La femme samaritaine
I. Le voyageur fatigué - Jésus v. 6
He is the long-predicted Messiah of the Jews, the Savior of the world. Yes, you behold in that traveler the Prince of the kings of the earth. But He is now on His errand of humiliation and mercy; He is now abasing Himself, and appearing as a servant, although He thought it not robbery to be equal with God.
You will find, in His second visit to Galilee, He wrought one of His most wonderful and glorious miracles, the cure of the nobleman’s son, which ended in his conversion, with that of his whole house (v. 3)
II. La femme découragée v. 7
Such was the Samaritan woman. Her character is stated in verse 18; but it is evident that she was ignorant of the plague of her own heart, living without God and without hope, etc., a personal stranger to godliness, very far off by wicked works; yet she was a bigot to the national religion of her country. The Samaritans had erected a rival temple on the summit of Mount Gerizim, and contended that theirs was the right temple and the right worship. Their first temple was erected by Sanballat, after the death of Nehemiah; this was destroyed about 130 years before Christ; but most probably had been rebuilt. Now between the Jews and Samaritans there existed a most deadly hatred; beyond buying and selling, all commerce was forbidden (see v. 9). It seems, then, this woman’s religion (for such she professed to have) was wrong in every particular.
A. It was national, not personal. She had no fear of God, etc.
B. It was based on ancient custom, and not on God’s Word (v. 20).
C. It was bigoted and malevolent, and not the religion of love. Hence see how she treated Christ (v. 9). True religion is personal, scriptural, merciful. Such, then, was the woman. Notice,