‘Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about THE SIXTH HOUR. A woman of Samaria came to draw water’ verses 6-7.

In this chapter of John’s Gospel, THE SIXTH HOUR brought about a remarkable change in a woman’s life that most people of the day would have thought to be impossible! It encourages us to see that no one is outside of God’s love; therefore, His salvation is open to all who will receive Christ as Saviour.

This woman was an outcast of society in every possible way. The Samaritans were regarded as outcasts in Israel. They traced their origins back to the time when the Assyrians defeated the land of Israel, sending half of the people into captivity and repopulating the area with the residue of their conquests elsewhere. This led to intermarriage and ultimately to a mixed race of people, known as Samaritans. They followed their own beliefs and built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. The hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans was, therefore, intense. Indeed, they had absolutely no dealings with each other. Yet, here, on this occasion, Jesus was passing through Samaria and, furthermore, was talking with a Samaritan woman.

God’s message of salvation does not support such divisions. The message of the Bible is clear:
‘WHOEVER believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’, John chapter 3 verse 15. ‘WHOEVER calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’, Acts chapter 2 verse 21.
This woman was an outcast as a Samaritan but her immoral lifestyle also placed her there! She had been married five times and she was now living with a man, who was not her husband. It is no surprise, therefore, to discover her drawing water at THE SIXTH HOUR (noon). By so doing, she was avoiding contact with other women of the city. However, it was at this very time that she found Jesus, sitting on Jacob’s well, wearied from His journey. It was a journey that led Him from heaven to earth, to seek and to save the lost.