John Chapter Four: The Woman at the Well
A Significant Event
We have discussed John 4 before, but as I read it again this morning, I discovered additional, perhaps new, insights from this compelling incident. I will not refer back to the previous article here, but you can study it yourself. [ The Well ]
Let us first get the bigger picture. In John 3, Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. The darkness provides the cover he needs to avoid being caught in conversation with Jesus by his colleagues. Here is someone who is educated and knows the law. After all, he is a teacher of Israel (John 3:10), a Jew, and an Israelite. His qualifications are impeccable. He comes with questions and inner conflict. As a Jew, he has an expectation of the coming of the Messiah, but what he sees does not align with what he thought it would be. Israel was expecting a military ruler who would free them from the yoke of Roman oppression. The Jesus he meets is anything but that ruler. Jesus uses the example of birth to lead Nicodemus to the truth.
In John 4, we see something entirely different. Jesus is again in conversation with someone to whom He reveals the truth, but this event occurs in the middle of the day. This time, it is a woman whose life is quite unstable. She is the opposite of the Jewish teacher. She is a Samaritan, a woman, likely poor, and rejected by society. This is why she has to fetch water during the hottest part of the day, when people prefer to stay indoors, so they won’t see or bother her. See John 4:6. The sixth hour in that culture corresponds to 12:00 noon in ours.
Both Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman experience life-changing encounters through this personal, almost intimate, interaction. God had an appointment with both of them but in different circumstances and in different ways. Let us focus on the second event. What is crucial here is to understand the historical context. Therefore, it’s important to do the necessary research.
- Verses 1 and 2: Jesus Himself did not baptise anyone. The way it is expressed simply indicates the group in which Jesus moved collectively.
- Verse 4: Samaria was a part of the land that the Jews avoided because the Samaritans lived there. However, we read some interesting information about Samaria, and for that, you need to first read Genesis 33:18–20 and Joshua 24:33. Only then will you understand the context of the land Jacob gave to Joseph.
- Verse 6: It is hot, and Jesus sits by the well. However, He knows about an appointment that his disciples are unaware of. His disciples go to the city to buy food, and this is the time He needs for an interaction with someone the disciples would not understand or permit. Jesus wants to protect the woman from the other men, and privacy is important.
- Verse 9: The woman is surprised that a man—and, moreover, a Jew—would speak to her. We quickly learn that this woman is not unintelligent. Her interactions, questions, and responses are very intelligent. First, she understands history and culture and knows that, in this context, she is at a disadvantage.
- Verse 10: Jesus offers her much more than what she came to the well for. God always offers us more than we expect. We just need to be receptive to it.
- Verses 11 and 12: She knows the history and is aware that this is one of the deepest wells in the area. She refers to history, which she knows very well. See Genesis 48:21–22 but read a bit further to grasp the larger context.
- Verse 14: Observe the two scenarios:
- Verses 11–12 refer to the temporary. The woman had to fetch water regularly. This is symbolic of the Law, where regular intercession with God was required through sacrifices.
- Verses 13–14 refer to the permanent. The water Jesus gives is permanent, and whoever drinks this water becomes a fountain. This is symbolic of grace, where Jesus died once for the sins of humanity. See Hebrews 7:27.
- Verse 15: The woman immediately understands what Jesus can offer her. She grasps the truth.
- Verses 16 and 17: Jesus wants to see if she will speak the truth and how she will respond regarding her personal life. He is the all-knowing God, and she cannot hide her life from Him.
- Verses 18–19: She acknowledges Him as a prophet because she hears the truth.
- Verse 20: The woman refers back to history. "This mountain" is Gerizim, mentioned in Joshua 8:33. She is somewhat sarcastic—and we cannot blame her—when she says, "and you say that the place…." The Samaritans despised the Jews for how they were treated by them. Jesus, too, is a Jew, and her attitude does not surprise Him.
- Verses 21–24: Jesus unites the different groups by mentioning that a time will come when worship will not be on the mountain (Samaritans/gentiles) or in the city (Jews/Israel) but when true worshippers (all believers, Jew or gentile) will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The place is not important; the attitude is.
- Verse 25: Observe how the truth is revealed in this woman’s life. She has an expectation of the coming Messiah. I wonder if you and I have the same expectation today. This woman also knew the Old Testament. While Jesus’ own people (John 1:11) did not accept Him, those who sincerely seek Him find the salvation we all need, regardless of our status in society.
- Verse 26: Jesus reveals Himself as the Messiah to the woman. That is all she needs to change her life. Just as Nicodemus received the message, so does someone on the opposite end of the social spectrum.
- Verse 27: The disciples’ return ends the dialogue between Jesus and the woman. However, note what she does next.
- Verse 28: The woman leaves her water jar, goes back to the city, and calls her people. She has discovered the living water, and the water from the well is no longer important to her. She does not care that He knows her history or that she was seen with Him.
- Verse 29: She invites her people to come and listen to someone who laid out her life for her. They come to Jesus regardless of the time of day, probably around 1:00 pm.
- Verse 30: This is her first outreach. She has found the truth and is eager to share it with her people. The question is whether you and I do the same. From verses 31 to 38, the focus shifts from the Samaritans to the disciples.
- Verses 39–40: Jesus had to pass through Samaria because He had an appointment with this woman. However, this led to others who heard about Him believing and wanting to know more. He stayed two more days in Samaria.
- Verse 42: This verse beautifully summarises the events. While the woman was the one who called her people, now that they have heard the truth themselves, they no longer believe based on what she said. This does not diminish her role. She was simply the contact between Jesus and them, but she was a vital contact.
Conclusion
You and I must seek opportunities to interact with others to share the good news with them.