At a Well in Samaria

“Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’  So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.  And many more believed because of his word.  They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’”-John 4:39-42 (ESV. Read John 4:1-45)

We call her “the woman at the well in Samaria.”  John does not give her a name in his gospel.  But the depth of insight with which John tells her story inspires us to know that Jesus was concerned about all people.  He, a Jew, did not despise and look down upon the half-breed Samaritans.  He took time to talk to an outcast woman—one who came to the community well at a time when it was not frequented by many others from the town of Sychar.  There was a reason for her choice of time to fetch water.  She evidently had not taken seriously the marriage vows, for she had been married five times.  And even at the time of Jesus’ encounter with her, the man with whom she lived was not her husband.  Oh!  Would Jesus, a Jew, stoop to talk to one as ill-regarded as she?  And then He said something to her about living water, water that could permanently quench thirst.  She wanted that water, but she didn’t know exactly how to go about acquiring it.  Jesus knew she needed further counsel and instruction before she understood about the “living water” He offered.

Before His disciples returned from the town where they had gone to purchase food, Jesus had quite a discussion with the woman at the well.  She tried to get him on a detour by discussing where the Samaritans worshiped in comparison to where the Jews worshiped.  But when she said she knew that Messiah was coming, and that He would tell them ‘all things.’ He said to her, “I who speak to you am He” (v. 26).

When the disciples returned, the woman left her water jar and ran to Sychar.  Would her townspeople believe this outcast woman who had a message?  “”Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did.  Can this be the Christ?”  Maybe it was the change in her countenance, as she invited them to see for themselves.  Maybe it was the very fact that, outcast before, she now spoke to them—and that compellingly so that they listened and went to see for themselves.  One woman’s changed life and testimony resulted in a whole town hearing Jesus for two days.  We are told “many believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony” (v. 29)…and also “because of His word”(v. 41)   This was not just a wayside encounter.  Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” (v. 4).  I like the KJV version: “And he must needs go through Samaria” as if He had a sense of mission.  And He did.  Someone was there who needed to hear, see and accept Him as Messiah.  What a lessons this whole story of the woman at the well in Samaria teaches us!  She was an unlikely prospect for salvation, but touched by Jesus, she made a whole town aware of who He is and what He can do for a person who believes.  Praise be to God!