John 4: 7-42
The woman at the
well was a woman of Sychar, a city in Samaria.
She is presented in the book of John, and this portion of scripture is
one of the most well known.
This meeting takes
place when John the Baptist was still baptizing people, (John 3:23-24) and
probably word of his preachings had spread to Samaria. Jesus has departed Judea and is on his way to
Galilee, but scripture tells us John 4:4 "And he must needs go through
Samaria." He must needs, our Lord knew the events that would transpire there in the city of
Sychar, at Jacob's well. V5-6
"Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the
parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was
there. Jesus therefore, being wearied
with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth
hour." V8 tells us that the disciples
of Jesus "were gone away unto the city to buy meat." The plan of the
Lord to be alone and to have quiet time for the meeting which he knew was to
take place.
Verse 6 "..Jesus
therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was
about the sixth hour." What a statement.
The Lord of the Universe, but weary as a man. V7 "There cometh a woman of Samaria to
draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." The woman is surprised that he, whom she
recognizes as a Jew, would even speak to her, and addresses him thus, V9 "How is it that
thou being a Jew, askest drink of me, a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no
dealings with the Samaritans" She as yet has no clue that the man seated
before her is God incarnate.
And now the Lord
Jesus begins to speak to her of deeper things than a mere glass of water. Water could satisfy the physical thirst of a
man, but the Lord was about to show this woman that secret thirst that all
sinners possess, whether they know it or not, that unquenched thirst for
something more in this life. V10 "Jesus answered and said unto her, If
thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to
drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living
water." the gift of God, John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life.". This is the first
suggestion to the woman that this was no ordinary request for a simple drink of
water. He speaks to her of "living
water" and thisis a reminder of John 7:38-39 "He that believeth on me,
as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive: for the holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet
glorified.)"
