The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-02-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY S.

FOR FEBRUARY S.
Subject: Jesus at Jacobs Well. John iv:
5-14-Golden Text, Rev. xii, IL
Memory Verses, 13, 14-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
I. Jesus at the well Tvs. $50. j. "Ther
cometh He" Our Lords route lay
through historic ground. He, doubtless
passed through Gibeah, the ancient capita
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 succession: Jacobs well
Joseph's tomb and the ancient city o.
Shechem, between the mountains of Geri
zim and Ebal. "Sychar." 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. Gerizim in
opposition to the Jewish temple. Parcel
of ground" Purchased of the children OF
Hamor (Gen. 1919, and given to Joseph
(Gen. 4S:22).
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 ~seyenty-fve
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 ia
a difference of opinion here. According to
the Jewish reckoning this would be noon,
but many learned men think John used a
Roman method of reckoning and that it
was 6 p. m.
7. l"Of Samaria." She was not from the
city of Samaria, seven miles away, but
from the country of Samaria; one of Sa-
marian race and religion. ITO draw
water" She probably brought her line
and bucket ~(eathern or %crockery), for
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 a means of approach to the woman's
heart, and turned the conversation from
the living waters of Jacobs we'll to the hv-
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 vii
lage. Meat" Food, not necessarily tsh;
II. The Samaritan woman ". 81. 9.
"How is it," etc. In Oriental manners
there were many strict regulations against
women converting with men, especially
regarded at. the wells and fountains than
in other public places (Gen. 24:l3-24;
Exod. 2:l6, ~. 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 ". ~. How did
she know He was q Jew? By. His dress
and by His dialect. The word Jew" is
here used broadly to describe the race
which filed both Judea and Galilee. She
probably recognized Him as a .Gahlean
also. mo dealings A remark thrown in
by the writer to give the reason for 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.
"The Samaritans." The Samaritans 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 1sraeftes (see 2
Kings l7:24-33). Although of purely heath
en- origin, they united the worship, OF Jeho.
yah with their own idolatries. They built
a temple on Mount Gerizim.
III. Divine truth impaired Tvs. 1919.
10. THE gift of God" See John 3:l6.
The Messiah, and the salvation He is
bringing to man. Thou wouldst have
asked" Spiritually our positions are re-
versed. 1t is thou who art weary and
f~ootsore and parched, close to the well,
yet unable to drink: it is I who can give
thee the water from the well and auench
thy thirst forever" Living water.' The
sit Of the Holy Spirit John 1880; also
called "the water of life" (Rev. 2l:6; 22:l,
~; "clean water" (Ezek. 1925, 27). See
also Isa. 55:l; SSH. 1t is received by
faith John 6:35), abides eternally ". l4l,
is offered freely REV. 22:l, ~. Note l.
Its source John 7:37); 2. Its supply
(Rev. 2l:6). 8. Its freshness. 4. Its sat-
isfaction lisa. 1873.
II. Sir" This might be read MY
Lord" 1t was a title of respect, and
shows that the woman was reverent and
serious. Nothing to draw with" The
well had, probably, nc apparatus for
drawing water. This oma 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.
-. Art Thou greater" The question
proceeds from a feeling that Jesus as
sumed some extraordinary character. that
He claimed a spiritual power: perhaps
claimed to be a prophet like Moses, who
could make, a 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
some Of the ancient blood ran in their
veins.
10. "Shall thirst again Jesus does
not discuss the question Of greatness, but
turns her thought toward spiritual truth,
as He did Nicodemus. IA. "Shall never
thirst" He does not mean that one
draught shall satisfy us, but that we shall
have in the soul a we'll Of living water.
shall he in Him" The religion of Jesus
has to do with the inner life. Christ puts
new principles and affections within US.
"a we'll of water" A fountain of water.
The supply is exhaustless. Here is an un.
failing fulness of love, joy, peace and spir-
itual strength-a full salvation. Spring
ing up" Whoever has this living water in
the soul already has eternal life. The
water OF life. l. Is given by Jesus. 2.
1t is pure. 3. 1t satisfies the soul. 8.
There is a never failing supply. 5. It is
free. g. 1t is for all who thirst. Unto
everlasting life" He that receives the iV.
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