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Lenten Season · Third Sunday of Lent · Year A

If First Scrutiny of the Elect: John 4:5-42 or John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42

The Woman at Jacob's Well

March 8, 2026

Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Perugino
Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Perugino, 1500–05The Art Institute of Chicago
Perugino's usual serene spacing: the well in the middle of an open Umbrian landscape, two figures either side of it, and nothing hurried.The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.PeruginoAn Umbrian painter of serene, spacious compositions, who ran workshops in two cities at once and taught Raphael.The Art Institute of ChicagoFounded in 1879 as both a museum and a school, and the home of American Gothic and of a famous Impressionist collection.The Art Institute of Chicago
Roman Lectionary
GospelJohn 4:5-42Jn 4:5-42 orJohn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42Alt. GospelIf First Scrutiny of the Elect: John 4:5-42If First Scrutiny of the Elect: Jn 4:5-42 orJohn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
Second ReadingRom. 5:1-2, 5-8Rom 5:1-2, 5-8Alt. 2nd ReadingIf First Scrutiny of the Elect: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8If First Scrutiny of the Elect: Rom 5:1-2, 5-8
First ReadingExod. 17:3-7Ex 17:3-7Alt. 1st ReadingIf First Scrutiny of the Elect: Exodus 17:3-7If First Scrutiny of the Elect: Ex 17:3-7
Responsorial PsalmPs. 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)Alt. PsalmIf First Scrutiny of the Elect: Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)If First Scrutiny of the Elect: Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (8)

Overview & Insights

"The water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14)

Jesus rests at Jacob's well at noon and asks a Samaritan woman for a drink, crossing lines of ethnicity, religion, and gender that divided Jews and Samaritans. Their conversation moves from ordinary water to living water to worship in spirit and truth, and when Jesus tells her everything she has done, she leaves her jar behind and brings her whole town to meet him. Build on the full long form here, the short form skips her history and the villagers' own encounter with Jesus.

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Take it further: If First Scrutiny of the Elect: John 4:5-42 or John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42

Commentary

Commentary on John 4:5-42Commentary on Jn 4:5-42 Working Preacher

A Luther Seminary reading of the boundary crossing conversation and the woman's growing recognition of Jesus.

John 4:5-42 CommentaryJn 4:5-42 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching

A Reformed preaching commentary on Jesus breaking down hostility between Jew and Samaritan at the well.

John 4 Commentary: A Samaritan Woman and a Nobleman MeetJn 4 Commentary: A Samaritan Woman and a Nobleman Meet Enduring Word · David Guzik

A verse by verse evangelical commentary covering the full long form of the encounter.

John 4 CommentaryJn 4 Commentary Precept Austin

A deep study page working through the whole conversation as a model of unforced evangelism.

John 4:7, classic commentatorsJn 4:7, classic commentators BibleHub

Barnes, Gill, and other historic commentators gathered across the well conversation.

John 4, Barnes' NotesJn 4, Barnes' Notes StudyLight

Albert Barnes' notes on the full chapter, including the woman's testimony and the town's own belief.

Our Common Humanity, Lent 3 (A) Sermons That Work · Episcopal Church

An Episcopal model sermon on the shared humanity Jesus and the woman discover across their divide.

Third Sunday of Lent, Cycle A Loyola Press · Sunday Connection

A Catholic background and reflection resource for the whole Sunday, keyed to this Gospel.

Background & Word Study

Gospel of John Summary (Part 1)Gospel of Jn Summary (Part 1) BibleProject

An animated overview of the first half of John, including the sign quality of this encounter.

John 4:7 InterlinearJn 4:7 Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek text word by word for Jesus' request for a drink and the conversation that follows.

John, Chapter 4 (Douay-Rheims with Haydock)Jn, Chapter 4 (Douay-Rheims with Haydock) New Advent · Haydock

The Catholic text with Haydock's notes on the woman at the well.

The Church Fathers

John 4:14, patristic commentaryJn 4:14, patristic commentary Catena

Patristic comment, including Cyril of Alexandria, on the living water that becomes a well within the believer.

Podcast

Third Sunday in Lent, March 8, 2026 Working Preacher · Sermon Brainwave

The Sermon Brainwave roundtable working through John 4 and this Sunday's other Year A readings.

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