The shortest route from Judea to Galilee was through Samaria, but it was not the only way.

Another way was through Perea, east of the Jordan River. In Jesus day, the Jews hated the Samaritans so they normally took the route to avoid Samaria so they did not have to associate with them. Jesus chose this route to witness to the people of Samaria. Jesus seeks to reach out to the despised and the outcasts (com). The Samaritans were people of mixed Jewish and Gentile ancestry. They claimed that they came from Jacob and they also worshiped the God of Israel. The Samaritans religion resulted from syncretism and schism from Judaism. They felt that Mount Gerizim was the holy site of worship instead of Jerusalem. Because the Jews were bitter rivals with the Samaritans, they often had political hostilities and the Roman army sometimes had to be involved in this (cat). Samaria, in the New Testament times was a region in the middle of Palestine, with Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. Samaria was without separate political existence under the Roman governor. Even today in Israel, a small group of Samaritans maintain their traditions (com). The village of Sychar was near Shechem. Sychar was between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. A well that is near Sychar today may be the same as Jacobs well. Jacobs well that he gave to Joseph is talked about in Genesis 48:21-22, but Jacob had purchased it years earlier. Archeologists today say that Jacobs well is one of the deepest in Paelstine. Jesus took the route through Samaria to get to his destination which was Galilee. As Jesus was walking, he began to get tired and sat next to what is known as Jacobs well. It is said to be the sixth hour which is 6 P.M. according to Roman time. Jesus possesses all the attributes of Deity and also possesses all the human characteristics. This is why he is seen in this passage as tired and thirsty. Jesus is alone in this passage and that is because his disciples were in the city buying food. While sitting next to the well, Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman which was

very unusual. The Samaritan woman was in the region of Samaria, but not the town of Samaria. Jesus than proceeded to ask this Samaritan woman for a drink which surprised her. She then questioned him because the prejudices of the Jesus day prohibited any public conversation between men and women, between Jews and Samaritans, and especially between strangers. For example, a Jewish Rabbi would rather go thirsty than not obeying these prejudices. The Samaritan woman was shocked because Jesus talked to her even though he was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. Also, he was a man and she was a woman. And lastly, they were complete strangers to each other so this overwhelming for her. The Samaritan woman felt very a lot lower than Jesus. This is because a Rabbinic law of A.D. 66 said that a Samaritan woman was considered unclean because she was continually menstruating. If a Jewish person drank from her vessel, the Jew would be considered ceremonially unclean. Jesus caught her attention and curiosity by causing her to think. Three things would have provoked her thinking: the first one is who is He (Jesus)? The second is what is the gift of God? Thirdly, what is the living water? Jesus assures the woman that living water in one sense is running water and it can also be the Holy Spirit. The Samaritan woman thought that the term meant water from the well.