The Woman at the Well: A Purposeful Encounter
This post by Chris Anderson comes from The God Who Satisfies (chapter 1, “A Divine Appointment,” pp. 22–24).
“[Jesus] left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.” (John 4:3–6)
One of Jesus’ most famous detours—a route avoided by most Jews of His time—led to what seemed like a random encounter at a well. But with Jesus, is anything ever truly random? This divine shortcut through Samaria provides deep insight into Jesus’ heart for sinners and His deep, personal knowledge of each of us.
John 4:4 says that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria.” That may be a simple explanation of geography. However, Jesus could have taken a longer route and gone to Galilee by way of Perea and Decapolis to the east, avoiding Samaria altogether. Perea and Decapolis were primarily Gentile regions. Still, many self-righteous Jews did that very thing, so great was their hatred for the Samaritans.
Perhaps Jesus took the direct route through Samaria because He was in a hurry. But I think that’s unlikely. After all, He ended up spending several days in Samaria (v. 40).
A Divine Detour
In light of what transpired during Jesus’ journey through Samaria, I think it’s safe to say that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” because He had a divine appointment. The Greek word rendered “had to” or “must” has already been used by John in 3:7, 14, and 30. Each time, it describes a divine necessity. The necessity isn’t geographical—it’s theological. It’s soteriological, focused on salvation. It’s doxological, rooted in God’s glory.
Jesus was deliberate. He was on a mission. His conversation with the woman at the well was no “chance meeting.” He was prescient. He knew what was coming. He arrived at that well, in that village, at that time, to talk to that woman, by Himself—all on purpose.
A Grace-Filled Encounter
So many things could have gone differently. Why not ask the disciples for a drink? Why send them all into the nearby village of Sychar, leaving Him alone? Why not go with them? The answer is clear: Jesus arranged this meeting. Why? Because Jesus seeks sinners (Luke 19:10). It’s what He does. He was on a mission. Jesus knew this particular woman would be there, just as He knew her story—much to her amazement and her neighbors’ (John 4:19, 29).
She isn’t the only one Jesus knows so thoroughly. John 2:24–25 tells us that Jesus knows the thoughts and motives of all people. That includes this woman, His disciples, you, and me. Jesus didn’t need to ask about her need, because He is God. And He wasn’t turned off by her need, because He is Grace.
No soul is too small for His mercy;
No sin is too great for His grace!*
*from “Come, Lonely Heart” – free hymn by Chris Anderson and Greg Habegger
Explore the whole book!
God is seeking worshipers. But He doesn’t find them. He makes them! From what? From Samaritan women like us. And He does so through the life-changing power of the gospel! John chapter 4 is a wonderful testimony to the gospel’s power and a microcosm of what God is doing in the world. It points to answers for so many problems of our own day, such as racial prejudice, religious confusion, materialism, divorce, and sensuality. Join Chris Anderson on this study through his favorite narrative from the entire Bible, and find out how Jesus seeks, saves, and satisfies sinners.
