The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-01-26
CHRIST AT JACOBS WELL.


sunday school Lesson n the lnterna-
tionai series fer January ~,
1s00-JeAn As0-lB.
Especially Arranged from Peloubet's Notes.1
GOLDEN TExT.--whosoeve drinketh
Of the water that / shall give him shall
never thirst-John l:lA
THE SECTION includes the whole chap
ter, together with reading Of chap. 7:S7-ss.
TIME.-December, A. D. q. About eight
months after the last lesson.
THE LESSON.
We are drawing near to the close Of
the first year of our Lords ministry,
the year Of beginnings, and 1t is well
to review rapidly the events Of the year
and mark the steps Of Jesus progress
in the founding of His kingdom. /. We
find His Heavenly origin. .. He gains
His first disciples. 9. He works His
hrst miracle. 4. He begins His first re-
form. 8. He makes His first recorded
discourse. 6. He goes forth on His first
tour. Z. He wins His first converts in
Samaria.
After His discourse with Nico-
demus, Jesus spent the summer large
ly in Judea, winning followers, whom
His disciples baptized. Now He goes
toward Galilee. With this lesson ends
His Judean ministry and His first year.
I. The Weary Teacher.-vs. s, 8.
8. "A city called Sychar:"
The ancient shechem between Mounts
Ebal and Gerizim. THAT Jacob gave
to his son Joseph," See Gen. 33:1S-2o;
4s:22.
6. Jacobs well was there:" The
well is Is feet deep, seven feet six inches
diameter and is lined throughout with
rough masonry, as II IL dug in alluvial
soil. "Jesus = sat thus" or as
He was. "on." or by, "the wells" On
the low curbing around the well.
II. fhe One Unlikely Scholarly. 2.
'.Then cometh woman Of tout of) Sa-
maria:" Not the city Of samaria, seven
miles away, but from the country OF
Samaria, one Of Samaritan race and re-
ligion. "To draw water:" This was
the well Of the cornfelds, dug there for
the express purpose Of providing water
for those employed in the sowing and
the reaping of those fields. This schol-
ar was one Of the most unlikely; q dis
reputable woman, rather bold and free
in her manners, voluble Of tongue, very
| unlike most of the women who minis
tered to Jesus. And yet Jesus gave her
His time, His best thoughts, His care.
III. The Wise Approach. ". 4
"Jesus saith unto her. Give me to
drink" He made an appeal to COM
| mon human kindness that goes deeper
down than religion or moral antag-
onisms.
8. "For His disciples were gone away
to buys" They would bring
with them means with which to draw
water, or they expected that at this
time of day some one was sure to come
ere long who could draw the water
w. Great Obstacles Overcome.-V. o
How 10 it that thou, being Jews
The difference in dress, or speech, OF
manner, or all, made plain his nation
atty. "For the Jews have no dealing!
with the Samaritans:" A remark
thrown in by the writer to give thu
reason for her surprise. They have NJ
dealings Of friendly intercourse.
v. The Lesson Concerning the Water
of Life.-Vs. 1915. 10. IF thou knewes
the gift of Gods" His Son, the Messiah
and the salvation He was bringing t.
man. Thou wouldest have asked O.
Him:" Emphasize the "thou." Spirit
ually. our positions are reversed. 1t il
thou who art weary, and footsore, ant
parched, close to the well, yet unable
to drink; it is l who can give thee th'
water from the well and quench tn!
thirst forever. "And He would hav
given thee living water:" That is
perennial, springing from an unfailini
source (Gen. 26: 19). ever flowing. fresl
(Lev. 14:5).
12. "Art thou greater than our ia
ther Jacob?" Can you dig better wei
than he did. or find better source o
water? Or can you get water with
out drawing 1t, while even Jacob ha'
to undergo the labor of drawing?
13. drinking of this water:" Tn
natural water of the we'll. and all earth
ly satisfaction which it typified. "Shal
thirst again:" The supply may Civ
out. The soul Is never satisfied wit
earthly things, and the time come
when they leave the soul, in its creates
need. dying of thirst.
IA. "Shall never thirst" Literally
will certainly not thirst forever. fo
the craving is satisfied as soon as eve
it recurs. BLESSED are they which hun
ger and thirst after righteousness" bu
it declares that there is an unfailin
supply always at hand for the thirst
"Springing up into everlasting life:
Not merely in the future. but in tn
present. Whosoever has this living we
/ ter In the soul has already eternal life
the kind of life that never fails to sal
. isfy, never clogs and never ends.
vi. The Lesson Studied.-Vs. l5-2t
IS. "Sir, give me this water:" She III
derstands Christ's word sufficiently I
be earnestly attracted by the blessing
in His offer; but of course cannot rea
. ize the fullness of His meaning. Thi
! F..