365 Days in the Gospels and Spirit of Prophecy
February 8
Bible discovery
1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 365DGSP 40.2
2 Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 365DGSP 40.3
3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 365DGSP 40.4
4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 365DGSP 40.5
5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 365DGSP 40.6
6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 365DGSP 40.7
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 365DGSP 40.8
8 For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 365DGSP 40.9
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 365DGSP 40.10
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 365DGSP 40.11
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 365DGSP 40.12
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 365DGSP 40.13
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 365DGSP 40.14
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 365DGSP 40.15
15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 365DGSP 40.16
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 365DGSP 40.17
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 365DGSP 40.18
18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 365DGSP 40.19
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. 365DGSP 40.20
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 365DGSP 40.21
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 365DGSP 40.22
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 365DGSP 40.23
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 365DGSP 40.24
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 365DGSP 40.25
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 365DGSP 40.26
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 365DGSP 40.27
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 365DGSP 40.28
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 365DGSP 40.29
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 365DGSP 40.30
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. 365DGSP 40.31
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 365DGSP 40.32
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 365DGSP 40.33
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 365DGSP 40.34
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 365DGSP 40.35
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 365DGSP 40.36
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 365DGSP 40.37
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 365DGSP 40.38
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 365DGSP 40.39
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 365DGSP 40.40
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 365DGSP 40.41
41 And many more believed because of his own word; 365DGSP 40.42
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. 365DGSP 40.43
Spirit of Prophecy Reading
The Desire of Ages pp.183-187: 365DGSP 40.44
This chapter is based on John 4:1-42. 365DGSP 40.45
On the way to Galilee Jesus passed through Samaria. It was noon when He reached the beautiful Vale of Shechem. At the opening of this valley was Jacob's well. Wearied with His journey, He sat down here to rest while His disciples went to buy food. 365DGSP 40.46
The Jews and the Samaritans were bitter enemies, and as far as possible avoided all dealing with each other. To trade with the Samaritans in case of necessity was indeed counted lawful by the rabbis; but all social intercourse with them was condemned. A Jew would not borrow from a Samaritan, nor receive a kindness, not even a morsel of bread or a cup of water. The disciples, in buying food, were acting in harmony with the custom of their nation. But beyond this they did not go. To ask a favor of the Samaritans, or in any way seek to benefit them, did not enter into the thought of even Christ's disciples. 365DGSP 40.47
As Jesus sat by the well side, He was faint from hunger and thirst. The journey since morning had been long, and now the sun of noontide beat upon Him. His thirst was increased by the thought of the cool, refreshing water so near, yet inaccessible to Him; for He had no rope nor water jar, and the well was deep. The lot of humanity was His, and He waited for someone to come to draw. 365DGSP 40.48
A woman of Samaria approached, and seeming unconscious of His presence, filled her pitcher with water. As she turned to go away, Jesus asked her for a drink. Such a favor no Oriental would withhold. In the East, water was called “the gift of God.” To offer a drink to the thirsty traveler was held to be a duty so sacred that the Arabs of the desert would go out of their way in order to perform it. The hatred between Jews and Samaritans prevented the woman from offering a kindness to Jesus; but the Saviour was seeking to find the key to this heart, and with the tact born of divine love, He asked, not offered, a favor. The offer of a kindness might have been rejected; but trust awakens trust. The King of heaven came to this outcast soul, asking a service at her hands. He who made the ocean, who controls the waters of the great deep, who opened the springs and channels of the earth, rested from His weariness at Jacob's well, and was dependent upon a stranger's kindness for even the gift of a drink of water. 365DGSP 40.49
Jesus did not immediately answer the question in regard to Himself, but with solemn earnestness He said, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” 365DGSP 40.50
He who seeks to quench his thirst at the fountains of this world will drink only to thirst again. Everywhere men are unsatisfied. They long for something to supply the need of the soul. Only One can meet that want. The need of the world, “The Desire of all nations,” is Christ. The divine grace which He alone can impart, is as living water, purifying, refreshing, and invigorating the soul. 365DGSP 40.51
Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft of the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of blessing,—“a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” From this source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs. 365DGSP 40.52
As Jesus spoke of the living water, the woman looked upon Him with wondering attention. He had aroused her interest, and awakened a desire for the gift of which He spoke. She perceived that it was not the water of Jacob's well to which He referred; for of this she used continually, drinking, and thirsting again. “Sir,” she said, “give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.” 365DGSP 40.53
Jesus now abruptly turned the conversation. Before this soul could receive the gift He longed to bestow, she must be brought to recognize her sin and her Saviour. He “saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.” She answered, “I have no husband.” Thus she hoped to prevent all questioning in that direction. But the Saviour continued, “Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.” 365DGSP 40.54
The listener trembled. A mysterious hand was turning the pages of her life history, bringing to view that which she had hoped to keep forever hidden. Who was He that could read the secrets of her life? There came to her thoughts of eternity, of the future Judgment, when all that is now hidden shall be revealed. In its light, conscience was awakened. 365DGSP 40.55