The Samaritan Woman: Rejected by People, Chosen by Jesus
Some stories in the Bible hit closer to home than others. Maybe that’s because they speak directly to what many of us wrestle with—feeling rejected, carrying shame, or wondering if we’ve messed up too much for God to still want us. One of those stories is in John 4 . It’s about a woman with a complicated past, a bad reputation, and an encounter with Jesus that changed everything. But before we dive into the moment at the well, let’s look at why this meeting was so unexpected—and so powerful. Jews and Samaritans Hated Each Other To understand this story fully, we need to know the backstory between the Jews and Samaritans. Their division ran deep—and had for centuries. 1. Historical Division Hundreds of years before Jesus, the nation of Israel split into two: The north became Israel (with Samaria as its capital). The south became Judah (with Jerusalem as its centre of worship). In 722 BC, the Assyrian empire conquered the northern kingdom. Foreigners were brought in, people intermarr...