Most of you who know me well, know how committed I am to understand the historical background of any biblical text prior to commenting on the text itself. Through the years, I have come to realize that this understanding is essential in helping any Bible student to properly interpret the meaning of a passage. And so, I invite you to join me as we uncover some important historical information that will help us understand the real-life story of Jesus’ encounter with “The Woman at the Well.” Those of you who have read my book “The Day Everything Changed,” realize that I have already provided the historical background for this encounter. Not one to unnecessarily duplicate my efforts, I submit for today’s blog the background material from my book. By the way, if you would like to have a copy of the book, just let me know.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Well. It was almost 4,000 years ago that Jacob’s servants began digging a well that would provide water for their families as well as for their herds of sheep and goats. The location of the well was perfectly situated in the valley separating two mountains, Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. As sweat poured off their bodies, the hole grew deeper and deeper with each strike of the pick wielded by Jacob’s faithful servants. Although the region experienced little rainfall, the rain that did come saturated the soil on the surrounding hills and then worked its way downward into a suitable formation that would serve as the aquifer that would provide a constant supply of water. Toiling for days, the aquifer was finally reached, and water began flowing into the well. Jacob (whose twelve sons would later become the “fathers” of the twelve tribes of Israel) praised God for the water He provided for his family and flocks. Little did he know that two thousand years later, the Son of God would stand by this well and offer another kind of water to a woman who least expected it.
Two Mountains. Hundreds of years after the completion of Jacob’s well, this location would become prominent in the history of Israel. Upon entering the Promised Land in about 1,400 BC, Joshua understood the importance of renewing the covenant given by God to Moses over 40 years before. Standing near Jacob’s well in the valley facing Mt. Ebal, six of the tribes of Israel who entered the Promised Land listened to Joshua and the priests pronounce the curses that would befall them if they failed to keep God’s Commandments. When they had finished, the other six tribes stood in front of Mt. Gerizim on the other side of the valley and listened to Joshua and the priests pronounce the blessings that would come if they obeyed God’s Laws. As the curses and blessings were read, all the people shouted in unison that they would obey the Laws of God. Unfortunately, as the historical records testify, they rarely did.
Two Kingdoms. Hundreds of years later, in about 930 BC, Mt. Gerizim would once again become prominent in Israel’s history. After the reigns of David and his son Solomon, the nation was divided due to some disastrous decisions made by Solomon’s son Rehoboam. As a result, ten of the northern tribes seceded from the union, and became known as Israel, with its capitol in Samaria. The remaining two southern tribes became known as Judah, with its capitol in Jerusalem. Jerusalem possessed the Temple which had only recently been completed under the reign of Solomon. And it was in the Temple where God would meet His people as they gathered for prayer and sacrifices, and to celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness. But the new kings of the Northern Kingdom forbade their people to travel south to Jerusalem for worship, and in order to satisfy the people’s desire for worship, they set up other places to worship throughout the Northern Kingdom. Interestingly, one of them was on Mt. Gerizim. Sadly, without the Temple, the people began to worship and sacrifice to other gods.
Two Peoples. Over the next 200 years, the Northern Kingdom never produced a king that was faithful to God, even though God sent many prophets to call them to repentance. In 722 B.C., Samaria was conquered by the Assyrian King Sennacherib, and the people of Israel were scattered throughout the empire as many of the Jewish people intermarried with their new gentile masters. From that time on, the people of Israel, with its capitol at Samaria, became known simply as “Samaritans,” and were despised by the so-called “faithful Jews” in Judah.
Even though the Southern Kingdom was spared by the Assyrians, the nation would later be destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Unlike those in Samaria to the north, the inhabitants of Judah were taken into exile in Babylon where they remained a unified people until King Cyrus of Persia allowed them to return to the land of Judah in 536 B.C. Shortly thereafter, the Temple was rebuilt, and later, so were the walls of the city. And the people of Samaria who remained on the land after the deportation, began to harass and threaten the people of Judah as they returned to rebuild the nation.
Over 500 years later, Jesus would walk the streets of Jerusalem, teaching the people in the streets and on the steps of the Temple. And the Samaritans to the north were still a despised people, considered to be no better than Gentiles or dogs, and certainly outside of God’s love and concern. It was at the end of one of Jesus’ trips to Jerusalem that John recorded, “He had to pass through Samaria,” when most travelers avoided it like the proverbial plague. Rather than travel through Samaria on their way north, they would prefer to extend their trip by dozens of miles by going east down to Jericho and then up the Jordan River to Galilee.
But Jesus had a divine appointment, an appointment with a woman whom neither He nor His disciples had ever met. She was thirsty, and she came to the well to get water. And that’s where we’ll pick up the story next week.
Hope you enjoyed learning about the “Samaritans.” Blessings to all of you.
