Evening star., 1932-01-23
John In writing his gospel evidently

John In writing his gospel evidently
designed balancing and alternating the
emphasis with which he presented the
ministry of our Lord in His relation to
individuals and groups. Last week we
considered the Masters conversation
with the scholarly. spiritual leader and
this week our lesson calls for us to con-
slider His wayside ministry with the
woman of Samaria, whose moral nature
had passed through a process OF disin-
tegration because OF her sin.
Jesus had reached turning point IN
His career, leaving His work in Judea,
where the Pharisees had learned through
their spies that the Masters ministry
was resulting in larger numbers being
baptized than under the work OF John
the Baptist. It was also about the time
that the forerunner had been imprSon-
ed, when the Christ turned back to
Galilee to face the dangers Of preach
ing in the domain of Herod, and COM
forting the disciples of John, whose
thrilling message He had taken up, call
ing upon the people to repent for the
Kingdom of God was at hand.
Moved by the urge of the Spirit, Jesus
decided to take the direct route that
carried Him and His disciples through
Samaria. Tired and Wearied from the
Journey, the Lord decided to rest at
Jacobs well, while His disciples went into
nearby community to secure food. IL
was noon time, when He heard the foot
steps of woman approaching the well
that Jacob had dug so that he would
not be drawn into conflict with other
shepherds over the problem OF securing
water. He had cut down through the
not so deep today, because stones have
been dropped into its waters through
out the centuries. 1t is one place where
we can be reasonably sure we are at a
historical point connected with Christ S
ministry, when we reach this well or
spring, There our Lord revealed the
evidence of His humanity and His love
for souls. 1t was Samaritan woman
that approached the well. Jesus recog-
nized her character and surprised her
by his request that she give Him drink
of water. The bitter racial spirit was
Of centuries standing, dating back to
the time when the leaders had been
taken captive and the Babylonian ruler
had colonized the section with people
from other parts of his empire. Inter-
marriage between the races had pro-
duced a race that refused to accept the
psalmists and prophets, clinging to the
five books of Moses for their religious
guidance. Frequent clashes and differ
ences had increased their racial an
tipathy and antagonism, until the Jews
refused to have any dealings with them.
Jesus by His request cast aside the
prejudice of His countrymen and en-
tered upon an effort to save the poor
abandoned woman, who had failed be-
cause she had loved too much and on
wrong lines.
Winning the Lost.
Jesus never allowed q chance contact
to pass without trying to save that soul
This fact probably explains why we
find some of His greatest sayings
recorded in connection with His way
side ministries. If we are to win the
world for our Lord and His Church, we
will find that the most difficult problem
that we face, not only in connection
with disarmament and conquering the
nations of the world for the Prince of
Peace, is the one that Jesus faced in
dealing with the Samaritan woman. He
thought only of her need and decided
to minister to her without any reference
to the controversies that had marred
the relations of her people and His
countrymen for centuries.
When she tried to arouse the old
antagonisms, Jesus refused to be drawn