" 4 But He needed to go through Samaria." John 4:4 NKJV

 It was not geographically necessary to pass through Samaria  Due to the cultural differences it is clear that the only need that could have prompted Jesus to go to Samaria was evangelistic  Jesus clearly put this woman’s needs above the cultural challenges of the day

 Controversy can be difficult  We must not only learn the Word but learn to communicate effectively with others!!  We must realize that we are not alone, Jesus is with us  We must not put our assumptions before a person’s need for the gospel!!!

 The Samaritan woman was probably and outcast (vs.7)  Notice the gender separation  The religious/racial divide between a Jewish man and this Samaritan woman would have been great

“The relation of Jesus to women seems unlike what would have been usual for a Rabbi. He seems to have definitely broken with orientalism in this particular” (217). Also, “He breaks through oriental limitations in more direction than one. For (1) he associates with, and is much looked after by, women in a manner which was unusual; (2) he is stricter about divorce; (3) he is also more merciful and compassionate…” (Rabbinic Literature and Gospel Teachings, Professor Montefiore).

 This racial divide certainly played a part in the conversation  Her reply to Jesus was full of suspicion and mistrust  Her reply should be interpreted “You Jews wont talk to us unless you want something from us”

 “If you only knew who you were talking to!”  Rather than responding in kind to her sarcasm Jesus shows us the art of the Teacher  He captured her interest with the phrase “gift of God”

 Living water would normally refer to running water, rather than water from a cistern  Living water would be of greater quality than stagnant water  The gift that Jesus offered would surpass the gift of Jacob

" 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”" John 4:15 NKJV

 Jesus employs language with which the Samaritans would have been familiar in respect to their Messianic expectations.  The Palestinian Targum says of the well of Haran: “After our ancestor Jacob had lifted the stone from the mouth of the well, the well rose to its surface and overflowed, and was overflowing twenty years” (quoted in J.R. Diaz, “Palestinian Targum and the NT,” Novum Testamentum 6 [1963] 76-77).

 Samaritan liturgy for the Day of Atonement says of the Samaritan Messiah: “Water shall flow from his buckets” (The Samaritan Doctrine of the Messiah, Expositor [1895] 163).

 Only a person convicted of sin will have a thirsty soul.  Our preaching must storm the will, convict the heart and persuade the mind to see its sinfulness to work salvation  This portion of the conversation convicts her that Jesus is a prophet

 All Samaritans were taught Jerusalem was not the proper place of worship, Mt. Gerizim was  This argument is tantamount to “you think you are the only ones going to heaven”  Jesus deals with this issue with patience

 Vs – The time is coming when this will not matter  Jesus did not dodge the problem with her position (vs. 22)  Jesus did not put her feelings before the truth; instead He counted on her honesty

 “Salvation is of the Jews for we know what we worship”  The Samaritans worshipped Jehovah alongside their idols  Jesus’ point – Being religious is not enough, we must worship in “spirit and in truth”

 Her confession showed a transformed mindset (vs. 25)  She uses the Hebrew “Christ” rather than the Samaritan Taheb “returning one”  Her concerns change from fleshly concerns to spiritual  Her perspective transformed from unbelief and indifference to evangelistic zeal (39-42)