My Bible reading included John chapter 4 this morning. I've always loved the story of the woman at the well. The week before I studied her, I had studied Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. These two women will always be connected in my mind because their stories take place in the same location.
Last week's woman had a sad ending, this week's is just the opposite. I
love the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, she's proof of God's
grace and His power to change a life. The commentaries on this story
were so good! I had a difficult time picking and choosing what to
share, so here I am on Saturday afternoon trying to get this week's
study typed!
Verses: John 4:4-42
Verses: John 4:4-42
Background –
parents, husband, children, siblings
We know nothing of her family except "thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband" (John 4:18.) We'll talk about those husbands later, but an important thing to understand is who the Samaritans were. According to Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, the Samaritans were:
This people was formerly composed of a few of the ten tribes and a mixture of foreigners. When the ten tribes were carried away into captivity to Babylon, the King of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit their country. The grounds of difference between the two nations were the following:
We know nothing of her family except "thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband" (John 4:18.) We'll talk about those husbands later, but an important thing to understand is who the Samaritans were. According to Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible, the Samaritans were:
This people was formerly composed of a few of the ten tribes and a mixture of foreigners. When the ten tribes were carried away into captivity to Babylon, the King of Assyria sent people from Cutha, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim to inhabit their country. The grounds of difference between the two nations were the following:
1. The Jews, after their return from Babylon, set about rebuilding their temple. The Samaritans offered to aid them. The Jews, however, perceiving that it was not from a love of true religion, but that they might obtain a part of the favors granted to the Jews by Cyrus, rejected their offer. The consequence was, that a stare of long and bitter animosity arose between them and the Jews.
2. While Nehemiah was engaged in building the walls of Jerusalem, the Samaritans used every art to thwart him in his undertaking.
3. The Samaritans at length obtained leave of the Persian monarch to build a temple for themselves. This was erected on “Mount Gerizim,” and they strenuously contended that that was the place designated by Moses as the place where the nation should worship. Sanballat, the leader of the Samaritans, constituted his son-in-law, Manasses, high priest. The religion of the Samaritans thus became perpetuated, and an irreconcilable hatred arose between them and the Jews.
4. Afterward Samaria became a place of resort for all the outlaws of Judea. They received willingly all the Jewish criminals and refugees from justice. The violators of the Jewish laws, and those who had been excommunicated, betook themselves for safety to Samaria, and greatly increased their numbers and the hatred which subsisted between the two nations.
5. The Samaritans received only the five books of Moses, and rejected the writings of the prophets and all the Jewish traditions. From these causes arose an irreconcilable difference between them, so that the Jews regarded them as the worst of the human race, and had no dealings with them.
One final important note is the Samaritans acknowledged the five books
of Moses, so they were also expecting the coming of the Messiah.
What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
Jesus made a special stop just for this woman. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible said, "Her coming was not by chance, but by the providence of God, and agreeably to his purpose, who orders all things according to the counsel of his will; and it is an amazing instance of grace, that a woman, a Samaritan woman, a lewd and infamous one, should be a chosen vessel of salvation, should be the object of divine favour, and be effectually called by the grace of God; when so many wise, learned, and religious men in Judea, were passed by; and not only so, but she was the happy means of conveying the knowledge of the Saviour to many of her neighbours: she came, indeed."
When Jesus asked for a drink, she responded with a question, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?" Some commentaries said she scoffed or was angry, others said she was curious or surprised. I've always thought it was surprise or curiosity that had her questioning. Though her lifestyle was sinful, she did not seem to be proud of it.
Synopsis of the Old and New Testaments by John Nelson Darby said, "The life of this woman was shameful; but she was ashamed of it; at the least her position had isolated her, by separating her from the crowd that forgets itself in the tumult of social life. And there is no inward grief like an isolated heart; but Christ and grace more than meets it. What a meeting! And God who had stooped so low as to be dependent on her for a little water to quench His thirst!"
