The Daily Word

The account, in John’s Gospel chapter 4 of Jesus meeting the woman at the well in Samaria occupies 42 verses of the chapter. In all the Gospels, I don’t believe one event and its aftermath is recorded at such length, except the crucifixion of Jesus, which is completely central to our faith and indeed the whole of history. Jesus and His Disciples are making their way northwards from Judea back to Galilee and it says in the record, ‘He must needs go through Samaria.

Most Jews, at that time, would choose a route that totally avoided Samaria, which they regarded as unclean and occupied by mixed race people. That action by Jesus teaches us something about His ministry because ‘He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance’, for which we too thank God. Why is this one event is Jesus’ life, not even involving a physical miracle, recorded in such detail?

Having talked with the woman, she becomes an evangelist herself and gets the whole town on fire to meet Jesus. She then comes out with a question/statement which up to that point had only been recognised by John the Baptist, “Is not this the Christ?” For a non-Jew, whose life up to that point had hardly been an example of moral behaviour, this is a recognition that not only transformed her life but also many of the city of Samaria and was a foretaste of what was to happen at Pentecost after Peter preached his first sermon and continues to happen today as people recognise their condition and how Jesus has paid the full price for sin on the cross. Let us never lose sight of Jesus purpose as the Sent One from God.

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church