Welcome to another powerful understanding about the Jewish and the Samaritans people in time past. There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ’s road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria and because of this the Jews will rather prefer to use a longer distance of 3x of the shotest road to Jerusalem.
He must needs go through Samaria—i.e., following the shortest and most usual road, and the one we find Him taking from Galilee to Jerusalem Luke 9:52-54 further explained the kind of hatred that existed among the Jewish and Samaritans). Josephus spoke of this as the customary way of the Galileans going up during the feasts at Jerusalem .
The Pharisees, indeed, took the longer road through Peræa, to avoid contact with the country and people of Samaria, but it is within the purpose of His life and work (“needs go,” i.e., was necessary that He should go) to teach in Samaria, as in Judæa, the principles of true religion and worship, which would cut away the foundations of all local jealousies and feuds, and establish for all nations the spiritual service of the universal Father (John 4:21-24).
READ ALSO:Why Must Jesus Had To Go Through Samaria?
John 4:4-6. And he must needs go through Samaria — The road from Judea to Galilee lying directly through it. Then cometh he — In the progress of his journey; to a city of Samaria, called Sychar — The original name of the place was Sichem, or Shechem, but now the Jews called it Sychar, which name they used as a term of reproach, intimating thereby that it was the seat of drunkards, see Isaiah 28:1; near to the parcel of ground that Jacob — Having purchased it of the children of Hamor, Genesis 33:19; gave to his son Joseph — By a particular grant. See Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32.
The word χωριον, here rendered parcel, is translated by Dr. Campbell, heritage, as meaning, he observes, an estate in land; and that, since the estate here spoken of was given by the patriarch to his son Joseph, to be possessed by him and his posterity, it may be properly denominated heritage.
Now Jacob’s well was there — A well so called, as having been used by Jacob and his family, while he dwelt in those parts. See Genesis 33:18; Genesis 35:4.
Jesus, being wearied with his journey — For he was subject to all the innocent infirmities of human nature; sat thus — Weary as he was, on the side of the well; and it was about the sixth hour — Or just high noon: so that the heat co-operated with the fatigue of the journey to increase both his thirst and faintness.
It must be observed, that in the latitude in which Judea lies, the weather is sometimes exceedingly hot at noon, even in December, and on days when the cold has been very severe in the morning.
Beloved What a Saviour we have!
He loves the people the world loves to hate.
Lord Jesus, thank you for caring enough to find us when we were far from you. Give us your kind heart for the lost. Amen. Shalom!
