The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-01-31
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 5.

Subject: jesus at Jacobs well, John w.,
5-14-GOiden Text, Rev. xii, IT,
Memory Verses, 1s, I4-Coanmentary
on the Days Leason
4. Jesus at the well Tvs. 5-S). s. "Thea
cometh He" Our Lords route Law
through historic ground He, doubtless,
passed through Gibeah, the ancient capital
of the kingdom Of Saul; through Bethel
where Jacob had his dream OF the ladder
and the angels; near Shiloh, the first
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 journey three objects of special inter
est occur in SUGGESTIONS: Jacobs we'll
Joseph's tomb and the ancient city Of
Shechem, between the mountains of Geri-
zim and Ebal "Syehar." Formerly She
chem, at the foot of Mount Gerizim. be-
tween Gerizim and Ebal. 1t is noted in
the Scriptures as the place where Abraham
first stopped on his coming from Haran to
Canaan; where God appeared to him and
promised to give the land to his seed, and
where he first built an altar to the Lord.
In the fourth century, about B. G. 1872,
Sanballat erected a temple on GeriziIn IN
opposition to the Jewish temple. Parcel
of ground Purchased of the children Of
Hamor (Gen. 1919, and given to Joseph
8. jacobs well" The well Jacob dug.
/ The word for well in the Greek meana
4 fountain. The well has been filed with
rubbish until it is only about seventy five
feet deep. Formerly it was thirty feet
deeper. 1t is about eight or nine feet in
diameter and is walled with masonry.
"Jesus-being wearied He was a man,
as 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
i 6 A -
the Jewish reckoning this would be noon,
but many learned men think John used q
Roman method Of reckoning and that it,
Z. @Of Samaria." She was not from the
city Of Samaria. seven miles away, bnt
from the country Of Samarla; one one OF ga
marian race and religion. 10 draw
water" She probably brought her hne
and bucket (leathern or crockery), for
Orient wells are not provided with these.
! Note how our Lords choice of heaTer
breaks down rabbinic prejudice all around.
Give Me to drink Jesus used His thirst
as a means of approach to the womans
4 heart, and turned the conversation from
the living waters Of Jacobs well to the nv
| ing waters of salvation Let us follow our
Saviour's example by doing good in our
hours of relaxation. 8. Disciples
gone" 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 Wiz
(, lage "Meat" Food, not necessarily fish.
| IL. The Samaritan woman ". 81. ..
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 wells and fountains than
in other public places tGen. 24:l3-24;
Exod. 2:l6 17). Jesus rejected all re-
Htraints of caste. His disciples we're Them
selves surprised that He should converse
with the woman. but they did not feel at
she know He was Jew? BY His dress
and by His dialect, The word Jew is
here used broadly to describe the race
which filed both Judea and Gahlee. She
probably recognized Him as a Galilean
also "No dealings" A remark thrown in
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.
"Fhe Samaritans." The Samartans were
the descendants Of the Ethiopian and
Babylonish colonists upon whom the Assy-
rian conqueror Of the ten tribes bestowed
the lands of the captive Israelites (see 2
Kings l7:2433). Although Of purely heath
en- origin, they united the worship OF Jeho-
temple on Mount Gerizim.
III. Divine truth impaired Tvs. 1910.
10. THE gift of God" See John $40.
The Messiah, and the salvation He js
bringing to man. Thou wouldst have
asked. Spiritually our positions are re-
versed 1t is thou who art weary and
footsore and parched, close to the well,
yet unable to drink: it is | who can give
thee the water from the well and quench
| thy thirst forever" Living water The
gift of the Holy Spirit (John 7: 1890; also
called "the water of life (Rev 2l:6; 22:l,
also lisa. 55:l; 5s:ll. 1t is received BY
faith John 6:35l, abides eternally " IA,
is offered freely REV. 22:l, ~. Note }.
Its source (John 7:37). 2 Its supply
| (Rev. 2l:6l. g. Its freshness. 4. Its sat
isfaction lisa. 1873.
IL. Sir" This might be read Ny
Lord. 1t was title of respect, and
shows that the woman was .reyerent and
serious Nothing to draw with. The
well had, probably, no apparatus for
|. drawing water. This woman no doubt
carried her own line. From whence,
etc. The woman was quick in her COM
prtshension, and saw there was some truth
which she did not understand, to which
Jesus was referring.
- art Thou greater?" The question
! proceeds from a feeling that Jesus as
sumed some extraordinary character, that
| lie CLAIMED q spiritual power, perhaps
claimed to be prophet like Moses, who
could make fountain of water by mira
| Gle. Our father Jacob" The SamaritaDs
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.
10. "Shal thirst again" Jesus does
I not discuss the question .of greatness. but
turns her thought toward spiritual truth,
as He did Nieodemus. ID Shall never
thirst. He does not mean that one
draught shall satisfy us, but that we shall
j 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 I'M
failing fulness OF love, joy, peace and spil-
| itua strength fun salvation. Spring
ing up" Whoever has this living water il,
the soul already has eternal life. The
water OF life, !. Is given by Jesus. ?,
1 1t is pure 8. 1t satisfies the soul. 4
| There is a never failing supply. 5. 1t is
free. g. 1t is Tor all who thirst. Into
everlasting life. He that receives the Inv.
ing water has a fountain opened in his soul
of spiritual satisfaction, which shall Meth
er be dried up IN this life nor the life TO
come, but shall flow on to all eternity.
Autos Runners.
The unusual sight Of automobiles on run