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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_4:1-6
1Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. 4And He had to pass through Samaria. 5So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Joh_4:1 "the Lord" John, recalling the incident in his mind (by means of the Spirit) years later, uses "Lord" and "Jesus" in the same sentence as referring to one person.
Several Greek manuscripts have "Jesus" twice in Joh_4:1 (i.e., à , D, NRSV, NJB, REB), but "Lord" is in MSS P66,75, A, B, C, L (NASB, NKJV). However, even with the far better manuscript attestation for "Lord" UBS4 put "Jesus" in the text and gives it a "C" rating (difficulty in deciding).
▣ "the Pharisees" See Special Topic at Joh_1:24.
▣ "heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John" Jesus left this area because of possible tensions between His followers and John the Baptist's followers stirred up by the Pharisees. The Synoptics say that He left because Herod Antipas had arrested John the Baptist (cf. Mat_4:12; Mar_1:14; Luk_3:20).
Joh_4:2 "Jesus Himself was not baptizing" This is not a disparaging comment on baptism (cf. Mat_28:19; Act_2:38; Act_8:12; Act_16:33; Act_22:16), but a recognition of the egocentric nature of humanity (i.e., "I was baptized by Jesus" or Paul, cf. 1Co_1:17). Apparently Jesus did baptize at the beginning of His ministry (cf. Joh_3:22), but later stopped. John is correcting the false statement of the Pharisees.
Joh_4:3 "He left Judea and went away again into Galilee" These are two Aorist active indicatives used to emphasize Jesus' geographical movements.
Joh_4:4 "He had to pass through Samaria" "Had" is the Greek verb dei, which is used several times in this context (cf. Joh_3:7; Joh_3:14; Joh_3:30). It is usually translated "must" or "necessary." There is a divine purpose in this route for Jesus. It is the shortest route; Josephus tells us that Jews from Galilee usually used this route. However, the Jews of Judea hated the Samaritans and would not walk through their land because they considered them religious half-breeds.
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▣ "through Samaria" There was a great hatred between the Samaritans and the Judeans going back to the Eighth Century b.c. In 722 b.c. the Northern Ten Tribes, with their capital in Samaria, were taken captive by Assyria and were deported to Media (cf. 2Ki_17:6). Other captured people were resettled in northern Palestine (cf. 2Ki_17:24). Through the years these pagans intermarried with what was left of the Israelite population. The Jews considered the Samaritans religious half-breeds and heretics (cf. Ezr_4:1-4). This gives a context for Joh_4:9.
Joh_4:5 "a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph" (cf. Gen_33:18-19; Jos_24:32). Many assume Sychar is Shechem, though this is not stated in the NT.
Joh_4:6 "Jacob's well was there" This was really a dug-out cistern about 100' deep. It was not running water (a spring), but collected rainwater. It is never mentioned in the OT but the name does link the area to a Patriarchal tradition.
▣ "Jesus, being wearied from His journey" We see clearly the human nature of Jesus here (cf. Luk_2:52), but He was never too tired to love people!
NASB, NKJV,
JB"It was about the sixth hour"
NRSV, TEV "It was about noon"
There is much discussion about which method of reckoning time John used in his Gospel. Some references seem to be Jewish time and some Roman time. Jews begin the day at 6 a.m.; Roman time begins at midnight. Therefore, Jesus arrived at the well very early (i.e. 6 a.m.).