The woman at the well: a story of a loving God

The story of the woman at the well is one of the best known in the Bible; many Christians can easily tell a summary. At its surface, the story tells of ethnic prejudices and a woman shunned by her community. But look deeper and you will realize that it reveals a lot about the character of Jesus. Above all, the story, which unfolds in John 4: 1-40, suggests that Jesus is a loving and accepting God and we should follow his example.

The story begins as Jesus and his disciples travel from Jerusalem in the south to Galilee in the north. To make their journey shorter, they take the fastest route through Samaria. Tired and thirsty, Jesus sat next to Jacob's well while his disciples went to the village of Sychar, about half a mile away, to buy food. It was midday, the hottest part of the day, and a Samaritan woman came to the well at this awkward moment to draw water.

Jesus meets the woman at the well
During the meeting with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs. First, he spoke to her despite being a woman. Second, she was a Samaritan woman and the Jews traditionally betrayed the Samaritans. And thirdly, he asked her to bring him a sip of water, though the use of his cup or vase would have made him ceremoniously impure.

Jesus' behavior shocked the woman at the well. But as if that wasn't enough, she told the woman that she could give her "living water" so that she was no longer thirsty. Jesus used the words living water to refer to eternal life, the gift that would satisfy the desire of his soul available only through him. At first, the Samaritan woman did not fully understand the meaning of Jesus.

Although they had never met before, Jesus revealed that he knew that she had had five husbands and that she was now living with a man who was not her husband. He had all his attention!

Jesus reveals himself to the woman
As Jesus and the woman discussed their views on worship, the woman expressed her belief that the Messiah was coming. Jesus replied: "It is he who speaks to you." (John 4:26, ESV)

When the woman began to understand the reality of her encounter with Jesus, the disciples returned. They too were shocked to find him talking to a woman. Leaving her jar of water behind, the woman returned to the city, inviting people to "Come, see a man who told me everything I've ever done." (John 4:29, ESV)

Meanwhile, Jesus told his disciples that the harvest of souls was ready, sown by the prophets, writers of the Old Testament and John the Baptist.

Excited by what the woman told them, the Samaritans came to Sychar and implored Jesus to be with them.

Jesus stayed two days, teaching the Samaritan people the Kingdom of God. When he left, people said to the woman: "... we listened for ourselves and we know that this is truly the savior of the world". (John 4:42, ESV)

Points of interest from the history of the woman to the well
To fully understand the history of the woman at the well, it is important to understand who the Samaritans were - a mixed race people who had married the Assyrians centuries earlier. They were hated by the Jews because of this cultural mix and because they had their own version of the Bible and their temple on Mount Gerizim.

The Samaritan woman whom Jesus encountered faced the prejudices of her own community. She came to draw water in the hottest part of the day, instead of the usual morning or evening hours, because she was avoided and rejected by the other women in the area for her immorality. Jesus knew his story, but he still accepted it and cared for it.

Addressing the Samaritans, Jesus showed that his mission was for all people, not just the Jews. In the book of Acts, after the ascension of Jesus to heaven, his apostles continued his work in Samaria and in the world of the Gentiles. Ironically, while the High Priest and Sanhedrin rejected Jesus as Messiah, the marginalized Samaritans recognized him and accepted him for what he really was, the Lord and the savior.

Question for reflection
Our human tendency is to judge others by stereotypes, customs or prejudices. Jesus treats people as individuals, accepting them with love and compassion. Do you reject certain people as lost causes or do you consider them precious in themselves, worthy of knowing the Gospel?