John 4:1-6

John 4:1-6
John 4:1 (KJB)
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
Here begins a time of jealousy by the Pharisees because they knew that Jesus had been making more disciples and His following was growing. This would have been irritating to the religious crowd because if more people follow Jesus and if they leave the synagogue, then their income will decrease and their authority will also begin to wane. Jesus knew that jealousy was a great catalyst for making enemies. Jealousy does not even need truth to exist. Jealousy is its own island. (Mark 15:10 KJV) For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. Even Pilate knew that the Chief Priests had delivered Jesus based on envy. Jealousy was the root cause of the Jews’ hatred of Jesus because they did not want to lose their exalted positions.
John 4:2 (KJB)
(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
Jesus did not baptize anyone because He knew that in the future people would make it an appended doctrine to becoming saved. If Jesus would have water baptized, then that would have put the stamp of approval on water baptism being necessary for salvation. The baptism that Jesus was going to baptize His disciples with was and is the Holy Spirit upon the moment of salvation. This is why the disciples did the water baptism, just like today, Christians baptize in water as a symbolic gesture of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord.
John 4:3 (KJB)
He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
Jesus and His disciples then turned north to head to Galilee which would have been about a 70 mile trip. According to John 4:46, Jesus was heading toward Cana in Galilee.
John 4:4 (KJB)
And he must needs go through Samaria.
Samaria was south of Galilee so for Jesus to go to Galilee, He had to pass through Samaria. The Samaritans were looked down upon by the rest of Israel because they were a mixed breed and not real Israelites. This went back to the time of the Babylonian exile. The Samaritans only recognize the first five books of the Bible known as the Samaritan Pentateuch. (2 Ki 17:29 KJV) Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. Samaria was also populated when the northern Kingdom went into captivity with Assyria about 721 B.C. and it is from here that the Samaritans were looked upon as idol worshippers, even though they claimed that they were descendants of the tribe of Manasseh. This is why they were looked down upon and even in the time of Ezra they were looked upon as adversaries.
John 4:5 (KJB)
Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
Sychar was probably the chief city of the Samaritans. It was also near Shechem which was associated with Jacob. The name Shechem was also the name of the prince of the Hivites who raped and defiled Dinah. Then the sons of Jacob, killed both Shechem and his father Hamor in retribution for what was done to Dinah. So those disciples who were with Jesus would have this remembrance of the events at Shechem. Both Mount Gerizim and Ebal were located in Samaria. (Josh 8:33 KJV) And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. Then in the time of Moses, God commanded the people be separated by blessing and curse. (Deu 11:29 KJV) And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal. So even though the Jews looked down on the Samaritans, that area has a rich history pertaining to Israel and their history.
John 4:6 (KJB)
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
Wearied - Being tired
Jesus had come into town at the hottest part of the day which was the sixth hour and this would have been noon when the sun was the highest and hottest. Jacob’s well was a cistern which was dug about 100 feet deep and was fed by a natural spring. This well was famous so it became a resting place and also a meeting place for travelers. It is interesting that Jesus sat on the well and that He did not draw water and drink it and then go find a place to rest under a tree or in a building. This did not happen because Jesus was about to have an encounter which was going to change the lives of many and be recorded in the Bible for billions to read. It was a divine appointment. Sometimes when things happen in our lives, circumstances are being set up for a divine appointment and we should always be cognizant of the fact that God can alter our days any way He wants, especially if he has a divine appointment for us to attend. This also shows us that evangelism does not only take place in buildings but anywhere we are on this earth. I remember some time ago, a friend of mine named Bob Uveges (home with the Lord) from Perth Amboy, NJ had taken a motorcycle trip across country and he had tattoos all over him because he rode with a motorcycle gang before the Lord saved Him. He was stopped in a rest area and a lady approached him and asked him if he had anything good on him, meaning drugs. So he told her he had some really good stuff and she came over to the motorcycle with him and he told her that if she takes drugs she is only going to want to have more but he gave her the Gospel and said that this would satisfy her. We don’t know if she ever got saved but we do know she had a gospel seed planted in her just like the woman at the well.

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