Women of Courage –The Woman at the Well

Women of Courage –The Woman at the Well      June 7, 2014

We began by reading John 4:1-42  

#1 What about the setting of the Samaritan woman’s story makes it remarkable? What is distinctive about the well itself that makes it an important symbol in the story?

We viewed the map of the area of Samaria.  When Jacob returned and traveled through the land, Rachel took Laban’s idols and Jacob buried the idols. Jacob reconciled with Esau and Jacob was content, so he crosses the river into the land.  He bought the land to live on and dug the well in this city.  

Gen. 33:18-19 ¹⁸ And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. ¹⁹ And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.

So this plot of land is interwoven into the history of Israel. In 722 the people of this land began to intermarry with the other nations.  The Samaritan woman would know this history, especially since she makes the claim of it being Jacob’s well.

This well was from a spring, a living well, deep and pure.  One in amongst many that are brackish and undrinkable.  She was so protective of her heritage, but in verse 15 she seems to make a complete 180. Was she being impertinent? Or sincere? Yet Jesus knew exactly how to converse and direct the conversation. She was married several times and now living with a man. She was most likely outcast from the women, and therefore more social with men.  Jesus was leading her to the place where she needed to be.  She was chosen for the contrast and change she would show to others.  She would not be shy in her proclamation of God.

#2 Why was it unusual for Jesus to be in Samaria?  Jesus was a Jew and this was Samaria. They had no dealings with one another and these people really did not get along.  But for Jesus, it wasn’t all that unusual, since he sought out the sinner wherever they were.  They were so used to going to where they believed God was, but here was God visiting her. 

Jesus has recently visited with Nicodemus and had the conversation with him, then he makes the direct line to go to Samaria.