It was 37 years ago on my first trip to the Holy Land that I first visited Jacob’s Well, a site held to have been dug by the patriarch, Jacob.

Although there is no reference to this well in the Old Testament, it is a common tradition of Jews, Samaritans, Christians and Muslims. It is located in Samaria near a city named Sychar (Shechem), lying at the foot of Mount Gerizim.

Samaria had been a part of Israel, but in 722 B.C., when the Assyrians conquered Israel and carried a large proportion of Jews into exile, it became home to those left behind as well as non-Jews of neighboring lands, making for a racially-mixed population.

Samaritan religion was based upon the first five books of the Old Testament, and they worshipped not on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, but on Mount Gerizim. The hostility between Jews and Samaritans festered over the centuries and in the gospels we encounter evidences of this enmity (Mt. 10:05, Luke 9:52, John 4:9,39,40).

John 4:39 sums it up: “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”

In the time of Jesus, the shortest route between Jerusalem and Galilee was through Samaria (three days), but to avoid hostility and attack most Jews took the long way around (six days). A saying of Eliezer ben Hymans warns: “He that eats the bread of Samaritans is like one that eats the flesh of swine!”

This, then, was the background to Jesus’ journey though Samaria. He had chosen to take the route through Samaria to Galilee. It also helps us to see some evidence of the walls Jesus breached in this encounter.

It begins with Jesus’ request to a local Samaritan woman who came to draw water from the well: “Give me a drink” (4:7).

The woman responded: “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” With his simple request, Jesus broke through three different barriers.

One of these was the barrier between Jews and Samaritans. That Jesus did not accept this barrier is indicated in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 19:29-37) and his encounter with “the Thankful Samaritan” (Lk. 17:11-190). If any of his disciples or local Samaritans had witnessed this encounter, there would have been uproar from both sides.

Even if the woman had been a Jewess, there would have been shock and censure; a Rabbi was not permitted to greet a woman in public. In Jesus’ day it was debated in the rabbinic schools whether a woman had a soul or not. Babies born female were often left to die from exposure. Women had almost no rights but loads of responsibilities.

Arthur John Gossip comments: “It was Christ who gave woman her chance, who saw her possibilities, who discovered her value.” The status of women in the Middle East today and elsewhere hark back to Biblical times.

Jesus arrived at the well in the heat of the day. He was tired from his journey and sent the disciples into the town to get provisions. As a traveler, he would not have with him a bucket and long rope, for the well was very deep (when I was there, the shaft was 7.5 feet in width). In Oriental lands such as this it would be discourteous to refuse such a request.

Jesus replies: ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water’” (4:10). Jesus speaks of “living water” from two perspectives.

In everyday terms, “living water” meant that the well was both a cistern for collecting rainwater and a spring. But he also is telling her the refreshment he gives is a spiritual gift: The possibility of making-over her sorry life.

Again and again in his ministry, Jesus communicated with people whom most thought unlikely. Isn’t it significant that this Samaritan woman recognizes and proclaims Jesus’ identity before his disciples make their declaration?

Here was, of course, another barrier that Jesus continually tore down: The barrier between “good people” and “those others.” In the eyes of Jews and Samaritans, the woman at the well was a woman of ill repute. That is why she came to the well at high noon – few, if any, would be there in the heat of the day.

When she realized that Jesus knew all about her past and present life,  she must have been incredulous. He actually spoke to her! He knew all about her, but he did not hesitate to try to win her for the kingdom of God.

It is sad that churches founded to serve Christ often have had more societal barriers than any other institution. Two weeks ago, a “street person” in tattered clothing shuffled into the adult Sunday school class of which I am a member in Dallas.

He was obviously weak and frail. But, whether he thought he had found the right class or was just too tired to look further, he seemed satisfied to remain with our class.

The class secretary filled out an information card for him and, in the course of class routine, he was introduced with the round of applause that greets all visitors. He was greeted again last Sunday.

I couldn’t help but think of other churches I’ve known and wondered whether in those earlier times this man would have been so received. What about in your church?

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.