Such a conversation they had. Jesus knew everything about her and she had no idea to Whom she was speaking. All she could think about was actual water. If she could have that water, she wouldn't have to come back to the well each day. "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible said, "A severe reproof of her present state of life: He whom thou now hast is not thy husband. Either she was never married to him at all, or he had some other wife, or, which is most probable, her former husband or husbands were living: so that, in short, she lived in adultery. Yet observe how mildly Christ tells her of it; he doth not call her strumpet, but tells her, He with whom thou livest is not thy husband: and then leaves it to her own conscience to say the rest." Her response was so simple, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet."
Did she reach a place when she needed to reset? If so, did she? For good or evil?
I can think of no greater example of someone resetting - an encounter
with Jesus changed this woman from an adulteress to an evangelist! What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
Jesus made a special stop just for this woman. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible said, "Her coming was not by chance, but by the providence of God, and agreeably to his purpose, who orders all things according to the counsel of his will; and it is an amazing instance of grace, that a woman, a Samaritan woman, a lewd and infamous one, should be a chosen vessel of salvation, should be the object of divine favour, and be effectually called by the grace of God; when so many wise, learned, and religious men in Judea, were passed by; and not only so, but she was the happy means of conveying the knowledge of the Saviour to many of her neighbours: she came, indeed."
When Jesus asked for a drink, she responded with a question, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?" Some commentaries said she scoffed or was angry, others said she was curious or surprised. I've always thought it was surprise or curiosity that had her questioning. Though her lifestyle was sinful, she did not seem to be proud of it.
Synopsis of the Old and New Testaments by John Nelson Darby said, "The life of this woman was shameful; but she was ashamed of it; at the least her position had isolated her, by separating her from the crowd that forgets itself in the tumult of social life. And there is no inward grief like an isolated heart; but Christ and grace more than meets it. What a meeting! And God who had stooped so low as to be dependent on her for a little water to quench His thirst!"
Such a conversation they had. Jesus knew everything about her and she had no idea to Whom she was speaking. All she could think about was actual water. If she could have that water, she wouldn't have to come back to the well each day. "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly." Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible said, "A severe reproof of her present state of life: He whom thou now hast is not thy husband. Either she was never married to him at all, or he had some other wife, or, which is most probable, her former husband or husbands were living: so that, in short, she lived in adultery. Yet observe how mildly Christ tells her of it; he doth not call her strumpet, but tells her, He with whom thou livest is not thy husband: and then leaves it to her own conscience to say the rest." Her response was so simple, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet."
Did she reach a place when she needed to reset? If so, did she? For good or evil?
"A glorious revelation of Christ acts upon the soul where it is, and brings the Person of Jesus into connection with the need already felt. "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh; and when he is come, he will tell us all things." Small as her intelligence might be, and unable as she was to understand what Jesus had told her, His love meets her where she can receive blessing and life; and He replies, "I, that speak unto thee, am he." The work was done: the Lord was received. A poor Samaritan sinner receives the Messiah of Israel, whom the priests and the Pharisees had rejected from among the people. The moral effect upon the woman is evident. She forgets her waterpot, her toil, her circumstances. She is engrossed by this new object that is revealed to her soul — by Christ; so engrossed that, without thinking, she becomes a preacher; that is, she proclaims the Lord in the fulness of her heart and with perfect simplicity. He had told her all that she had ever done. She does not think at that moment of what it was. Jesus had told it her; and the thought of Jesus takes away the bitterness of the sin. The sense of His goodness removes the guile of heart that seeks to conceal its sin. In a word, her heart is entirely filled with Christ Himself. Many believed in Him through her declaration — "He has told me all that ever I did"; many more, when they had heard Him. His own word carried with it a stronger conviction, as more immediately connected with His Person." (John Nelson Darby)
We read of a revival in Samaria in Acts chapter 8. Would Philip been effective there if Jesus hadn't been there first? The people "with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake," and "there was great joy in that city." Men and women were baptized and received the Holy Ghost. It didn't stop with a single city but the gospel was preached in many villages. I believe this unnamed woman was one of them!
