus has no desire to push things in Judea (his hour is not yet come), and so he makes a decision to return to Galilee. (and that's one of the reasons I think it's helpful to translate "Jews" as "Judeans"-- Judeans live in Judea, and they are the ones who reject Jesus)

But how do you get from Judea, back to Galilee? Verses 4-6a:

(4) Now, it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria.

(5) Then, he comes to a city/town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

(6) Now, there was in that place, Jacob's well.

Why does AJ tell us about Jacob's field, and his well? We tend to pass over little details like this, without thinking about them, or asking why they are included. But these are the kinds of details biblical authors (usually) give out for a reason.

What we are about to read, takes place in the shadows of Jacob's gift of water to his descendants. What is water? Water is life. And Jacob gave life to a lot of people, through the water he offered.

And if someone offers you water, what would you call that? Maybe, you'd call it a kindness, and a sign of favor. Maybe, you'd call it a grace (John 1:16-17).

Our story continues, still in verse 6, with two more pieces of background information (2 more imperfects):

"Then, Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was simply sitting at the well.

The gospel of John works very hard to give us evidence that Jesus is God. But, at the same time, Jesus is also human. The Word became flesh. And AJ here gives us this little note, in support of Jesus' humanity. God doesn't get tired. And, certainly, God never reaches the point where he's so hot, and so tired, that all he can do is sit.

And so, if you ever find yourself wondering, "Is Jesus actually human?", John 4:6 is a good place to turn.

"It was about the sixth hour."

Our story takes place, probably, around noon-- in the heat of the day, and in the brightest part of the day. The last time Jesus interacted with a person-- Nicodemus-- it happened at night, under the cover of darkness. Nicodemus had been scared of the light, because he knew his own deeds would be exposed.

Anyone willing to come to the Light-- to Jesus-- has to be willing to be seen for who they really are.

Let's flip back to John 3:19-21:

19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

In verse 7, the story proper starts up (present tenses often mark transitions to new episodes, fwiw). Let's read through verse 9:

(7) A woman of Samaria comes to draw water.

Jesus says to her,

"Give to me to drink."

(8) For his disciples had gone to the city,

in order that food they would buy.

(9) Then, the woman-- the Samaritan one-- says to him,

"How are you, a Judean being, from me to drink you are asking-- a woman of Samaria being?"

For Judeans don't have dealings with Samaritans.

Let's pause here.

The woman is shocked because she, on two accounts, is not someone Jesus "should" be talking to. She is a Samaritan, and she is a woman. Samaritans were viewed as being ritually unclean, and as being outside of God's covenant with Israel. A Samaritan woman would be the kind of person you'd cross the street to avoid, lest she somehow contaminate you. And she's not someone you deliberately start a conversation with. Even if you're super thirsty.

The only parallel I can think of, would be an all-white diner from the 1950's in the U.S. Imagine a black man walking into the restaurant, and asking for a glass of water. Can't do it. The Samaritan woman assumes a Judean man would rather stay thirsty, than talk to her. Or ask her for a favor.