The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1917-02-08

This is lesson of one Of the way
side ministries of Jesus. 1t occurred
incidentally while he was on his way
to his great preaching and teaching ex-
perience at Galilee. 1t was by-prOduct
of his very busy life, yet it is one OF
the most famous interviews and one OF
the best examples of how to do per-
sonal work that is found in the scrip
lures The larger part of the first year
of Christ's ministry was spent In Ju-
dea. Jesus did not baptize, but his
disciples did. doubtless for the same
reason, though in less degree, than
why Paul refused to baptize converts
Ct Cor. 1:13-16). All but one of the
disciples of Jesus were Galileans and
Jesus spent about year and nine
months of his ministry in that place.
|. Jesus Rested wv. 49,. To reach
Galilee from Judea Jesus must needs
go through Samaria," not that there
were not other ways that he might
have travelled, but rather that it was
worth while to go out of his way In
order to bring the water of life to this
needful woman. Jacobs well was at
a parting Of the roadway near to the
city of Sychar. Few places in the land
save Jerusalem had so much Bible his
tory connected with theu (Gen. II Is !;
Joshua s :33 Acts Z nc; Kings, 12:1,
etc.). The well was originally about
100 feet deep and 71s feet in diameter,
but it has been filled up with accumu-
lations of rubbish so it is now only
about rs feet deep. Christ was wearied
in his works. but not OF it, and sat
thus" (by) the well; literally, on the
low wall built around it. The sixth
hour was probably about midday
There is comfort in consideration of
the fact that as man Jesus was will
ing to meet this woman of bad charac-
ter.
II. Jesus Holds Conversation wv. Z
14). Notice the gentle way in which
Jesus speaks, and that he began on the
ground of their common need. He
asks this needed favor that he might
confer a greater one, ignoring the pre-
judice which existed against the Sa-
maritans. Water was the thing upper
most in the woman's mind. She did not
grant his simple request, and her reply
indicated that racial differences were
a very real barrier. They hinder our
work even yet. The surprise, perhaps
pleasure, that Jew should ask favor
of her seems to have greatly impressed
the woman, and aroused her curiosity.
In verse 10 Jesus tells the woman that
there are two things she must needs
know: ~ the wOndrous gift of God,
that is the Holy Spirit duke lib ;
Acts 2 :23-3S); (2) the wonderful nan
who had asked of her "Give me to
drink" Had she known these things
she would have asked him for the liv-
ing water. All that was needful was
simply to ask The Holy Spirit is the
living water John 6 :63). The woman
does not seem to have comprehended
what Jesus was trying to teach, yet he
was patient, and won her as convert.
He told her that everyone who came
to that we'll would thirst again ". 13).
The worlds fountains do not satisfy,
fountains of wealth, fame, pleasure or
carnal qualification, or even learning.
He then tells her of the living water
(v. 14)) of which the drinker should
never thirst, that it would satisfy who
soever drinks, and was to be everlast-
ing John 7:37-39). The one who re-
ceives the Holy Spirit within has a
perennial, eternal spring of life, JOY
and satisfaction springing up within
him. Before the woman received the
water Of which he was speaking there
had to come conviction of sin (vv.
16-19) hence his remark, go call thy
husband" This was q sharp thrust
into her life and heart. She tried to
parry the thrust with technical ques-
ton, yet he comes back with great
revelation of the nature of God and the
worship which God accepts, revealing
his Messiahship (vv. 1920. AS is indi-
Gated, she does not seem to have COM
pretended the nature of the request
which Jesus had made (v. 15); there
fore he began this searching of her life
in order to prepare her to receive the
water of life which he. wanted to be-
stow. This knowledge of her secret
life by a perfect stranger who had
never even seen her before was an evil
dence to the woman of spiritual en-
dowment: "Sir l perceive that thou
art prophet" She then entered upon
theological argument ". 20) which
Jesus answered very simply, saying
that the worship of the Father is not
to be restricted by time or place ". 2D.
The issue between the Jews and the
Samaritans was that Of the place of
worship and of the scriptures. By not
accepting the full revelation of God
they were ignorant of much that they
might have known of Gods nature,
promises, law and kingdom. Thus, lit
orally, salvation Is of the Jews. that Is
it proceeds from them, not that it be-
longs to them ". .22). The new day
has dawned, the Messiah has come and
the Father seeketh all those who would
worship him In truth, for God is
spirit, real but invisible, everywhere,
not confined to the temple. not located
In any one place as idols are.
At this point the disciples return and
the woman goes into the villege.
Jesus, lifting up his eyes to the citi-