The Samaritan Woman at the Well: Story Summary and Meaning

In the Gospel of John, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in the middle of the day.

The Jews hated Samaritans. The Samaritans were descended from the people of the northern tribes of Israel that were not deported by the Assyrian Empire. They did not worship God in Jerusalem and seen as foreigners.

Therefore, people would have been shocked to see Jesus meet a Samaritan woman alone in the middle of the day.

1. The woman arrived at the well and Jesus asked her for a drink.

2. The woman is shocked, but not as shocked to hear Jesus say that he had living water to offer her. He explains that no one will thirst after drinking of the living water he will give. He also tells her thing about her life that he could not have known. Most shocking of all, however, Jesus reveals his true identity to her. He tells her that he is Christ the Messiah.

3. The disciples return and are shocked to see Jesus with the woman. The woman hurried away, not in fear but in excited to share the good news that the Messiah was here.

4. Many of the Samaritans who heard the woman's testimony came to believe in Jesus Christ. They went out to find him and invite him into their homes.

5. Jesus stayed in the city for two days and the Samaritans came to believe in him not because of what the woman said but because they heard Jesus preaching and teaching for themselves.

Lessons from the Woman at the Well

1. Jesus came to save us all.

Jesus revealed himself not to a special class of holy people, but to the sinners and outcasts of society. There is no one on earth that Jesus doesn't want to reach.

2. Jesus reaches new people through our testimony.

The people came to believe in Jesus first through the woman's testimony, but then by hearing him for themselves. Our testimony is so important for people to come to meet the Lord for themselves.

3. Inviting Jesus into our lives leads to faith.

The first step of faith is inviting Jesus in. This might mean opening the Bible or just going to church. It might mean praying for the first time. Extend the invitation, but Jesus will do the rest.

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[johnyb]

I hope you answer my comment.
I am a Christian and when I study this passage I don’t see where she converts and Believes in Jesus. Many of the people in the town believed in Him but it doesn’t say she does. It only says He told me my history followed by the question “could this be the Christ?”
Your thoughts?

[Tara-zqil]

I thought Jesus didn't go to the village

[Bazakilouis]

Very nice thanks, but He offers us forgiveness, He only can forgive when we meet and do His requirements. As in you you Must repent and turn away from your sin. You must get baptized and you must receive the Holy Spirit, you also must live a Holy life and make disciples. You also must denie your old live. We must become born again. So in other words we Must be and stay obedient.

[ohhonest]

That's not what happened. The Samaritans had no dealings with the Jews. He told her if she knew who he was she would be asking for his living water and that he was the true Messiah. This was blasphemous during that time. Despite him telling her about her 5 husband's, she went to the city to snitch on the Messiah. They weren't looking for Jesus to save them, they didn't even believe in him. But when Jesus told the men about themselves, they began to believe. Jesus never gave salvation to any of them. He performed a miracle by healing the son of a capurneum man who had faith.

[agikertesz]

Where does Jesus say that she was a sinner?