Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-02-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY S.

s-t4-GoIden Text, Rev. xii, IL
Memory Verses. ID. f4-Cohuheiuary
on the Days Lesson.
|. Jesus at the well Tvs 5.s). 5. Then
cometh He" Our Lords route lay
through historic ground. He, doubtless,
passed through Gibeah, the ancient capital
of the kingdom CT SAUL through Bethel,
where Jacob had his dream oil the ladder
and the angels; near Shiloh, the hrst
dwelling place of the tabernacle, and the
ark in Canaan, and the scene OF the down.
fall of the house of Eli At the end OF
that tourney three objects OF SPECIAL inter
eat occur in succession: Jacobs well,
,Joseph's tomb and the ancient city OF
Shechem, between the mountains OF Geri'
zim and Ebal. ''Sychar. Formerly she
chem. at the foot Of Mount Gerlzim, be-
tween Gcrizim and Ebal 1t is noted IN
the Scriptures as the place where Aoranam
first stopped on his coming from ilaran TO
Canaan; where God appeared TO nm ana
promised to give the land to his seed, and
where he first built an altar to the Lord.
In the fourth century, about b. Z: ~,
Sanbalat erected temple on GerlZlm IN
opposition to the jewish temple. Parcel
Of ground" Purchased of the children OF
Hamor (Gen. 33:l9l. and given to Joseph
(Gen. 1929. a.,
6. Jacobs we'll" The well Jacob dug.
The word for well in the Greek means
fountain. The well has been filled with
rubbish until it is only about seventy-hve
feet deep Formerly it was thirty feet
deeper. 1t is about eight or niue feet IN
diameter and is walled with masonry
"Jesus-being wearied" lie was man,
az well as God, and became weary and
hungry. He journeyed on foot, sharing
with His disciples the fatigues and hard
ships of the way. Sixth hour. There is
a difference OF opinion here. According to
the Jewish reckoning this would be noon,
but many learned men think John used
Roman method of reckoning and that 1t
7. "Of Samara." She was not from the
city of Samaria, seven miles away. but
from the country of Samaria; one OF Sa-
marian race and religion. TO draw
water" She probably brought her line
and bucket (leathern or crockery),, Tor
Orient wells are not provided with these.
Note how our Lords choice of a hearer
breaks down rabbinic prejudice all around.
"Give Me to drink" Jesus used His thirst
as means of approach to the womans
heart, and turned the conversation IRON
the living waters of Jacobs well to the llv'
ing waters of salvation. Let us follow Our
Saviour's example by doing good IN our
hours OF relaxation. 8. Disciples
cone The story throughout reads So
much like the words OF an eyewitness that
some have thought John remained with
the Saviour while the rest went to the VII
lage. "Meat" Food, not necessarily fish
II. The Samaritan woman ". -. y.
"How is it," etc. In Oriental manners
there were many strict regulations against
women conversing with men, especially
strangers. But these restrictions were less
regarded at The ( Ills and fountains than
in other pu5.g places (Gen. "a 1874;
Exod. 2:lf, ~. Jesus rejected all re-
straints of caste. His disciples were them
selves surprised that He should converse
with the woman. but they did not feel at
liberty to object to it ". 2O. How, did
she know He was a Jew? BY His dress
and by His dialect. The word jew Is
here used broadly to describe the race
which filled both Judea and Galilee. She
probably recognized Him as a Galilean
also. "No dealings" A remark thrown IN
by the writer to give the reason Tor her
surprise. They have no dealings OF friend,
" intercourse. This i'll will, however, did
not extend beyond familiar intercourse, for
in such matters as buying and selling inter,
course was allowed. They were excluded
by the Jews from the temple at Jerusalem.
"'rhe Samaritans." The Samaritans were
the descendants Of the Ethiopian ana
Bsbylonish colonists upon whom the Assys,
risn conuueror Of the ten tribes bestowed
the lands of the captive Israehtes lsee .
Kings l7:24-33). Although of purely heath
en- origin, they united the worship, OF Ieh0-
yah with their own idoat tries. They bult
a temple on Mount Gerizim.
III. Divine truth impaired Tvs. lOl4l.
10. "The gift Of God" See John S:l6.
The Messiah, and the salvation He is
bringing to man. "Thou wouldst have
ssked." Spiritually our positions are re;
yersed. 1t is thou who art weary and
footsore and parohed, close to the well,
yet unable to drink it is ! who can give
thee the water from the we'll and gueneh
thy thirst forever" Living water: Inc
gift of the Holy Spirit John 1880 also
called "the water of life" (Rev. 2l:6; III,
~; "clean water" (Ezek 1925, ~. See
also lisa. 55:l; SSH: 1t is received by
faith (John 6:35), sbides eternally ". Hl'
It's source John 7:S7). 2. Its supply
(Rev. 2l:6). g. It's freshness. d. Its sat
isfaction lisa. l2:3O. ~
ii. "Sir." This might be read my
Lord" 1t was title of respect, and
shows that the woman was revereat and
serious. Nothing to draw with. The
well had, probably, no apparatus Tor
drawing water. This woman no. doubt
carried her own line. From whence,
etc. The woman was quick in her COM
prehension, and saw there was some truth
which she did not understand, to which
Jesus was referring.
IL. cart Thou greater?" The question
proceeds from feeling that Jesus as.
sumed some extraordinary character, that
He claimed spiritual power: perhaps
claimed to be prophet like Moses, who
could make fountain of water by mira
Gle. "Our father jacob The Samaritans
were living in the territory Of Ephraim
and Manasseh, sons of Joseph, and grand
sons of Jacob, and although they were not
the descendants of Jacob. yet no doubt
some of the ancient blood ran IN their
veins.
l3. "Shal thirst again" Jesus does
not discuss the question of greatness, but
turns her thought toward spiritual truth,
thirst" He does not mean that one
draught shall satisfy US, but that we shall
have in the soul well of living water.
"Shall be in Him" The religion of Jesus
has to do with the inner life. Christ puts
new principles and affections within US.
"a well of water" A fountain OF water.
The supply is exhaustless Here is an UNI
failing fulness Of love, JOY, peace and splr-
itual strength full salvation. Spring
ing up" Whoever has this living water in
the soul already has eternal life. The
water of life. /. Is given by Jesus. 3
It is pure. g. 1t satisfies the soul; Z.
There is never failing supply. 5. 1t Ia
free. 6. 1t is for all who thirst. Into
everlasting life" He that receives the Inv,
ing water has fountain opened in his soul
of spiritual satisfaction, which shall Meth
er be dried up in this life nor the life to
core, but shall flow on to all eternity.