The story of the woman at the well may initially seem like a strange interaction between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. But if you stop to read and study it, you begin to see what a marvelous story of hope and revelation it is! You can find the story of the woman at the well in John 4:1-42.
Who is the Woman at the Well?
To understand this story, it’s important to learn something about the woman who talked with Jesus at the well. The woman is never named, but we do learn some details about her life:
- The woman is a Samaritan
- She had five husbands in the past
- The man she’s living with is not her husband
- The woman is a social outcast
These details are significant to the story. Let’s start with the first bit of information about this woman—she is a Samaritan. For hundreds of years, the Jews considered the Samaritans to be unclean and wanted nothing to do with them.
Ages in the past, the Samaritans and the Jews had been one people—they were all Jewish. However, after the deportations of the Jewish northern and southern kingdoms, the remnant Jewish people in the Northern Kingdom began to intermarry with other peoples (Mesopotamians and Syrians) brought in by the Assyrians to settle the region. The Jews intermingled with these people, creating the Samaritans.
When the Jews from Babylon came back to resettle Jerusalem, they found these peoples intermingled with Jews, which was not allowed by Jewish law. From that time on, the Jews considered the Samaritans unclean. The Jews and Samaritans were often hostile to one another, as you can read in this article, The Rift Between the Jews and Samaritans. So, no wonder the Samaritan woman was amazed when Jesus began talking with her!
Breaking Social and Cultural Barriers
Jesus was not afraid of breaking social and cultural barriers when he spoke to the Samaritan woman. In Jesus’ day, it was not considered appropriate for men to talk with women who were not their relatives. Men who talked with women they didn’t know usually had ulterior motives.
This is why the disciples wondered about Jesus speaking with this woman—see v. 27. She was not accompanied by her husband or any male relative, which was a breach of propriety; however, the disciples didn’t tell Christ not to talk with her. They realized Jesus had a reason for this conversation with the Samaritan woman.
The woman was also wondering why Jesus would ask her, a Samaritan woman, for a drink. Jews believed that Samaritans were unclean, so accepting any hospitality from them or using their dishes was not allowed.
The Samaritan Woman’s Social Status
Jesus would also have noticed that the Samaritan woman came alone to the well. It was about noon, the hottest part of the day. Why was it unusual for her to come at that time of day and alone?
In Jesus’ time, women usually went together in a group to draw water in the early morning or evening. This is still done in some parts of the world today. However, the Samaritan woman came alone at noon. This indicated that the woman was an outcast and isolated. This was probably due to her life, which she discussed with Jesus.
When Jesus asked the woman to call her husband, she said she didn’t have a husband. Jesus said she answered correctly, for the man she currently lived with was not her husband. He also pointed out that the Samaritan woman had five husbands in the past.
At that time, if a woman had five husbands, she was considered a social outcast. Whether her husbands had died or divorced her, people thought there was something wrong with her. She had bad fortune or some other issue. So, they avoided her.
Spiritual & Earthly Conversations
The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman was also unique. As mentioned earlier, a man was not supposed to talk with a woman who was not his relative. Yet, Christ broke the proprieties of His day and talked with this woman.
As you read their conversation, notice that the Samaritan woman (in the beginning) speaks of earthly things while Jesus focuses on spiritual matters. Their conversation was happening on two different levels until Christ asked the woman to call her husband. At that moment, the woman realized this man was someone very special. She thought he was a prophet since he was able to tell her about her life.
After Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a glass of water, in verse 10, Jesus says, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.
Isaiah 44:3 NKJV
The woman responds that Jesus has nothing to draw water with and asks about the living water he mentioned. She asks if he is greater than their father, Jacob, who gave them the well and drank from it himself, along with his children and livestock. She must have truly wondered what Jesus was talking about! The woman may have thought Jesus was joking with her or being sarcastic.
At this point, the conversation changed. Jesus asked the woman to call her husband. It was here that the woman realized that Jesus was someone unique and special. He knew things about her life that surprised her. She finally said that Jesus must be a prophet and began to talk about religion. The woman may have done this to avoid more information about her life. Wouldn’t you be uncomfortable with this line of conversation?
Discipleship and Evangelism
In verse 26, Jesus reveals he is the Messiah during this part of the conversation. The woman’s spiritual eyes are opened and she realizes Jesus is the promised Messiah! After this, the woman leaves her water jug and runs off to tell everyone to “Come and see!” The people from her village went out to see what all the hubbub was about and were also amazed by Jesus.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NKJV
The people were astonished by Jesus and asked him to stay with them for two days. Remember, Jews did not traditionally accept hospitality from Samaritans. Yet, here is the Messiah and his disciples staying with them for two days!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 NKJV
Transformation and Redemption
The Woman at the Well is a wonderful example of Christ’s love, our redemption, and how His love transforms our lives. You can see this during their conversation. First, he sat and talked with a Samaritan woman at the well, even though she was a social outcast. If you read the conversation carefully, you can see that the woman and Jesus talked as equals. No matter her sex, race, or marital status, Jesus was concerned for her and all people. Jesus accepts all people, and all are welcome to God’s holy kingdom.
Jesus spoke of the living water that only he could offer. Living water symbolizes the Holy Spirit and eternal life. This water is not like earthly water—it comes only from God and is everlasting. Anyone who drinks this water will never thirst again. When Christ told the woman He was the promised Messiah, she responded with great excitement! She didn’t shrink back because of her sins. Instead, she became one of the first to share the message with the Samaritans of her village.
The Samaritan woman’s testimony was important. Notice that she didn’t keep the news of meeting Christ to herself. Instead, she left her water jug (a valuable household item) and ran back to the village. She let everyone know what had happened and they should “Come and see!” This woman’s testimony had an impact on her village. God used her to spread the Good News of redemption through Jesus.
The Woman at the Well is a testimony to God’s love for us. Jesus loves and accepts each one of us, in spite of our sins, as he did the Samaritan woman. And He wants each of us to enter His holy kingdom. All we have to do is believe in him and recognize him as our Savior and God’s only begotten Son, just as the Samaritans did.
Have you committed your life to Christ? If so, now is the time to share your faith with everyone you know, just like the Samaritan woman at the well.
God bless,
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