Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

In John 4:3, “He left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.” The shortest route from Judea to Galilee was through Samaria, taking only three days. Typically, Jews chose two other routes to avoid the Samaritans, whom they disliked (Luke 9:53). However, “Galileans traditionally passed through Samaria on their way to the Holy City to attend festivals” (Antiquities of the Jews Book 20, Chapter 118), so Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” More importantly, this was God’s will.

The Samaritans were a mixed-race group, descendants of the remaining Israelites and foreign peoples who were relocated to the area after the Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians. They believed in the first five books of Moses, but the Jews never acknowledged them as kin. Over hundreds of years, deep-seated animosity and conflict developed between them.

The woman left her water jar, a vital tool for her livelihood, and ran to share what she had learned with the people of her village. She openly shared the shameful secret of her multiple husbands, willing to do anything to bear witness to the Lord. As a result, many Samaritans in that city came to believe in Jesus. When Jesus and His disciples returned to the city center, many more Samaritans became believers. Jesus enabled people to know Him and opened Himself up to them. Most importantly, He approached the Samaritan woman with love. This is more than just a touching story. Jesus also allows us to know Him, opens Himself up to us, and lovingly understands our deepest needs and desires. He gives Himself to us to satisfy them. For the joy set before Him, Jesus endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

Edited and compiled based on the Chinese Union Version of the Bible and a comprehensive biblical interpretation.