John 4:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he had to pass through Samaria.

NIV: Now he had to go through Samaria.

NASB: And He had to pass through Samaria.

CSB: He had to travel through Samaria;

NLT: He had to go through Samaria on the way.

KJV: And he must needs go through Samaria.

NKJV: But He needed to go through Samaria.

Samaria lies directly between Jerusalem and Galilee. In order to make the shortest possible trip, a person could simply pass through Samaritan territory on their way from the city. However, the Samaritans were loathed by most Jews. A more common travel route would have been to cross the Jordan river into Perea, avoiding contact with the despised tribe. And yet, this verse says Jesus "had to pass through" this territory.

Samaritans were half-Jewish and half-Gentile, both ethnically and religiously. This made them unclean, hated outcasts in the eyes of the common Israelite (John 4:9). Why would Jesus be obligated to go through this region, if there were other options? In short, Jesus is not only submissive to God's timing (John 2:4), but also to His will.

Travelling through Samaria provides Jesus an opportunity to speak with the woman at the well (John 4:7–9). This leads to more ministry opportunities, in speaking to the Samaritan men (John 4:40–41). Jesus also uses this as an object lesson for His disciples (John 4:35). In fact, what Jesus does on this short journey foreshadows His command to the disciples at His ascension. In this part of the gospel of John, Jesus travels from Jerusalem, through Judea, into Samaria, and is proclaimed by the Samaritans as the "Savior of the world" (John 4:42). At His ascension, in Acts 1:8, Jesus commands His disciples to carry His message "in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

John 4:1–4 explains Jesus' decision to travel away from Jerusalem, heading back towards Galilee. The primary reason for this is to avoid conflict with the Pharisees, at least for now. The shortest path is through Samaria, but most Jews would have chosen to detour east, avoiding the hated Samaritans entirely. However, Jesus is not only committed to the Father's timeline, He is submissive to the Father's will. Christ ''had to'' take this route. The reason why is evident in His discussion with the woman at the well.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. Jesus both confronts her about her sin, and comforts her with the truth of the gospel. In particular, He explains that even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, have to be reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.

John chapter 4 continues the use of contrast. Jesus goes from conversing with an educated, powerful, prestigious man to talking to an outcast, unlearned, self-conscious woman. The combination of this passage, along with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, makes an important spiritual point. The gospel is for all people, in all places, and all times. Christ can reach each person exactly where he or she needs to be reached.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.