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Lenten Season · Year A

Third Sunday in Lent

March 8, 2026

Christ and the Samaritan Woman, Henryk Siemiradzki
Christ and the Samaritan Woman, Henryk Siemiradzki, 1890Lviv National Art Gallery, Lviv
A sunlit Palestinian well under real heat, with the woman standing with her jar on her shoulder and Christ seated on the stone coping.It is the whole of John 4, which begins because someone was tired and thirsty and asked a stranger for a drink.Henryk SiemiradzkiA Polish painter working in Rome, who specialised in enormous scenes of the ancient world and gave his best works to Polish museums.Lviv National Art Gallery, LvivUkraine's largest art museum, built on a Polish collector's holdings and repeatedly reorganised as the city changed hands.Lviv National Art Gallery, Lviv
Revised Common Lectionary
GospelJohn 4:5-42Jn 4:5-42
EpistleRom. 5:1-11Rom 5:1-11
Old TestamentExod. 17:1-7Ex 17:1-7
PsalterPs. 95Ps 95

Overview & Insights

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

Jesus, tired from his journey, asks a Samaritan woman for water and offers her living water in return, then names the truth of her life without condemning her. She leaves her jar behind to tell the town, and many come to believe first because of her testimony and then because they hear Jesus themselves.

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Take it further: John 4:5-42

Commentary

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

Working Preacher's Year A commentary reads this as the second of four encounters that reveal who Jesus is this Lent.

John 4:5-42 CommentaryJn 4:5-42 Commentary CEP (cepreaching.org)

The Center for Excellence in Preaching traces the theme of welcome across the many scenes of the chapter.

John 4 Bible CommentaryJn 4 Bible Commentary Enduring Word

David Guzik's chapter commentary moves through the whole conversation, the disciples' return and the Samaritans' belief.

John 4 CommentaryJn 4 Commentary Precept Austin

Precept Austin's John 4 commentary gives verse-level notes on the living-water exchange and the woman's five husbands.

John 4 - Barnes' NotesJn 4 - Barnes' Notes StudyLight

Barnes' Notes explains the Jewish-Samaritan tension behind Jesus's request for a drink.

John 4:24 CommentariesJn 4:24 Commentaries BibleHub

BibleHub aggregates classic commentaries on Jesus's statement that God is spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and truth.

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

This Episcopal preaching resource for Lent 3A finds common humanity in Jesus's willingness to ask a stranger for help.

Lent 3, Year A, RCL The Lectionary Page

The Lectionary Page lays out the full Year A propers for the day so the gospel is read alongside Psalm 95.

The Woman at the Well Journey with Jesus

This essay reads the Samaritan woman as the story's hero and an ardent witness rather than the figure of shame tradition made her.

Lectionary essay for March 8, Lent 3A, John 4:5-42Lectionary essay for March 8, Lent 3A, Jn 4:5-42 The Christian Century

The Christian Century's lectionary essay focuses on how Jesus's own admitted need opens the woman to genuine conversation.

Background & Word Study

John 4:24 InterlinearJn 4:24 Interlinear BibleHub

The Greek interlinear shows how pneuma and aletheia carry Jesus's answer about worship in spirit and truth.

Church Fathers

John 4 CatenaJn 4 Catena Catena

Catena gathers patristic comment on the living-water exchange and the Samaritans' belief verse by verse.

Sunday-wide

John 4:5-42 Study HubJn 4:5-42 Study Hub Textweek

Textweek's study hub collects sermons, commentary and worship resources across traditions for this Sunday's full set of readings.

Podcast

#1072: Third Sunday in Lent - March 8, 2026 Working Preacher (Sermon Brainwave)

Luther Seminary’s homiletics roundtable on this Sunday’s appointed texts, including John 4:5-42.

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