John 4:7

A woman of Samaria. That is, a woman of the Samaritan stock (see on v. 4), not a woman from the city of Samaria, which was more than two hours distant.

Give me to drink. It is comforting to know that Jesus experienced such things as thirst, hunger, weariness, and pain, even as we do (see on v. 6). He became one with us in order to succor us in whatever circumstance may arise (see on ch. 1:14).

The process of winning the woman of Samaria deserves the most careful study on the part of all who set out to win others to Christ. There were four main stages in this process: (1) The awakening of a desire for something better, vs. 7-15. (2) The awakening of a conviction of personal need, vs. 16-20. (3) The call for a decision to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, vs. 21-26. (4) The stimulus to action appropriate to the decision, vs. 28-30, 39-42. For comment on the detailed steps in each of these four stages of the process see on vs. 7, 16, 21, 28.

Jesus gained the woman’s attention with the request, “Give me to drink.” Her response is evident in the question of v. 9, “How is it . . .?” Having thus secured her undivided attention, Jesus aroused her interest by the offer of “living water” (v. 10). Her reaction appears in the question as to “whence” He obtained such water (v. 11) and whether He professed to be “greater” than Jacob, who had dug the well (v. 12). From attention and interest, Jesus led her on to desire the “living water,” declaring that those who drink it will “never thirst” (v. 14). She responded with the request, “Sir, give me this water” (v. 15), even though she had little conception, as yet, of what she was asking for.