As Jesus came into a town in Samaria called Synchar, near the plot of land Jacob had given to his son Joseph, Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, wearied by the journey, sat down by the well around noon. A woman came from Samaria to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (His disciples had gone away into the city so that they might buy doof at that time). (John 4:5-7)
Woman At The Well
The Samaritan woman replied, “How do you, being a Judaean, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Judaeans do not associate with Samaritans.” Jesus answered her, saying, “If you recognized God’s gift and who it is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” She told him, “Lord, you have no bucket, and the well is deep; where do you get the living water from? Surely you are not greater than our Father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself – him, his sons, and his livestock?” (John 4:8-12)
Living Water
Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will third again, but whoever drinks from the water I give him will never thirst. The water I give him will become a fountain springing up to the life of the Age.” The woman replied, “Lord, give me this water so I am not thirsty and do not have to draw here continually.” Jesus told her, “Go call your husband and come here.” But the woman replied, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus continued, “You’re correct when you say, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and he whom you have now is not your husband.” (John 4:13-18)
The woman said, “I see you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain. You people say that the place where it is necessary to worship is in Jerusalem?” Jesus replied, Trust me, madam, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You people worship what you do not know. We worship what we know because salvation is from the Judaeans. But an hour is coming, and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father looks for those worshipping him. God is spirit, and it is necessary that those worshipping worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:19-24)
The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (the one called Anointed), “and when that one arrives, he will announce all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he. I who am speaking to you.” Right then, his disciples returned and were astonished that he was talking with a woman, but nobody asked him, “What do you want?” or “Why are you speaking with her?” (John 4:25-27)
Therefore, the woman left her water jar, went back into the city, and told the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything that I have done; he might be the Anointed.” So the people went out of the city and came to him. In the meantime, the disciples urged him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Then the disciples said to one another, “Could someone have brought him something to eat?” (John 4:28-33)
The Fields Are Ready For Harvest
Jesus told them, “My food is that I may do the will of the one who sent me and finish his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months until the harvest comes?’ I tell you, look, lift up your eyes, and see those fields because they are already white for harvesting. The reaper is receiving wages and gathering fruit for life in the Age so that the one sowing and the one reaping may rejoice together. This saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I have sent you to reap what you did not labor for, and you have entered the benefits of their labor.” (John 4:34-38)
Many of the Samaritans of the city had faith in him because of the woman testifying: “He told me all the things I have done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them. Jesus stayed with them for two days, and many more had faith due to his teaching. They also said to the woman: “We have faith no longer on account of your words; for we ourselves have listed, and we know that this man is truly the savior of the cosmos.” (John 4:39-42)
After the two days, he left for Galilee. However, as Jesus pointed out, a prophet has no honor in his native land. When he entered Galilee, the Galilaeans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem and at the feast, for they also had been there (John 4:43-45)
Discussion Questions
- Jesus initiated a conversation with the Samaritan woman, despite the cultural norms of Jews not associating with Samaritans. Why do you think Jesus chose to speak with her, and what can we learn from His example about breaking down barriers and reaching out to others who may be different from us?
- Jesus offered the Samaritan woman “living water” that would quench her thirst forever. What do you think He meant by living water, and how can we seek and receive this living water in our own spiritual lives?
- The Samaritan woman recognized Jesus as a prophet when He revealed details about her life. How do you think this encounter changed her perspective, and what does it teach us about Jesus’ knowledge and understanding of our personal lives?
- Jesus explained that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. What do you think it means to worship in spirit and truth, and how can we apply this type of worship in our daily lives and faith practices?
- After her conversation with Jesus, the Samaritan woman eagerly shared her experience with the people in her city, leading many to believe in Him. How can we be inspired by her example to share our own encounters with Jesus and encourage others to seek Him?
