The story of the Samaritan woman at the well has been told for centuries. People who read this passage may perceive it in many different ways, however the moral of the story is always the same and the lessons that can be learned from it are eternal. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The story of the Samaritan woman at the well comes from the Gospel according to John. The Gospel of John was written by the elderly apostle John, son of Zebedee. As the last of the four Gospels to be written, it is an eyewitness account that tells the story of Jesus and also records much about Jesus' ministry in Judea and Jerusalem. According to ancient sources John was called by the elders of Asia to write this Gospel to demonstrate that Jesus is the son of God and for all those who believe they will have eternal life. John clearly states this in chapter 20 verse 31 when he says; “That ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life through his name. John wrote this Gospel in hopes of strengthening people's foundation of faith, so that believers could continue to believe despite the false teachings they might encounter in society. Although many scholars have debated when John would have recorded these events in the life of Jesus, it has however been established that this occurred after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and before he was exiled to the island of Patmos; making the exact date around 85 – 90 AD When John wrote his Gospel he intended it to be for everyone, not only for people who already believed, but also for those who were still lost. He wanted his gospel to influence unbelievers to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved; at the same time he also wrote as a means of strengthening the foundation of faith so that people who believed would continue to believe despite what they may encounter in everyday society. Jesus was an expert teacher, he did not teach in a specific way. He adapted his teachings to make it suitable for multitudes of people as well as for a single person; Jesus didn't care if he had thousands of people around to listen to his teachings. He also spent a lot of time teaching one-on-one situations. John recorded one of Jesus' individual teachings in his Gospel, this event is Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. John's record reveals Jesus' desire to bring the Samaritan woman to eternal life and to wash away all her sins despite any sins she may have committed in her life. The Samaritan woman was not holy; she was a poor woman who had been shunned by her community. She had been married several times and was currently living in sin with a man she was not married to. His story shows Christians and non-Christians today that, despite the sins you have committed or those that are currently in your life, you can still seek God's forgiveness. Jesus offers divine mercy in the living water of grace, which wash away sins and purify souls. That day the Samaritan woman left the house to get a jug of water; instead he achieved much more. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In this passage Jesus didn't have to perform some great miracle to show the Samaritan woman who he was or to help her live a sinless life. He was able to do this by simply showing and telling her about his past. Whether we want to tell ourselves that Jesus doesn't have.