This chapter begins with Jesus and his disciples entering a Samaritan town called Sychar. Jesus was tired and he sat down by the well. The evangelist was very careful to note the humanity of Jesus - he got tired. It was noon, the hottest time of the day, and a Samaritan woman came.

The town, Sychar, was named after a strong alcoholic drink. In this town of a strong alcoholic drink, Jesus was asking for water. In Chapter 2, he changed water to wine. In this chapter, he was looking for water in “wine”. From a place with no wine to a place with too much “wine”.

The people in the town were “drunk”. The woman was “drunk”. When she came to the well, Jesus asked her for water. She could not give it because all she had was strong wine. Her pride was the strong wine.

The Living Water

Jesus revealed himself as the source of the Living Water. This water can be used to dilute the strong alcoholic drink so those in the village would come to their senses and recognize Jesus as he is.

When Jesus spoke to her, she was surprised, because Jews did not speak to Samaritans. In fact, she asked why a Jew would speak to a Samaritan. She stressed their difference. For Jesus, that did not matter. Jesus came and spoke with an enemy. In fact, Jesus showed some vulnerability by asking her for water - the basic requirement for life!

What happened is quite interesting. As Jesus and the woman talked, Jesus slowly revealed himself to her. At first, she resisted and was antagonistic. She talked about her race. Then she asked Jesus if he was greater than her ancestor, Jacob.

When we enter into a conversation with Jesus, it is always an opportunity for him to reveal himself. It is also an opportunity for us to remove whatever hinders us from knowing him. Jesus saw the woman was tired from fetching water. So he spoke to her in a way she would want what he had to offer.

The woman wondered how Jesus was going to give her Living Water when he had nothing with him to draw water from the well. But Jesus is God. He is the source of the Living Water. This water is for everyone. Everyone can get this. All one has to do is ask Jesus for it.

Receiving the Living Water

When the Samaritan woman asked Jesus for the Living Water, she probably did not know what she was asking. She asked for water from the superficial perspective. But Jesus meant it from a deeper spiritual perspective. For Jesus, that did not matter. Her response was enough. Jesus gave the Living Water to her just because she asked for it. He immediately asked her to bring her husband to him.

It turned out the woman had five husbands and the man she was with was not her husband. Jesus made her confront her sinfulness. This was how he gave her the Living Water. By doing so, the woman got to know Jesus. She became convinced Jesus was the Messiah. The woman repented and came to Jesus.

Similarly, we receive the Living Water when we confront our sinfulness; look at sin in the eye, name it and confess it to others so we will have power over it. Once this is done, Jesus can release the Water of Life to us. Without repentance, we cannot have a new life.

True Worship

After setting up his Church where he will be worshiped, Jesus spoke of worship in spirit and truth. Worship does not depend on a place. It is a person's disposition when he comes before God. It is knowing where one stands before God. This knowledge and awareness of one's position before God will lead one to do the will of God.

True worship leads to true knowledge of Jesus. The woman got to know Jesus as the Messiah. Receiving the Living Water is worshiping in Spirit and truth.

Jesus gave the woman the Living Water. Now, it started to spring up from her, leading to eternal life. This spring of water overflowed from her and led her to go back to town and proclaim Jesus to others. The water that started at the well now becomes a flood; all because the woman received the Living Water. The water from the well was forgotten because she did not need it. She had the Living Water flowing from her.

One thing to note about the woman is when she went back to town, she said about Jesus, “He told me everything that I did.” However, if one looks at her conversation with Jesus, the only time Jesus spoke about her personal life was when he asked her to bring her husband. Most of the time, Jesus spoke about giving her the Living Water. Her whole life revolved around her broken relationships.

This woman was probably searching for something in her life. Her life was full of misery and pain. She was missing something in her life and she found it when she found Jesus.

Many people look for God in many ways. Some of them are like this woman, searching for God in relationships with people - only to learn these cannot satisfy. Only Jesus can satisfy one's heart. When she received the Living Water, she knew she had found what she was looking for. She left with joy.

This water was dropped into the strong alcoholic drink and now, the town was not drunk anymore. The water diluted the wine so people could enjoy it. By giving the Living Water to the woman, Jesus proved to her - he was indeed greater than her ancestor, Jacob. Jacob gave her village the water from the well. Jesus gave her the Living Water. He was the fulfillment of Israel.

Speak about Jesus

The woman went off and told the town about Jesus and what he did for her. She said, “Come, see a man who told me everything that I did. Can this be the Christ?” She invited people to Jesus. She spoke about Jesus and she told them what he did. She did not talk about rituals or Laws or rules. This proclamation of the gospel is everyone's duty. What is needed is to proclaim Jesus as he is and to tell people of what he has done to us personally.

She ended her statement with a question. This is the question everyone has to answer, “Can this be the Christ?” I have to answer these questions: Who is Jesus to me? Is he MY Christ? Proclaiming the gospel requires an invitation to look deeper into one's relationship with Jesus. Who is Jesus to you?

When she proclaimed Jesus, many people believed her. Jesus stayed with them for two days. After those two days, they believed because they heard his word. Now, it was not the experience of others that mattered to them. What mattered was their relationship with Jesus. They believed because they knew him.

The Source of Living Water Heals

The second part of this chapter shows a nobleman coming to Jesus because his son was close to death. This miracle happened at the same place where Jesus changed the water to wine.

The nobleman lived in the Old Covenant. The Law was powerless to save his child. By coming to Jesus, he admitted the saving power of Jesus. The water of the Old Covenant was changed to the wine of the New Covenant.

By leaving when Jesus told him, he believed and so received what he asked for.