Study Focus: John 4:1–15, John 4:16–26, and John 4:27–42
The Samaritans were despised by their Jewish neighbors. The Jews despised the Samaritans even more than they despised their Roman oppressors. The Samaritans were viewed as corrupt, insincere, and to be avoided at any cost. That is why travelers from the regions of Galilee avoided the shorter route to Jerusalem via Samaria and instead detoured through Perea, taking the longer route to the city.
The Samaritan problem started when Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 b.c.) took most of the population of Israel as captives to Assyria to settle there. These Israelites comprised what are known as the ten lost tribes of Israel. To complete this work of depopulation, the new Assyrian emperor, Sargon II (722–705 b.c.), exiled even more of the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom.
To unify the Assyrian empire, people from Assyria and the Mesopotamian regions were brought into Israel to repopulate it. Thus, these newcomers mixed with the remnant of Israel, both religiously and racially. The outline here is but a brief overview of the events that transpired. Other negative incidents that occurred later on, such as the Samaritan attempt to sabotage the rebuilding efforts of the Jewish exiles when they returned to their country, only served to compound the problem and intensify racial tensions between the Samaritans and Jews.
Part II: Commentary
The Woman at the Well (John 4:1–15)
In His encounter with this Samaritan woman, Jesus went against accepted protocol and the strictly practiced traditions of the Jews, all in order to reach her for His kingdom. For example, Jesus permitted her a private audience even though she was a woman from Samaria. He asked her for a favor, which was not socially acceptable, for the Jews had no dealings with such despised and so-called “impure” people, particularly a woman.
In the culture of that time, asking for and receiving a favor from someone opened the door to friendship and obligated the receiver to return the favor. The woman seemed shocked that Jesus, a Jew, asked her, a despised Samaritan woman, to do something for Him, thus initiating a relationship. Let us consider her response: “ ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ ” (John 4:9, NKJV).
It is interesting to note that the tasks that she intended to accomplish were left undone. She was supposed to take a jar of water to her village of Sychar, but in her excitement about her amazing discovery of the Water of Life, she left the filled water jar behind. She meant to give Jesus the drink of water to alleviate His thirst, but she failed because she left in such a hurry. When Jesus’ disciples came back with food to alleviate His hunger, they were utterly surprised that He was not hungry anymore.
“Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour’s thirst, which she had purposed to supply.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 191. Jesus was deeply moved that such a despised woman opened her heart to Him as the long-awaited Messiah—a much better response than from many of His own people, who closed their minds to Him. So moved was Jesus in doing His Father’s work in reclaiming lost souls for the kingdom of heaven that He lost His bodily thirst and hunger, sated as He was in His soul by heavenly water and nourishment.
Sometimes witnessing to others is done out of duty and viewed as drudgery. But witnessing should be a delight if Christ’s spirit flows out of the heart. Then it is heart work rather than hard work. For those who experience this Christ-centered outreach, it is truly an overflow of the Spirit that pours forth from the human heart spontaneously. That is why Jesus said to His surprised disciples: “ ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’ ” (John 4:34, NKJV).
The Revelation of Jesus (John 4:16–26)
We can see a similarity between the Samaritan woman’s response and Nicodemus’s upon hearing the profound truth that proceeded from Christ’s mouth. This illustrious member of the Sanhedrin tried to sidestep the crucial subject of his desperate need for spiritual conversion. Instead, Nicodemus feigned ignorance of the meaning of Christ’s words and tried to equate the new-birth experience with going again, literally, into a mother’s womb. Similarly, the despised woman of Sychar changed the subject in an attempt to stifle her conviction that Jesus was the Messiah. She diverted the conversation with Jesus to a current debate as to the proper place of worship.
Jesus kindly but pointedly brought her back to the crucial issue of recognizing that He was the Messiah standing before her. He also tactfully reminded her that her amalgamated religion of heathenism and Judaism did not lead to the true worship of God, for He is the Spirit and the fountain of truth. Christ said to her that “ ‘God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’ ” (John 4:24, NKJV). In other words, true worship that leads to salvation is not so much about a place; rather, it is about the Person of Christ.
