The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-02-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR FEBRUARY 5.
Subject; Jesus at Jacobs Well. John iv.,
5-i4-Goiden Text. Rev. xii, IL
Memory Verses, Is, 14-Comnentsry
ON the Days Lesson.

on the Days Lesson.
l. Jesus at the we'll 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 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 OF
Shechem, between the mountains of Geri-
zim and Ebal "Sychar." Formerly She.
chem, at the foot of Mount Gerizm, be.
tween Gerizim and Ebal 1t is noted in
] the Scriptures as the place where Abraham
first stopped ON his coming from Haran to
J 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 II. &. 1872,
Sanbalat erected a temple on Gerizim in
| opposition to the Jewish temple. Parcel
of ground" Purchased OF the children of
Hamor Gen SO: :l0I, and given to Joseph
! (Gen. 4s;22).
8. Jacobs we'll" The well Jacob dug
The word for we'll 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
diameter and is walled with masonry.
"Jesus-being wearied" He was man,
as well as God, and became weary and
hungry. lie 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 a
Roman method Of reckoning and that it
was p. m.
| city OF Samaria, seven miles away. but
from the country of Samaria; one Of Sa-
maritan race aud religion. TO draw
water" She probably brought her line
and bucket Qeathern or crockery), for
| Orient wells are not provided with these.
Note how our Lords choice of hearer
breaks down rabbnic prejudice all around.
as a means Of approach to the womans
| heart, and turned the conversation from
the living waters of Jacobs well to the liv.
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 fish.
II, The Samaritan woman ". 81. 9,
| "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 (Gen. "a: 1924;
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 ". 20. How did
/ she know He was a Jew? BY His dress
| and by His dialect. The word Jew" is
l.. i IL
which filled both Judea and Galilee. She
| probably recognized Him as Galilean
also. mo dealings" A remark thrown in
| by the writer to give the reason for her
surprise. They have no dealings of friend.
ly 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 lsraeites lsee
Kings 17:2433). Although of purely heath
en- origin, they united the worship of Jeho-
yah with their own idolatries. They built
temple on Mount Gerizim
III; Divine truth impaired Tvs. l0,l4.
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
footsore and parched, close to the well,
yet unable to drink: it is who can give
thy thirst forever" Living water" The
gift Of the Holy Spirit (John 1890; also
called "the water of life" (Rev. l6; 22:l,
ID; "clean water" (Ezek. 1926. 27). See
also lisa. 55:l; 5Sll. 1t is received by
faith (John 6;35), abides eternaIly ". l4l,
Z .. IL n
Its source John 7:3O. 3. Its supply
(Rev. 2l6l. g. Its freshness. 4. Its sat
H. "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, no apparatus for
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. "Art Thou greater?" The question
proceeds from a feeling that Jesus
sumed some extraordinary character, That
| He claimed spiritual power: perhaps
claimed to be prophet like Moses, who
could make a fountain Of ,E water by mira.
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
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 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 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. Q,
II is pure. 5. 1t satisfies the soul. 4.
There is a never failing supply. 8. II is
free. 8. 1t is for all who thirst. "Into
everlasting life.". He that receives the liv:
ing water has a fountain opened in his soul
of spiritual satisfaction, which shall neith-
| er be dried up in this life nor the life to