Woman at the Well

Read John 4:7-18, 28-30

Jacob’s well 1900-1920
Jacob’s well 1900-1920
 QuickTime™ and a
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Church built over Jacob’s well around 1940

Historical background
922BC Kingdom of David and Solomon divided into two kingdoms
Northern portion called Israel (10 tribes)
Southern potion called Judah after largest tribe

722BC northern kingdom conquered by Assyrians, taken into

captivity
No more Israel until 1948
Northern kingdom populated by pagans from conquered
lands
Became worshipers of Yahweh when a priest was sent back
from captivity to teach them about the law
Became a strange mixture religion, including human
sacrifice
586BC southern kingdom taken into captivity by Babylonians
Remained much more orthodox in their Jewish beliefs

539BC first captives return to Jerusalem, after Persia defeats

Babylonians
Regarded the Samaritans as heathens
When work was begun to rebuild the temple, Samaritans
asked to help but were turned away by the orthodox
Jews, so the Samaritans did what they could
to disrupt its building

So bad blood between the two continued for over 500 years when
Jesus met the woman at the well

He that eats the bread of a Samaritan is like one who eats the flesh
of swine.
Why did she come to the well in the middle of the day when it is
hottest?

Women gather at the well to tell the news, perhaps talk about this
woman
Other women ignored her or made fun of her
May be getting water for men in the fields
Maybe she was just running late
Maybe the water had spilled
Maybe they had underestimated their needs that day
God’s grace at work
What was this woman like?

Street smart, could take care of herself

Made same mistake over and over again in marrying
May have been unable to conceive children, divorce easy

In today’s society what would say about a woman who has

been married five times and is currently living with a man
who is not her husband?

When you were growing up were you told not to associate

with certain people?
The request for a drink from a traveler was not unusual
The traveler had no skin or bucket or rope
Jesus makes no use of His power to meet His own needs
Living water = running water as opposed to rain water
Water symbolizes satisfaction of man’s highest need
Woman considers this response a slight upon the man who
dug the well
V. 20 asking where do I find God?

Where do you find God?

The burning question between Jews and Samaritans was about the
divinely appointed site for control of worship and sacrifice

Temple at Mt. Gerizim (destroyed in 128BC) or Jerusalem

Samaritans had a strong case in verses from Pentateuch

Read Deut. 27:4-8

Their version was correct and woman points this out in V. 20

Samaritans reject all of Old Testament except Pentateuch

Jesus responds in v. 21 bringing true meaning of worship
above discussion

The object of worship will continue to be the same, God;

but an end shall be put to all differences about the place of
worship. Religion gives no preference to one place above
another

Samaritan word for Messiah is He who returns

Read Deut. 18:15
Christ brought woman face to face with the facts of her life
She answered honestly to a point
Woman used religion as a shield between her and God
Today we would call that playing church

What does “playing church” mean?

We attend meetings, come to Sunday School, attend worship

Well versed in the doctrines
Satisfied to know about Jesus, but do we know Jesus

What is the difference between knowing”about “ Jesus

and knowing Jesus?
V. 23 Some like worship lean and austere so nothing distracts the
mind

Others like worship wide open so that every sense is touched

Worship is centered on God not on ourselves

What is your preference and why?

Disciples were amazed that Jesus was talking to a woman.
She was an alien and a hostile Samaritan, merely speaking
to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus.

Why would Jesus risk His reputation talking to this woman?

Character or nationality did not matter. Yet to this woman did

our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he had done to
any of his disciples. No past sins can bar our acceptance
with him, if we humble ourselves before him, believing in him
as the Christ, the Savior of the world.
Rabbinical saying “A man should hold no conversation with a
woman in the street, not even his wife, still less with another
woman, lest there be gossip.”

In Christ’s day it was debated whether or not a woman had a soul

Low conception of women
Christ lifted women into equality with man
Christ’s thinking of women was extraordinary for those days

Read Gal. 3:28

Many believed because of this woman’s testimony
Her friends and enemies could see the change in her
Samaritans so accustomed to being despised
They find a man who embraces them

In your witness to those around you,would they be able

to see that you have changed in some way?
Of all the people to pick, Jesus
chooses this woman to reveal himself
as the Messiah and He can use each
one of us if we just let Him.