This simple woman, a sinner with a dubious character, was entrusted with the weighty truth that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. The Savior gradually led the Samaritan woman to the truth, culminating in His honoring her—more than anyone else before His resurrection—with the specific truth about His Messiahship. “ ‘I who speak to you am He’ ” (John 4:26, NKJV). Likewise, we must not show favoritism in reaching people, be they wealthy or poor, of “higher” or “lower” social status. Such distinction should not matter to us because it did not matter to Christ. All with whom we come in contact have one common denominator: their need of forgiveness and redemption.
The Testimony of the Samaritans (John 4:27–42)
In the culture of the Jews in Jesus’ day, there was an obligation to reciprocate hospitality, which was acceptable when the reciprocator was a fellow Jew but not when he or she was a Samaritan. Receiving a favor and reciprocating it tended to draw people closer to one another. For this reason, the Jews were totally against this practice with foreigners. But Jesus transcended the national prejudice of the Jews, for He came to minister and to save the high and the low, both within and without Jewish society. Furthermore, why would such a societal obligation bother Him when His mission was to go to the extreme extent of dying for humanity?
Jesus practiced reciprocity in His ministry, for He was willing to give and receive help. Such an approach is an effective way to validate others and help them to feel worthwhile and needed. Contemplate how effective this approach proved to be with the Samaritan woman. Jesus asked her for a simple drink of water, which she could provide, and He reciprocated with the gift of the Water of Life, which He alone could give. Then the woman, in turn, shared this good news with her people, and the entire town came to meet Jesus and to believe in Him.
Similarly, our witness should spread from one person to many in ever-widening spheres of influence. Also, Jesus opened Himself to others and permitted Himself to be vulnerable with them as well. Jesus invited intimacy and yearned for people to be caring and compassionate toward Him. Ellen G. White tells us that “at the home of Lazarus, Jesus had often found rest. The Saviour had no home of His own; He was dependent on the hospitality of His friends and disciples. . . . He longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and affection.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 524.
In closing, let us consider this quote that touches on the reciprocity that Jesus experienced with the Samaritans of Sychar. Even though He was a Jewish rabbi, “He accepted the hospitality of this despised people. He slept with them under their roofs, ate with them at their tables.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 26. We often find it a challenge to practice reciprocity in our witness to others. Perhaps because we feel so greatly blessed by the wonderful truths that God gave us, we tend to be helpers but often do not permit ourselves to be the recipients of help. However, we become more effective if we humble ourselves and practice Christ’s example of giving and receiving.
Part III: Life Application
Answer the following questions:
What hindrances to our witness do we encounter in our interpersonal contacts with others, such as neighbors, colleagues, and friends? What roles, if any, do different languages, racial backgrounds, cultural customs, and economic status have in impacting our witness? How can God help us to overcome such obstacles? How can the example of Jesus greatly help us in this regard? Remember that Jesus left a perfect existence in heaven to face every problem and sinful practice that has beset humanity.
Consider the following situation: church members do not want to do any evangelism or witnessing because they are afraid newcomers to the church may possibly alter the worship practices to which they are accustomed. How would you react to this challenge?
Think of your favorite hobby. To what extent do you become so absorbed in the sheer delight of doing it that you forget to eat? Similarly, how can Christ’s example of witnessing to the Samaritan woman move us from the realm of duty to the domain of delight?
How do we react when the Holy Spirit convicts us of truth, righteousness, and sin, especially concerning things that we want to ignore? Are we as patient as the Samaritan woman was in listening to Jesus tell the “rest of the story” so that, consequently, we may become healed and restored to Him?
Recall an incident or a providential leading in which God used you to influence one individual to accept and live for Him. How did that contact impact other persons or even larger groups of people? Take time to share your experience with one or more people this week.
