How Does a Jew Ask Drink of a Samaritan? - John 4:9

John the apostle wrote how Jesus, “came he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 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. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus said unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)”, and in chapter four and verse nine of his book, John shared how the woman asked Jesus, “how is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink of me?” where we read:

Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

The verse reads, “Then said the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?” John began with the words, “Then said the woman” or “at that time uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked the female human being” “of Samaria unto him” which means “from the region of Samaria which means guardianship and was a territory in Palestine which had Samaria as it's capital”, “How is it that you” or “in what way and manner do you, Jesus”, “being a Jew” which means “existing as a a person belonging to the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion”, “ask drink of me” or “inquire and request a drink of water from me, the Samaritan woman”, “which am a woman of Samaria” which means “who exist as a female human being from the area of Samaria”? John shared how the “woman” from “Samaria” asked Jesus, who was a Jew, why He asked her for a “drink”.

The verse goes on to say, “for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”. John continued with the words, “for the Jews” which means “because, since and on account that the people belonging to the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion” “have not dealings” or “do not associate” “with the Samaritans” which means “alongside the people who were from the region of Samaria which means guardianship and was a territory in Palestine which had Samaria as it's capital”. John shared how the people from the “Jewish nation” did not “associate” with people from “Samaria”.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we learn about the division between the people from the Jewish nation and the “Samaritans”. Because the “Samaritans” were comprised of a combination of people which were part Jewish and part “Assyrian”, they were considered “half-breeds” and therefore were of lesser value to the Jewish people. Regardless of a person's origin, birthplace or homeland, Jesus came to share His “gospel” with everyone in the world. Revelation chapter five and verse nine speaking of Jesus says, “you are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”, and because of Jesus, every person has the opportunity to receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” regardless of their origin in life.

Next time John shares how Jesus told the woman what she would do if she, “knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, Give me to drink”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".