The animosity between the Jews and Samaritans was deep rooted, going back to the 8th centrury BC. In the 8th century BC the Assyrians sent most of the Israelites into exile from the northern kingdom, and repopulated the area with various other peoples. This resulted in the Samaritans being a mix raced people, and so considered impure by the Jews. After the Jews returned to Jerusalem in the 6th century BC the Samaritans offered to help in the rebuilding of the temple, but there offer was refused. As a result the Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. In 128 BC a Jewish king destroyed the Samaritan's temple, and between AD6 and 9 the Samaritans defiled the Jerusalem temply by scattering dead bones during the Passover.
Noon was an unusual time for women to come out for water since it was the heat of the day, though not totally unknown. The disciples had gone to get food, so Jesus was alone. Jesus spoke to the woman. It was quite unusual for a man to speak to a lone woman, doubly so if she was a Samaritan, but Jesus was never hind bound by tradition. Hence the woman expressed great surprise at Jesus speaking to her.
Jesus had initiated the conversation in order to lead the woman to eternal life, as starts to become clear from His reply. The gift of God is the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the one who has the right to and ability to give the Holy Spirit.
The woman (not surprisingly) did not understand what Jesus meant, and thought He was referring to normal water. We can learn a lot from Jesus statement "If you knew, ... you would have asked Him". The woman was going about her daily business, dealing with daily chores and her situation (to be described later). She did not look beyond them. Yet Jesus is far greater, and has something far greater to give. We too can become blinded by our circumstances, unable to see beyond them, limiting our lives. We need to realise who we come to when we come before God to pray, for He is able to do something far greater than we imagine.
By nature we seek natural means of helping us to cope with whatever our daily lives consist of, but nothing ever really satisfies. But the Holy Spirit can give us the life that truly meets our needs. Nor is this a one off. When we are born again we become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), we become truly alive.
Noon was an unusual time for women to come out for water since it was the heat of the day, though not totally unknown. The disciples had gone to get food, so Jesus was alone. Jesus spoke to the woman. It was quite unusual for a man to speak to a lone woman, doubly so if she was a Samaritan, but Jesus was never hind bound by tradition. Hence the woman expressed great surprise at Jesus speaking to her.
Jesus had initiated the conversation in order to lead the woman to eternal life, as starts to become clear from His reply. The gift of God is the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the one who has the right to and ability to give the Holy Spirit.
The woman (not surprisingly) did not understand what Jesus meant, and thought He was referring to normal water. We can learn a lot from Jesus statement "If you knew, ... you would have asked Him". The woman was going about her daily business, dealing with daily chores and her situation (to be described later). She did not look beyond them. Yet Jesus is far greater, and has something far greater to give. We too can become blinded by our circumstances, unable to see beyond them, limiting our lives. We need to realise who we come to when we come before God to pray, for He is able to do something far greater than we imagine.
By nature we seek natural means of helping us to cope with whatever our daily lives consist of, but nothing ever really satisfies. But the Holy Spirit can give us the life that truly meets our needs. Nor is this a one off. When we are born again we become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17), we become truly alive.
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