John 4:4

JOHN—NOTE ON John 4:4 Jesus had to pass this way because it was the shortest route. The words may also indicate that God directed his journey (see John 3:7, John 3:14, John 3:30; John 9:4; John 10:16; John 12:34; John 20:9). Through Samaria was the usual route taken by travelers from Judea to Galilee. However, although the OT does not teach this, some Jews thought the Samaritans were unclean; to avoid defilement, they bypassed Samaria by crossing the Jordan and traveling on the east side of the river. The Samaritans were partly Jewish and partly Gentile and were disdained by both Jews and Gentiles (see Luke 10:33; Luke 17:16; John 8:48). 2 Kings 17:24 describes how the king of Assyria brought foreign people to settle in Samaria after he defeated it in 722 B.C. Over time they intermarried with Jews who remained in the area. The Samaritans had their own version of the Pentateuch, their own temple on Mount Gerizim, and their own version of Israelite history. See note on John 4:20–21. Tensions often ran high between Jews and Samaritans.