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 The
direct route from Judea to Galilee is through Samaria, a dangerous place for
Jews to travel. Samaritans were sharply distinguished from Jews by a centuries
old feud. Both groups had fomented violent attacks upon the other. Thus, most
Jews chose the alternate route of Perea when on temple feast pilgrimages from
Galilee to Jerusalem.
• Sychar = modern ‘Askar, a village in the valley
about halfway between the two mountains-Ebal and Gerizim-and about a mile
north of Jacob’s well.
• The motifs of this narrative = living water
(vs. 7-15), spiritual worship (vs. 16-23), Spirit (v. 24) and self-disclosure
of Jesus as Messiah (vs. 25-26).
• Living water =
running water or a stream vis-à-vis rainwater; the woman probably sees this
as a slight upon the Samaritan hero, Jacob who had sunk the well centuries
before. “Living” and its synonyms is a Johannine favorite-living water,
bread of life (6:35, 48), real bread (6:32); the idea behind the usage is to
communicate something that is a self-renewing force.
 Jesus
openly challenges and breaks open two boundaries in this text: the
boundary between chosen people and rejected people and between male and
female. What boundaries do we cross in offering people spiritual refreshment
and renewal?
• Read this story alongside the parable of the Good
Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). In Luke the scandal is that a despicable Samaritan
becomes the agent of mercy. The John 4 story is even more radically shaped
because this time it is not just a character in a parable who upsets social
conventions but Jesus himself.
 “Drawing
from the Well” (based on this narrative)
- Refreshment. “Jesus,
tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.” Often
in the midpoints of life we tire-and need to rediscover Sabbath rest for our
souls.
- Cross Cultural Experiments. At
that well Jesus dared break free and speak to a Samaritan who was a woman. To
cross the barriers of race, class, gender and lifestyles is a good way to meet
Jesus again for the first time.
- Community. Wells like
this are a place of conversation and community; task and relationship become
one.
- The Ripple Effect.
Women at such wells always take the water back to their villages-just as
genuine spiritual renewal is not for self alone, but is only fulfilled in the
back-home world of work, family and church.
- Drawing on One’s Unique Tradition.
The more we draw from the unique well of Christ (and from one’s own
denominational/faith tradition), the more we are connected to a common
underground stream with all who seek.
- Joy! “With joy you
will draw water from the wells of salvation.”
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