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Study Focus: John 4:1–15, John 4:16–26, and John 4:27–42
The Samaritans were despised by their Jewish neighbors. The Jews despised the Samaritans even more than they despised their Roman oppressors. The Samaritans were viewed as corrupt, insincere, and to be avoided at any cost. That is why travelers from the regions of Galilee avoided the shorter route to Jerusalem via Samaria and instead detoured through Perea, taking the longer route to the city.
The Samaritan problem started when Tiglath-Pileser III (745–727 b.c.) took most of the population of Israel as captives to Assyria to settle there. These Israelites comprised what are known as the ten lost tribes of Israel. To complete this work of depopulation, the new Assyrian emperor, Sargon II (722–705 b.c.), exiled even more of the inhabitants of the Northern Kingdom.
To unify the Assyrian empire, people from Assyria and the Mesopotamian regions were brought into Israel to repopulate it. Thus, these newcomers mixed with the remnant of Israel, both religiously and racially. The outline here is but a brief overview of the events that transpired. Other negative incidents that occurred later on, such as the Samaritan attempt to sabotage the rebuilding efforts of the Jewish exiles when they returned to their country, only served to compound the problem and intensify racial tensions between the Samaritans and Jews.
Part II: Commentary
The Woman at the Well (John 4:1–15)
In His encounter with this Samaritan woman, Jesus went against accepted protocol and the strictly practiced traditions of the Jews, all in order to reach her for His kingdom. For example, Jesus permitted her a private audience even though she was a woman from Samaria. He asked her for a favor, which was not socially acceptable, for the Jews had no dealings with such despised and so-called “impure” people, particularly a woman.
In the culture of that time, asking for and receiving a favor from someone opened the door to friendship and obligated the receiver to return the favor. The woman seemed shocked that Jesus, a Jew, asked her, a despised Samaritan woman, to do something for Him, thus initiating a relationship. Let us consider her response: “ ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ ” (John 4:9, NKJV).
It is interesting to note that the tasks that she intended to accomplish were left undone. She was supposed to take a jar of water to her village of Sychar, but in her excitement about her amazing discovery of the Water of Life, she left the filled water jar behind. She meant to give Jesus the drink of water to alleviate His thirst, but she failed because she left in such a hurry. When Jesus’ disciples came back with food to alleviate His hunger, they were utterly surprised that He was not hungry anymore.
“Leaving her waterpot spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour’s thirst, which she had purposed to supply.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 191. Jesus was deeply moved that such a despised woman opened her heart to Him as the long-awaited Messiah—a much better response than from many of His own people, who closed their minds to Him. So moved was Jesus in doing His Father’s work in reclaiming lost souls for the kingdom of heaven that He lost His bodily thirst and hunger, sated as He was in His soul by heavenly water and nourishment.
Sometimes witnessing to others is done out of duty and viewed as drudgery. But witnessing should be a delight if Christ’s spirit flows out of the heart. Then it is heart work rather than hard work. For those who experience this Christ-centered outreach, it is truly an overflow of the Spirit that pours forth from the human heart spontaneously. That is why Jesus said to His surprised disciples: “ ‘My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work’ ” (John 4:34, NKJV).
The Revelation of Jesus (John 4:16–26)
We can see a similarity between the Samaritan woman’s response and Nicodemus’s upon hearing the profound truth that proceeded from Christ’s mouth. This illustrious member of the Sanhedrin tried to sidestep the crucial subject of his desperate need for spiritual conversion. Instead, Nicodemus feigned ignorance of the meaning of Christ’s words and tried to equate the new-birth experience with going again, literally, into a mother’s womb. Similarly, the despised woman of Sychar changed the subject in an attempt to stifle her conviction that Jesus was the Messiah. She diverted the conversation with Jesus to a current debate as to the proper place of worship.
Jesus kindly but pointedly brought her back to the crucial issue of recognizing that He was the Messiah standing before her. He also tactfully reminded her that her amalgamated religion of heathenism and Judaism did not lead to the true worship of God, for He is the Spirit and the fountain of truth. Christ said to her that “ ‘God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth’ ” (John 4:24, NKJV). In other words, true worship that leads to salvation is not so much about a place; rather, it is about the Person of Christ.
