The Woman At The Well. Revised.

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. REVISED.

John 4:1-42.

1. THE OCCASION (John 4:1-4).

Jesus had been preaching in Judea, and His ministry was proving to be even more successful than John the Baptist’s. The religious authorities were somewhat disturbed at the number of converts that the disciples of Jesus were baptising. It was in these circumstances that our Lord decided it was time to return to Galilee, where He had been brought up. To get there “He must needs pass through Samaria” (John 4:4). In other words, there was somebody there whom He “must needs” meet.

2. THE PLACE (John 4:5-6).

Passing near a city called Sychar, Jesus grew tired and thirsty. He stopped by a well for rest and refreshment. The one who is truly God is thus seen to have taken upon Himself all the limitations of a true humanity. He was capable of hunger and tiredness, pain and death, for it was to bear our infirmities that he had come into the world.

3. THE ENCOUNTER (John 4:7-26).

This woman came to the well alone, “at about the sixth hour” (John 4:6). Perhaps her style of life met with the disapproval of her neighbours, and she felt compelled to collect her water at a time separate from the other women. Whatever the reason, she was to have a one-to-one encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ which would change her life, and that of her community, for ever.

His disciples had gone to the city to buy food (John 4:8), and Jesus was resting by the well, perhaps redeeming the time by praying for the people who lived there and for this lone woman who now came into His sight. It is always good to keep our minds occupied with prayer and praise and pious thought when our hands otherwise have no work to do.

By His appearance, the woman could tell that this stranger was not one of her people, the Samaritans, so imagine her surprise when suddenly He spoke to her (John 4:7)! After all, the Jews had no dealings with their neighbours in Samaria, nor men with women. Thankfully all these dividing walls of ethnicity and gender are broken down in the Church of our Lord: ‘for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28).

(i) Jesus said to the woman: “Give me a drink” (John 4:7).

Considering who Jesus is, it is incredible that He should ask us for anything. Yet here He asks the woman for a drink.

But the woman instead entered into theological debate with Jesus. How easily we are distracted from the business of being right with God, confusing religious debate with what God is saying to us.

(ii) The woman asked Jesus, “How is it you ask me?” (John 4:9).

(iii) Jesus answered, “If you only knew who I am, you would have asked me for living water, and I would have given it” (John 4:10).

It is Jesus who offers the gift of eternal life, what He here calls the “living water.”

(iv) The woman asked, “How can you? Are you greater than Jacob?” (John 4:11-12).

(v) Jesus answered, “Whoever drinks this water will thirst again. Whoever drinks the water that I shall give him shall have eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

(vi) The woman’s response was, “Sir, give me this water” (John 4:15).

The woman is beginning to believe, but is still thinking in human terms. But the gospel is not just about the earthly benefits we may hope to receive, but about eternal and heavenly things.

(vii) Jesus told the woman, “Call your husband” (John 4:16).

(viii) The woman answered, “I have no husband” (John 4:17).

(ix) Jesus’ response was, “I know!” (John 4:17-18).

It is well that we realise that God knows all things. We cannot hide our deepest darkest secrets from Him.

(x) At this point, the woman acknowledged that Jesus must at least be a prophet (John 4:19). But He is much more than that!

(xi) She asked about the place to worship God, which was an area of contention between the Jews and Samaritans (John 4:20).

(xii) Whilst not allowing her error about the place of worship, for the Jews were in the right (John 4:21-22), the Lord explained the spiritual nature of true worship (John 4:23-24).

(xiii) The woman professed to be awaiting the enlightening of “the Messiah” (John 4:25).

There is a time for waiting, but now He has come.

(xiv) So Jesus plainly told her, “I that speak unto thee am He” (John 4:26).

4. MISSION TO SAMARIA (John 4:27-42)

Whilst the disciples were amazed to find Jesus in conversation with a Samaritan woman, she “left her water jar and went into the city” (John 4:27-28).

Perhaps in the excitement of discovering who the Lord is, the woman forgot why she had gone to the well. Or perhaps she left the water jar, realising that nobody had drawn any water for the Lord yet. Whatever the reason, she was able to race back to the city with her exciting news.