But each one of that attitude might well ask himself, Would I resent it if someone who knew what he was talking about said to me: “You worship what you do not know”? The woman to whom such a statement was first made by a person of another religion did not resent it. It worked out well for her that she did not do so. She grabbed the opportunity to ask a further question. By this she found out why the one speaking to her was able to say what he said to her.

3. When and where did the Samaritan woman meet the man who made this statement to her?

³ The woman was a Middle Eastern woman, a member of a provincial group known as Samaritans. She came upon this well-informed man seated at a deep well near the city of Sychar one noontime.

4, 5. (a) Why was it remarkable that a conversation should be struck up at the well? (b) The man’s remarks led the woman to bring up what religious problem?

⁴ The man proved to be of a race with whom the Samaritans then had no dealings, and yet he struck up a conversation with this Samaritan woman, which caused her to wonder. This lack of racial prejudice impressed her. Appropriately there at a well that was reputedly dug by the patriarch Jacob, the great-great-grandfather of Moses, the man spoke to her of a new thing, “living water,” after the drinking of which a person would not get thirsty again. He revealed to her facts about her most intimate life. This led her to ask him about a religious problem of that day. She said:

⁵ “Sir, I perceive you are a prophet. Our forefathers worshiped in this mountain; but you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where persons ought to worship.”​—John 4:1-20.

6. What did the man tell her about the worship of her people and the worship of his people, and about future worship?

⁶ The man’s reply to her question was: “Believe me, woman, The hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you people worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews. Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”​—John 4:21-24.

7, 8. (a) Who did the man at the well prove to be, and how did the woman find that out? (b) To what conclusion concerning this man Jesus did the men of Sychar come, and why correctly so?

⁷ Who was this man to speak so authoritatively to this Samaritan woman? The woman showed that she had faith in the Messiah, whom those Jews speaking Greek called Christ, and she looked forward to such Messiah or Christ to settle finally all questions of worship. So she said: “I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. Whenever that one arrives, he will declare all things to us openly.” But the question as to the place and manner of worshiping the divine Father had already been declared openly to this Samaritan woman, for the man said to her: “I who am speaking to you am he.” If that woman lived for three years longer, she learned of further facts, undeniable facts, to prove that this man was indeed the Messiah, the long-promised Anointed One of God. But his personal name on earth was Jesus, which means “Salvation of Jehovah.” So he was called Jesus Christ.​—John 4:25, 26.

⁸ This was news indeed! And, inasmuch as the man was now joined by his twelve companions with food for their lunch, the Samaritan woman left her water jar at the well, returned to Sychar and told its’ inhabitants: “Come here, see a man that told me all the things I did. This is not perhaps the Christ, is it?” The Samaritans came out to see and hear. They had the man stay with them for two days. To what conclusion did they come? That this man was the Messianic Savior of not just the Jews who had no dealings back there with the Samaritans, but they said to the woman: “We do not believe any longer on account of your talk; for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man is for a certainty the savior of the world.” (John 4:28-30, 39-42) Three years later the historical facts were provided to prove that those Samaritans were right: Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind. He knew what he was talking about to the Samaritan woman.