The Woman at the Well
John 4 contains an extraordinary encounter that deserves careful attention. As Jesus and His disciples left Judea for Galilee, tensions were rising. Word about Jesus’ ministry was spreading, and the Pharisees were beginning to look for ways to silence Him. To ease the growing hostility, Jesus withdrew with His disciples and headed north.
Verse 4 tells us that “He had to go through Samaria.” On the surface, this seems practical—Samaria lay directly between Judea and Galilee. But for the average Jew, this route was unthinkable. The hostility between Jews and Samaritans ran deep, rooted in centuries of conflict, pride, and religious division. From the moment Israel entered the Promised Land, they were surrounded by enemies, and that tension shaped their identity. Whether due to Israel’s pride as God’s chosen people or the jealousy of surrounding nations, animosity was woven into their history.
Yet Jesus’ choice to pass through Samaria was not simply about geography. It was intentional. He had to go through Samaria because His disciples needed a lesson they could not learn anywhere else. They needed to confront their prejudices and see firsthand that Jesus came not only for the Jews, but for all humanity.
Sending the disciples into the town of Sychar forced them to cross social and ethnic boundaries they had been taught to avoid. And Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well shattered even more barriers—social, religious, cultural, and moral.
For a Jewish rabbi to speak publicly with a woman was already frowned upon. To speak with a Samaritan woman was scandalous. And to speak with a woman known for her sin—an outcast even among her own people—was unthinkable. Yet Jesus not only spoke with her, He asked her for water and engaged her in one of the most profound theological conversations recorded in Scripture. By the time the disciples returned, she had recognized Him as the Messiah and became His first Samaritan convert. Immediately, she ran back to town, leaving her water jar behind, and became an unlikely but powerful evangelist.
Jesus remained in Sychar for two days, and His disciples witnessed something remarkable: a community of Samaritans—people they had been taught to despise—embracing Jesus as their Savior. They saw the heart of Jesus’ mission on full display. Still, it would take the resurrection and Pentecost for them to fully grasp the lesson. And it would take leaders like Paul and Philip to show them how to live it out—reaching Gentiles, Samaritans, and all who were once considered “outsiders.”
Jesus’ journey through Samaria remains a powerful lesson for us today. We must ask ourselves: What prejudices or assumptions keep us from sharing the Good News? What barriers—taught to us or built by us—separate us from the people God wants us to love?
Jesus calls us to see the overlooked, the rejected, and the marginalized. Those we might consider unworthy or unreachable are often the very people God is sending us to. Just as Jesus “had to” go through Samaria, there may be places, people, or situations God is calling us into—places outside our comfort zones—so that someone who is lonely, hurting, or spiritually lost can meet the Savior.
The question is whether we are willing to follow Him there.
This Week’s Bible Study
Biblical Numerology
Studying the scriptures can seem imposing, but our Helper, the Holy Spirit is our interpreter and guide.
We must learn to rely upon God’s help to better understand what God is teaching us in His Word, Spending
time in prayer and asking the Lord for His help brings us clarity and understanding.
One of my favorite tools is grasping “Biblical Numerology”. In the Hebrew writings and teachings, numbers are more often than not, significant to the context of understanding what God is teaching us. I am listing a basic explanation of how numbers are used in the Word of God. The scripture is God-breathed and the use of these numbers are not accidental, nor are they insignificant. Knowing the significance of each number helps us to better understand what God is trying to say to us. As an example: any time the number 40 shows up, it is an indication of some sort of trial or test. 40 days of Rain in the flood story, 40 days of Jesus in the wilderness after His baptism, Moses’ 40 year divisions of his life journey, etc.
I hope this brief chart of numbers is helpful in your study of the scriptures.
1: One- GOD, Unity or independent Existence
Biblical Examples:
One God, One Baptism, One Lord, One Spirit, The Expected One, One Body
John 10:30 “I and the Father are ONE”
2: Two- Strength, redoubled courage, symbol of energy, together, witness
Biblical Examples:
Two witnesses, Two by two on the Ark, Two great Lights (Sun and Moon), Male and
Female. Two angels at Sodom and Gomorrah
3: Three – Divinity, the Trinity, Godly
Biblical Examples:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Spirit, Water, and Blood (1 John 5:7),
3 heavens, dwelling places of man – Heaven, Earth & Hell
Examples: Solid-Liquid-Gas; Time: Past-Present-Future; Faith-Hope-Love
4: Four – Wordly, Symbol of Trial or Temptation, Testing
Examples: 4 Seasons, 4 Corners of the Earth (East, West, South, North)
Biblical Examples: in combination with 10 – 40 days of rain, 40 days of Jesus in the Wilderness, 40 years of wandering in the wilderness
5: Five - Man – (five fingers, five toes) When doubled speaks of human completeness; also Grace of God
6: Six – Evil (Incompleteness) one short of seven the number of perfection. Combination of number 5 for man and 1
(one) for God (Desire to be like God) Sinister (Like many think of 13) 666
7: Seven – Completeness, perfection (Combination of the number “3“ the Divine number and “4” the number for world.)
Biblical Examples: 7 Spirits of God, 7 Churches of Revelation, 7 Angles of Revelation, 7 Stars, 7 Lampstands, God Creates world in six days and rests on the seventh
8: Eight – A New Beginning, a new order or creation
Boys are to be circumcised on the eighth day. Circumcision of the Heart in receiving Christ. Jesus made 8 appearances after His resurrection.
9: Nine – Divine Completeness: Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) Jesus died in the ninth hour to complete our salvation.
10: Ten – Symbolizes intensity, Continuing, Human Completeness. When combined with other numbers increases the intensity and significance of the number
Biblical Examples: 10x 4 = 40 days, 40 years; 10 x 7 = 70 weeks, 70 years
11: Eleven – Disorder and Judgement (Not often referred to in scripture)
12: Twelve – Israel, the People of God, The Saints, the Church
Biblical Examples: 12 tribes of Israel, 12 Apostles
In Multiples 120; 144,000