A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY PART XV

 "We, Jesus' twelve disciples, went with Him to Sychar in Samaria this morning.... We were all surprised that He wanted to go there.... For we, Jews, always avoid going to Samaria.... But we did not say anything to Jesus at that time.... We arrived at the well just outside Sychar around midday... It was time for lunch.... So Jesus asked us to go to the town centre to buy food for all of us.... When we returned we saw Him talking with a Samaritan woman.... We were all shocked that He would do so... He must know that no Jewish man will ever talk to a woman... Much less to a Samaritan woman... And here Jesus was breaking all the rules.... Who was this woman anyway?.... We had many questions we wanted to ask Him.... But we did not... We all kept quiet."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn how Jesus' disciples responded when they found Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman.....

            ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY PART XV

As the conversation with the woman is coming to an end, His twelve disciples re-join Him. They have been food shopping in town and have now returned with lunch, as you can read in John 4:27

Just then His disciples returned and were surprised to find Him talking with a woman. But no-one asked, "What do You want?" or "Why are You talking with her?"

As proper Jewish men, the disciples are obviously very surprised to see Jesus talking with a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that. They may well have wanted to say to Jesus, "Please Jesus, what about Your reputation? Don't You know that You are not supposed to talk with her? Do You realise the damage it will do to Your reputation? Perhaps, if You don't care about Your reputation, will You not consider our reputatation, for our reputation will be damaged as well if word goes out that You have been talking to this woman." But they say none of these things. Perhaps they are learning that Jesus' standards are somewhat different than everyone else's, including their own.