Samaritan Woman

The Samaritan Woman

Scripture References: John 4:1-42

Read John 4:1-6

Jesus met this woman at Jacob’s Well at a town of Samaria called Sychar. The well was just a bit south of Sychar. There were three routes available to get to where He was going and Samaria was the most direct route. The historian Josephus tells us that, although the most direct route was through Samaria, the Jews didn’t go that route because of the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans.

*Usually God’s will is just as simple as doing the most direct and logical thing. He will create the divine appointment.

Interesting fact: Sychar means “drunken” and it’s Hebrew root word means “strong drink, intoxicating drink, fermented or intoxicating liquor”

We know the Samaritan Woman as “The Woman at the Well” but this was not just any well. This was Jacob’s Well. Jacob who was later named “Israel” by God through whom were the twelve tribes and through the tribe of Judah Christ came.

Jesus was physically weary from His journey. He knew what it was like to be tired.

Jesus was not weary with the work of ministry but He was weary in the work of ministry.  “Jesus was often weary in His work, but never weary of it.” -Herbert Lockyer, All the Women of the Bible

It is important for us to rest and be refreshed and recognize the physical need without attributing or blaming our tiredness on others or situations. When we are tired we need to simply go to the Source just as Jesus did. Matthew 14:23 NKJV “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.”

Matthew 26:36 NKJV “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’”

Read Isaiah 40:28-31 and Read Philippians 2:1-8 (God does not grow weary...Jesus humbled Himself and clothed Himself with humanity and became weary)

ABOUT HER

Read John 4:7-45

Jesus addressed her when they both were alone because the disciples had gone to buy food.

“The fact that they were buying the Samaritans’ food also reveals Jesus’ total rejection of the Jewish prejudice which considered Samaritan food unclean, even as swine’s flesh.” -J. Vernon McGee

It was just another ordinary day. THIS is when the divine moments happen with the Lord. Did Jesus know she was going to be there? He may have had a word of knowledge. But most likely He met with her...just as she met with Him in the providential, God-appointed sense.

(v. 4) “He must needs go through Samaria” KJV -He had a divine appointment awaiting him. There was a woman there He was going to win into the kingdom of God.

(v. 9) The woman is taken back that Jesus initiates a conversation with her because she is a Samaritan woman.

Jesus caught her off guard in His initiation. That is what He did with us. He still is the initiator of our relationship with Him. Maturity in Christ is humble and recognizes God’s grace. 1 Corinthians 15:10a ESV “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain.”

Read Galatians 1:11-16 and 1 Timothy 1:12-17 and concerning Paul’s testimony and example.

HER SIN

(v. 10) Jesus turned the attention to her unknown need. “If you knew”...the problem so often is that we don’t know our need. And we definitely do not understand how greatly God can satisfy. (v.12) She responded in an argumentative frame of mind and Jesus bore with her.

“the sixth hour” was about noon. -Usually water was drawn in the morning and evening when it was cooler. It is thought that this woman was there at noon because she was not well received by others. “One of the reasons she was not so popular with the women of the town was because she was too popular with the men of the town.” -J. Vernon McGee

(v.12) Jesus dealt directly yet gently with her about her sin. There always first has to be acknowledgement and understanding of our sin against God. Sin is always the problem. 1 John 1:8-9 ESV “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“Our Lord wanted to turn her from a proud argumentative frame of mind to the humility of confession. Here was a sinful creature worth saving, but she must be made conscious of her sin, and when she humbly said, ‘I have no husband,’ she became a different woman.” -Herbert Lockyer, All the Women of the Bible

(v. 19-20) Jesus revealed her sin and she responded with theological talk!

Jesus explained to her that it wasn’t about where she worshiped but about how she worshiped.

(v. 20-21) The Samaritan woman talked about the “fathers” and Jesus directed her attention to “the Father”

(v. 23) Spirit and Truth: Do you have this balance in your life? Are you extreme on one of them? What do you naturally turn to? Why are both important? Jesus said the Father is SEEKING these kind of people!

HER SALVATION

(v.25-26) Jesus told her a divine secret. This is the first time Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah. “When for the first time Jesus revealed His identity, it was not to the Jews, the learned, the leaders, or even the pious, but to a person of no account in the eyes of the world -to this depraved woman of a despised people.” -Frances Vander Velde, Women of the Bible

(v. 28) “So the woman left her water jar” -a picture of leaving what we used to drink from behind. We see this same thing happen when Jesus called His fishermen disciples. Matthew 4:20 ESV “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

(v. 31) “Rabbi, eat” -Jesus was basically responding to them saying, “I just did.”

HER SHARING

(v. 35-38) Do you want to glorify God? Do you want your life to bring God glory? Prayerfully ask God to show you how and search the scriptures to learn how to live that kind of life.

Read John 15:5-11

Verse 8 says that by abiding in Christ and bearing real fruit that we are proving to be His disciple and the exciting news is He tells us this brings Him glory!

Let’s go back (v.10) Jesus was a MASTER communicator!

“Jesus had a way of masterfully reaching the people with whom He shared. To the woman at the well, He spoke of living water. To aging Nicodemus, He talked about being born again. To the blind man, He identified Himself as the light of the world (John 9:5). To sisters grieving at the death of their brother, He was the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). To fishermen, He issued an invitation to become fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).” -Jon Courson, Application Commentary

Jesus did not just say “I am the Messiah”....We are going to see her address Him as “Jew” the “Sir” then “Prophet” then “Christ”. There always needs to be a sensitivity and skill in sharing and unveiling Jesus to others.

Proverbs 11:30 NKJV “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.”

Proverbs 11:30 NLT “The seed of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.”

Be somebody’s friend.

Daniel 12:3 ESV “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

(v.39)

Her witnessing to others and sharing with them about Jesus was evidence of her faith.

When it comes to witnessing to others it is more about wisdom than a formula. It is more important to connect with someone’s heart than just share information to their mind. Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in each case. We bear fruit as we abide in Christ. As we worship God “in spirit and in truth” we also live as witnesses of God “in spirit and in truth”. (Refer to Peter’s example in Acts 2)

(v.39) “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” Many people come to Christ through the life change and testimony of someone else.

***You are never just reaching one person with the gospel when you are sharing with them. You are reaching and touching all the lives connected with their life.***

(v. 42) -she did a good job! Our lives are to witness to others in such a way that by after spending time with us...they want to go spend time with Jesus!

Discussion Questions:

1. What approach of methods for soul winning can we learn from the story of the Samaritan woman?