In this passage Jesus leaves Judea for Galilee. Verse 4 says "Now he must go through Samaria." That is not quite the case, he could have gone around like any other Jew would have done. The Jews avoided the Samarians. They did not get along 2000 years ago and they do not get along now. The Jewish people did not consider the Samarians to be decendants of Joseph as the Samarians claimed they were. I read somewhere that this is the longest recorded conversation that Jesus had with anyone let alone the fact that it was with a woman who was also not Jewish.
Jesus stops at Jacob's well and rests while his disciples go on ahead. When a woman came to the well Jesus asked her for a drink of water to which she replies that he has no bucket to draw the water and that the well is very deep. She then challenged Jesus asking him if he thought that he was greater than Jacob who had dug the well. Jesus' response was that the water that he would give would make a person thirsty no more, but those that continued to drink the water from Jacob's well would eventually become thristy again.
The water in the well symbolizes the sin in our lives. No matter how many times we go back to it we can never get enough. If I did not know Christ and have him in my life that would depress me. Many high profile stars have committed suicide over the years because they could never get enough and would get so desperate that they committed suicide. I have always looked as suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. One star that come to mind was Kurt Cobain who was in the band Nirvana. For someone who seemingly had it all, it still was not enough. He wanted more and seeing no alternative he ended his life.
There are so many things in our lives that we try to fill up on. Drugs, alcohol, and sex immediately come to mind, but there are other things like food, video games, etc. that we try to consume as much of as we can. None of these things can satisfy us. Gatorade says it is the "Thirst Quencher," and it does do the trick for that moment. Gatorade does not promise to satisfy your thirst, only Jesus can do that. Once you get to know Him, you really will never thirst again.
Because of Him ~ Terry
