John 4:1-6

Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he 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 4:1-6

I have found that I really like the book of John.  It is so simple and it's simplicity makes it so approachable.  Yet, at the same time it is so wonderfully deep and complex.  I guess this could be said of just about all of scripture.

Taking a quick peek in the previous chapter, we have seen Jesus meeting up with Nicodemus by night and talking about being born again.  It is in this conversation that we get the famous John 3:16.  The second part of that chapter took a look at John the Baptist.  Once again, John the Baptist points away from himself and towards Christ.

So, picking up in Chapter 4, we read that "The Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John".  It is when Jesus learns this that he departs for Galilee.  Now, Jesus knows this already, does he not?  I guess the significance is that even if Jesus already knew this or that, from our point of view or for the purposes of those around him, we see an action and a reaction.  As those reading the story, we get an insight into Jesus' actions and what is causing him to do this or that.  In this case, we see that he departs for Galilee because the Pharisees hear that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist.  This shows that though the Pharisees may have been interested in John the Baptist at the beginning of the book of John, there is a shift in popularity.  As a result, the Pharisees will probably begin to become more and more interested in Jesus.

What's interesting is that this reaction isn't necessarily what one would expect.  Isn't the typical reaction to a raise in popularity to embrace it?  Yes, because we know the end from the beginning, this may not be surprising.  However, just looking at life and celebrities and people by nature.  Jesus does the opposite of that by going away.

In his travels, Jesus passes through Samaria.  I'm not entirely sure, but I suspect that a typical Jew in that day would not have passed through Samaria.  Instead, a typical Jew would have traveled around Samaria instead of through it.  I suspect that this is true from the fact that later on int his chapter, the text explains the relationship between Samritans and Jews:

The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

John 4:9

In any case, we also learn that the setting of this chapter is not just some random well in some random field in Samaria.  Instead, we read that it just so happens to be Jacob's well, which is "near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph".  What is the significance of this?  I am not sure...

Anyway, Jesus is tired and is sitting beside the well.  The time is also significant, being the 6th hour (noon).  An important question to ask is: why is someone coming to draw water at noon?  It would make more sense to come early in the morning to draw water.  At noon the sun is high and it is probably the hottest time of the day.  However, this may be because this woman is an outcast.  Regardless, Jesus is there and this meeting takes place.  One could even say that Jesus is there for this meeting.  I do not presume that our God does anything by accident or half-heartedly.  Instead, he means to do what he does and there is a reason.  If he decides and plans on something, he does it and is not late nor is he early.  Jesus is there to meet this woman.