The Woman of Samaria

GOLDEN TEXT: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” — John 4:14

JOHN 4:7-14, 28, 29, 39-42

JESUS explained to his disciples that he was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matt. 15:24) When sending his disciples into the ministry he commanded them not to go to the Gentiles, nor to enter into any city of the Samaritans. (Matt. 10:5) It is not out of keeping with these instructions that we find Jesus witnessing to a Samaritan woman. Verses 3 and 4 explain that when Jesus left Judaea en route to Galilee, “he must needs go through Samaria.” He did not go to Samaria by design, or as a part of his planned campaign: but being there by necessity he did not withhold the Gospel from any who might be seeking to know the way of the Lord more perfectly.

Centuries before, an Assyrian king had dispatched a large number of non-Israelites into this part of Palestine. However, in the centuries which followed many Israelites had settled there also, and some had doubtless intermarried with the Samaritans. The Samaritans had been partially taught the Jewish religion, as is evidenced by the Samaritan woman’s enthusiasm over the fact that she had found the Messiah of promise. But Jesus was not one to withhold a message of comfort and enlightenment from the Samaritan woman, nor later from her friends in the city, merely because they were not pure blooded Israelites. God’s plan for giving life through him was eventually to be made known to all mankind, and while he did not go out of his way to work among the Samaritan people, knowing that their opportunity would come later, none-the-less he was quite willing to witness to them when by necessity he was passing through their country.—Acts 1:8

Much of Jesus’ teaching was done by parables, and he was very adept in the use of illustrations. In witnessing to the Samaritan woman at the well he used the circumstances at hand to bring to her attention the life-giving power of the Gospel, likening it to water. The Samaritan woman could give him literal water from Jacob’s well, but he could give her “water” which, if she “drank” of it, would be in her as a well of water springing up into ever-lasting life.

And how beautifully water does illustrate the refreshing and life-giving properties of the truth of God’s Word, the Gospel of salvation from death through Jesus, the Redeemer! But we need to “drink” this “water”; that is, accept it, and appropriate its benefits to ourselves through obedience to its terms, in order to receive the blessings which it is designed to provide.

Jesus explained that the water which he gave, when properly assimilated, would be in the believer as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Properly appreciated and assimilated, it will be in us as a fountain gushing forth the message of the Gospel for the refreshment of others. Isaiah speaks of those who draw water from the “wells of salvation.”—Isaiah 12:3

Each dedicated follower of the Master, even in the present life, should be as a well of salvation, in the sense of being a proclaimer of the Gospel of Christ. In the kingdom, when exalted to reign with Christ, they will be wells of salvation in a more complete sense in that, as associates with Jesus, they will extend blessings of health and everlasting life to all who will accept them upon the basis of faith and obedience.—John 14:12; Gal. 3:8,16,27-29

Being convinced that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Samaritan woman returned to her friends in the city and announced the good news to them. They believed her testimony, and wanted to learn more about Jesus, so they persuaded him to remain with them, which he did for two days. Here again we see Jesus yielding to the needs of those who were evidently not satisfied in their hearts with what they knew about God and their relationship to him.

Jesus testified to these during the two days, and they were glad to acknowledge that while they believed what the woman who met the Master at the well had told them, “many more” believed the message as they heard it directly from his own lips. (vs. 41) Not always do those to whom we witness so readily accept the message as did these people of Samaria, nor was this always the experience of Jesus.

QUESTIONS

Who were the Samaritans, and what was so unusual about Jesus’ ministry to the Samaritan woman and her friends?

What effective method did Jesus use in presenting his message? Of what is water a symbol? In what sense do believers have wells of water within them?

Was Jesus’ service in Samaria confined to the one woman whom he met at Jacob’s well?

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