The Means of His grace helping us to find our participation in His work of Redemption
Meeting at Jacob’s Well
John 4
Ex Libris Alexus Minimus
A commentary from the pastor’s library
The Requests by the Well (7–42)
Jesus asking for water (7–14). A woman approaches from the village to draw water, and the traveler entreats her for a drink. As He would tell His disciples His food is to do the work for which God sent Him (34), He plans His question to lead to more than slaking physical thirst.
The request stimulates the woman’s question (9), and Jesus’ strategy to evangelize surges ahead. What puzzles the woman is how He, a Jew, asks a drink from a Samaritan woman. Her response opens the door for Him to say two things to stoke her interest even more. He says that if she knew God’s gift of living water and recognized His own identity, she herself would be the one asking for water, that of the spiritual kind. God’s Word had used water to picture the refreshing vitality of spiritual life in a quality God gives (Ps. 36:8–9), and the blessing the Spirit puts in lives (Isa. 44:3).Provoked to question Jesus, the woman hearing His answer now questions Him further about the “living water,” how He can secure it since he is here without a water pot. Not only that, but she naturally wonders if He thinks He is greater than the Jewish ancestor Jacob who built the well and used water from it.
Again her reaction is just what serves Jesus’ purpose. Her focus on water of this well is the subject He begins with. All who drink of this well’s water are sure to thirst again, but whoever drinks of water He shall give shall never thirst. How different this water! It shall become a well springing up to eternal life, Gushing up, it shall be ever abundant, of a quality providing never ending sustenance that thrills the heart.A claim so great, a prospect so satisfying, stirs the listener to a sharp longing to have water that blesses so much. Her words are an analogy of prayer that can ask the Lord who lavishes people from such a supply (cf. 7:37–39).
Rosscup, J. E. (2008). An Exposition on Prayer in the Bible: Igniting the Fuel to Flame Our Communication with God (pp. 1791–1792). Lexham Press.
TO SEE.
Knowing the Person & Work of the Triune God of the Universe.
Against all cultural and strategic benefits, the LORD “had to pass through Samaria.” What does this say about His Beauty?
TO ENJOY.
Motivation and support to imitate His humanity through the service to others.
How can your service to others help them to know “the gift of God”?
TO SHARE.
Telling others about His work in your life.
How did He meet you? How did He orchestrate that encounter? What was your Jacob’s Well? Be ready to tell others your story.