This simple woman, a sinner with a dubious character, was entrusted with the weighty truth that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. The Savior gradually led the Samaritan woman to the truth, culminating in His honoring her—more than anyone else before His resurrection—with the specific truth about His Messiahship. “ ‘I who speak to you am He’ ” (John 4:26, NKJV). Likewise, we must not show favoritism in reaching people, be they wealthy or poor, of “higher” or “lower” social status. Such distinction should not matter to us because it did not matter to Christ. All with whom we come in contact have one common denominator: their need of forgiveness and redemption.
The Testimony of the Samaritans (John 4:27–42)
In the culture of the Jews in Jesus’ day, there was an obligation to reciprocate hospitality, which was acceptable when the reciprocator was a fellow Jew but not when he or she was a Samaritan. Receiving a favor and reciprocating it tended to draw people closer to one another. For this reason, the Jews were totally against this practice with foreigners. But Jesus transcended the national prejudice of the Jews, for He came to minister and to save the high and the low, both within and without Jewish society. Furthermore, why would such a societal obligation bother Him when His mission was to go to the extreme extent of dying for humanity?
Jesus practiced reciprocity in His ministry, for He was willing to give and receive help. Such an approach is an effective way to validate others and help them to feel worthwhile and needed. Contemplate how effective this approach proved to be with the Samaritan woman. Jesus asked her for a simple drink of water, which she could provide, and He reciprocated with the gift of the Water of Life, which He alone could give. Then the woman, in turn, shared this good news with her people, and the entire town came to meet Jesus and to believe in Him.
Similarly, our witness should spread from one person to many in ever-widening spheres of influence. Also, Jesus opened Himself to others and permitted Himself to be vulnerable with them as well. Jesus invited intimacy and yearned for people to be caring and compassionate toward Him. Ellen G. White tells us that “at the home of Lazarus, Jesus had often found rest. The Saviour had no home of His own; He was dependent on the hospitality of His friends and disciples. . . . He longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and affection.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 524.
In closing, let us consider this quote that touches on the reciprocity that Jesus experienced with the Samaritans of Sychar. Even though He was a Jewish rabbi, “He accepted the hospitality of this despised people. He slept with them under their roofs, ate with them at their tables.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 26. We often find it a challenge to practice reciprocity in our witness to others. Perhaps because we feel so greatly blessed by the wonderful truths that God gave us, we tend to be helpers but often do not permit ourselves to be the recipients of help. However, we become more effective if we humble ourselves and practice Christ’s example of giving and receiving.
Part III: Life Application
Answer the following questions:
What hindrances to our witness do we encounter in our interpersonal contacts with others, such as neighbors, colleagues, and friends? What roles, if any, do different languages, racial backgrounds, cultural customs, and economic status have in impacting our witness? How can God help us to overcome such obstacles? How can the example of Jesus greatly help us in this regard? Remember that Jesus left a perfect existence in heaven to face every problem and sinful practice that has beset humanity.
Consider the following situation: church members do not want to do any evangelism or witnessing because they are afraid newcomers to the church may possibly alter the worship practices to which they are accustomed. How would you react to this challenge?
Think of your favorite hobby. To what extent do you become so absorbed in the sheer delight of doing it that you forget to eat? Similarly, how can Christ’s example of witnessing to the Samaritan woman move us from the realm of duty to the domain of delight?
How do we react when the Holy Spirit convicts us of truth, righteousness, and sin, especially concerning things that we want to ignore? Are we as patient as the Samaritan woman was in listening to Jesus tell the “rest of the story” so that, consequently, we may become healed and restored to Him?
Recall an incident or a providential leading in which God used you to influence one individual to accept and live for Him. How did that contact impact other persons or even larger groups of people? Take time to share your experience with one or more people this week.