John Chapter 4

vs 1

The Pharisees were obviously keeping a fairly close ear (if not eye) on Jesus, because large movements like John TB's baptism movement and Jesus' teaching movement were after all religious issues.

vs 2

Not too close an eye, though, because they thought Jesus was baptising people, but in fact it was not Jesus but his disciples who were doing so. How odd that John would say he was only a chapter earlier. So obviously people were getting baptised into discipleship with Jesus, although Jesus wasn't doing it personally.

vs 3

The Lord is obviously Jesus, but what he heard is debatable. The NASB makes it clear that Jesus is reacting to hearing about what the Pharisees are hearing about. The NIV makes it less clear, but could be construed as Jesus reacting to hearing about his disciples baptising.

vs 4-5

That's not good news - Jews hated Samaritans, and vice versa. The geography talk is not of much interest to me, except to show that it points to a real point, a real place in the world where Jesus actually was. It sort of lends creedence.

vs 6

I've really got to learn what time these hours are. The message says it was noon. This is a long trip, so Jesus gets tired from walking.When you look at it on a map, it's a hugely long way to walk.

vs 7-8

Even today, if I was to go to modern day Samaria and ask a lone woman to get me a drink, I would be breaking a lot of rules. Jesus was breaking a lot of rules too.

Why Jesus didn't go with them into the town is a bit of a mystery. With a more rounded knowledge of the gospel story, it could be that he wanted to keep his message for the Jews, and not allow the Samaritans access to it, in the same way that he dodges teaching gentlies.

vs 9

There's a footnote about using dishes - well, the Jews didn't use the dishes anyone else had used, the prudes. But there is other historical evidence that Jews and Samaritans weren't really the best of friends - regular skirmishes etc. And that doesn't even begin to discuss the fact that she's a woman, and they shouldn't have been talking alone anyway. But she is so curious about his so obvious lack of decorum, that she asks the (fairly obvious) question about why he would do this.

vs 10

Jesus' reply is basically couched in terms of his royalty - he is born a Jew, sure, but he is God, and as he created her and all Samaritans (and everything else), religious cleanliness is pretty secondary to him. So failing to answer her question, he instead tells her (in a fairly toffee way) that if she had any idea who he was, it would be her asking, pleading with him to have a drink - but not of regular, boring well water. Of living water.