Sometimes the most (seemingly) mundane things can lead to the most spectacular results. That’s the case in this account from John 4. Jesus’ simple request led to salvation for this woman at the well. The transformation in this one woman had a profound impact on changing many others in the village, as well.

Why did Jesus ask the Samaritan woman for a drink? The simplest answer was that He had just traveled from Judea (a journey of nearly 40 miles depending on where He started) and was thirsty. The more profound reason was that He was seizing an opportunity, while shattering cultural expectations, to share the gospel. His request was an opening to offer her salvation!

For modern readers, it may be easy to miss just how radical and profound this conversation was. Want to know more? Let’s keep digging into the layers of controversy to understand God’s gracious offer more fully.

How Was This Counter-Cultural

Jesus often did and said things that took people by surprise. Today, we might call Him “counter cultural.” He was willing to ignore or break many of the man-made societal norms that governed 1st Century Jewish life. His interaction with the woman at the well is a great example of that.

Here are three of the ways in which this encounter would have been seen as going against the grain.

Jewish Attitudes Regarding Samaritans

First, she was a Samaritan. The turbulent history between Jews and Samaritans was hundreds of years in the making during Jesus’ day. When the Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722/721 B.C., they imported people from all over their kingdom to fill the void left by the Israelites taken into captivity.

(Check out our Kings chart — it’s a great resource for understanding the kings of Israel and Judah! Click the link to view it in our store. All sales help support our ministry.)

These newcomers eventually married with those Jews who still remained. In the eyes of those in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, these foreign marriages polluted the familial lines. As they saw it, the Samaritans weren’t relatives, but unclean imposters who had no claim to the land or to the LORD. This is why John inserts an editorial note in the text:

“For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” (John 4:9)

Obviously, the Samaritans didn’t see it the way the Jews did. They considered themselves legitimate heirs of the patriarchs. We can see their point of view in this short exchange. The woman refers to the well as having been provided by “our father” (John 4:12), Jacob. She considers Jacob (Israel) to be the father of her people.

This alone would have been enough to flare up an argument if that’s what Jesus had been looking for. Of course, He’s not interested in a fight; His interest is in the state of her soul.

1st Century Male-Female Relationships

A second reason this encounter would have raised eyebrows lies in the rules of the day which governed male and female interactions. In the highly-conservative, honor-based culture of 1st Century Judea, a man of good reputation (especially a well-respected rabbi) simply didn’t strike up a conversation with random women down at the well. It was not appropriate.

That probably sounds funny to us. No one would think twice if a conversation like this took place at your local grocery store. Times have changed, for sure. But notice her reaction when Jesus asks for a drink:

“How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?” (John 4:9)

Yes, she’s surprised by His crossing of ethnic lines, but it’s not just that she’s a Samaritan. She’s a Samaritan woman. His approach shocked her. Why would this upstanding Jewish man risk His good name for something as mundane as a drink of water?

Her Sordid Personal History

Finally, the true extent of how odd this was is only realized when her sketchy history comes to light. As far as everyone else would have been concerned, being a Samaritan woman would have been two strikes; more than enough reason to avoid a conversation. Now we find out she has had a series of husbands and is “involved” with a man she’s not married to.

When reading this account from John, many have noticed that there doesn’t seem to be any other people around. It seems to just be the two of them. If that’s the case, we might wonder why she would be going to the well all by herself.

Why wouldn’t she be doing what other women are doing when they’re doing it?

It just might be that she was by herself because there weren’t any women who wanted to be seen in her presence. She wasn’t exactly the kind of person you wanted to be seen hanging around with.

Of course, as the text proves, Jesus knew all of this. Approaching her would have been scandalous! But He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), and that perfectly described her.

Why Is This Encounter Encouraging?

In our day and age, any norms governing inter-ethnic and inter-gender conversations are virtually nonexistent. Having had five past partners while working on a sixth doesn’t have the power to raise an eyebrow. It should be, but it doesn’t. However, there are some lifestyles that still have the ability to make us blush.

If Jesus were walking around, ministering in America today, it’s very likely that He would be breaking cultural expectations by going to those we’d least expect. Drug dealers and gang members. Prostitutes and porn stars. Murderers and rapists. He’d even go so far as to offer forgiveness to politicians and lawyers! Like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, we might consider some of those people pretty far gone.

But the truth is, we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s expectations (Romans 3:23). We’re all guilty of sin. Regardless of its value, we’ve all stolen something that doesn’t belong to us. No matter how insignificant, we’ve all lied. And who can claim that they’ve always loved God with all their heart and mind? No one.

Of course, we don’t consider these things as shocking as being an adulterous Samaritan woman (or whatever the scandalous equivalent would be). But the wages of your sin is still death (Romans 6:23). Therefore, it’s amazingly good news that Christ comes to people like you and me to offer us the free gift of God, which is eternal life (Romans 6:23).

Summary & Application

Christ’s mission was to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). In the cultural context of the day, this Samaritan woman with a sordid sexual history was exactly the sort of “lost” that Jesus came to save.

In our eyes, maybe He should have focused His attention on the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, or even the priests. Instead of focusing all His efforts on the people who considered themselves righteous, Jesus knew that “it is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 5:31).

This woman’s lifestyle of sin was proof positive of her illness. She needed the gospel.

In approaching her and asking for a drink, Jesus does an amazing thing. He looks past all the cultural barriers that existed between them in order to begin a conversation. Not just any conversation, but one He intended to have eternity-altering effects!

His purpose all along was to offer her salvation found only in Him. Immediately after asking for the drink, He steers the discussion away from the water she can provide. Instead, He wants to offer her the living water He can provide which will satisfy her soul. Forever.

When trying to share the good news of God’s salvation with people, it’s often hard to know how to begin. This interaction provides a great example of how we can (and should) seek out ways to open conversational doors, even when they appear closed.

If you’re looking for even more encouragement and equipping in the realm of personal evangelism, check out our evangelism method reviews (linked here for your convenience). Each review has strengths and weaknesses (as we see it) for the approaches, and links to get the books and other resources if you want to study the method even more.

Why Did Jesus Ask the Samaritan Woman for a Drink?