John 4:1-6 - Homiletics

The journey of our Lord through Sumatra.

We are now to see the firstfruits of Gentile conversion.

I. CONSIDER THE CAUSE OF CHRIST 'S DEPARTURE FROM JUDEA TO GALILEE . "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, he left Judaea and departed again into Galilee."

1 . The anger of the Pharisees was roused by the greater success of Jesus. "All men were coming to him" ( John 3:26 ), to be his disciples and to receive his baptism. John was now in prison. Nothing more was to he apprehended from the rousing ministry of the Baptist. But a more formidable Teacher had appeared in the land, who commanded a still wider acceptance. The fact that the Baptist had borne testimony to Jesus, and that our Lord was more independent of Pharisaic traditions in the spirit of his work, made him vastly more dangerous to the dominance of the leading religious party.

2 . It argued no cowardice on the part of Christ to leave Judaea in circumstances of danger. He himself counselled his apostles to follow his example: "When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another" ( Matthew 10:23 ).

II. THE NECESSITY THAT DIRECTED HIS ROAD THROUGH SAMARIA . "And he must needs go through Samaria." This was necessarily the direct route to Galilee, but was usually avoided through the particularistic spirit of the Jews, if not from an apprehension of Samaritan hostility.

1 . We remark how the hostility of the Pharisees in Judaea was overruled for the conversion of the Samaritans.

2 . This visit of mercy to Samaria is not inconsistent with the original commission given to the apostles. "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" ( Matthew 10:5 , Matthew 10:6 ).

III. THE SCENE OF HIS SAMARITAN LABOURS . "Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground which Jacob gave to his son Joseph."

1 . The city is the modern Nablous, where the Samaritans still live.

2 . The people were a mixture of five nations, transported from the East to occupy Samaria after the exile of its native inhabitants. They were more hated by the Jews than the Gentiles themselves, and were never received as proselytes. Hate begat hate. The moral separation was complete.

3 . Jacob ' s well was the spot where the first word of grace was spoken to the Samaritans. "Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus upon the well."

(a) It was a mark of his poverty that he travelled on foot.

(b) It was a mark of his true humanity that he had full experience of its infirmities.