The shortest route Irom Judea to Galilee was through Samaria, but it was not the only

way. Another way was through Perea, east oI the Jordan River. In Jesus` day, the Jews hated the
Samaritans so they normally took the route to avoid Samaria so they did not have to associate
with them. Jesus chose this route to witness to the people oI Samaria. Jesus seeks to reach out to
the despised and the outcasts (com). The Samaritans were people oI mixed Jewish and Gentile
ancestry. They claimed that they came Irom Jacob and they also worshiped the God oI Israel.
The Samaritans religion resulted Irom syncretism and schism Irom Judaism. They Ielt that
Mount Gerizim was the holy site oI worship instead oI Jerusalem. Because the Jews were bitter
rivals with the Samaritans, they oIten had political hostilities and the Roman army sometimes
had to be involved in this (cat).
'Samaria, in the New Testament times was a region in the middle oI Palestine, with
Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. Samaria was without separate political existence
under the Roman governor. Even today in Israel, a small group oI Samaritans maintain their
traditions (com). The village oI Sychar was near Shechem. Sychar was between Mount Ebal
and Mount Gerizim. A well that is near Sychar today may be the same as Jacob`s well. Jacob`s
well that he gave to Joseph is talked about in Genesis 48:21-22, but Jacob had purchased it years
earlier. Archeologists today say that Jacob`s well is one oI the deepest in Paelstine.
Jesus took the route through Samaria to get to his destination which was Galilee. As Jesus
was walking, he began to get tired and sat next to what is known as Jacob`s well. It is said to be
the sixth hour which is 6 P.M. according to Roman time. Jesus possesses all the attributes oI
Deity and also possesses all the human characteristics. This is why he is seen in this passage as
tired and thirsty. Jesus is alone in this passage and that is because his disciples were in the city
buying Iood. While sitting next to the well, Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman which was
very unusual. The Samaritan woman was in the region oI Samaria, but not the town oI Samaria.
Jesus than proceeded to ask this Samaritan woman Ior a drink which surprised her. She then
questioned him because the prejudices oI the Jesus` day prohibited any public conversation
between men and women, between Jews and Samaritans, and especially between strangers. For
example, a Jewish Rabbi would rather go thirsty than not obeying these prejudices.
The Samaritan woman was shocked because Jesus talked to her even though he was a
Jew and she was a Samaritan. Also, he was a man and she was a woman. And lastly, they were
complete strangers to each other so this overwhelming Ior her. The Samaritan woman Ielt very a
lot lower than Jesus. This is because a Rabbinic law oI A.D. 66 said that a Samaritan woman was
considered unclean because she was continually menstruating. II a Jewish person drank Irom her
vessel, the Jew would be considered ceremonially unclean.
Jesus caught her attention and curiosity by causing her to think. Three things would have
provoked her thinking: the Iirst one is who is He (Jesus)? The second is what is the giIt oI God?
Thirdly, what is the living water? Jesus assures the woman that 'living water in one sense is
running water and it can also be the Holy Spirit. The Samaritan woman thought that the term
meant water Irom the well.