This post is Day 12 in a series of studies about “Mountains”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Mountains – Day 12

In the gospel of John we can read details of a discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the identity of Jesus. And at one point the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan, rudely suggesting that He was not totally Jewish, but of mixed race (John 8:48).

John 4:20

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place we must worship is Jerusalem.

The Thought

We move to a New Testament mountain story today, but a mountain which has much history from the Old Testament. The Samaritan woman who found herself in conversation with Jesus at Jacob’s well lived in Sychar, (also called Shechem.) This is the place where we can still visit Jacob’s well today. It is between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. Two mountains rich with Biblical history, some of which we will hear more about later in this study.

It is interesting that the woman claims that HER ancestors worshiped on this mountain, when in fact she had the same ancestry as Jesus! Both Jews and Samaritans were descended from Jacob who had an encounter with God and saw angels descending from Heaven (Genesis 28).

According to the Biblical historian Josephus, it was in the 8th century BC that Jews of the northern kingdom intermarried with Assyrians and produced the half-jewish, half gentile race which became known as the Samaritans. These people were consequently rejected by “true” Jews, each group claiming their own territory. The first Biblical mentions of this dispute between Jews and Samaritans can be found in Ezra 4.

In the gospel of John we can read details of a discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees concerning the identity of Jesus. And at one point the Pharisees accuse Jesus of being a Samaritan, rudely suggesting that He was not totally Jewish, but of mixed race (John 8:48).

Action

Read John 8, a chapter almost entirely about Jesus’s heritage. Pray today for people around the world who suffer because of their colour or their heritage.

Pray for those who accuse others unjustly and unnecessarily for the same reasons.

Thank Father God for your personal heritage, whatever you know about it. Praise Him for people who were good influences who helped you on your way to who you are today.