Lexical Summary Suchar: Sychar Original Word: Συχάρ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Sychar. Of Hebrew origin (shekar); Sychar (i.e. Shekar), a place in Palestine -- Sychar. see HEBREW shekar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin shekar Definition Sychar, a city in Samaria NASB Translation Sychar (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4965: ΣιχάρΣιχάρ, see Συχάρ. STRONGS NT 4965: ΣυχάρΣυχάρ (Rec.elz Σιχάρ), ἡ, Sychar, a town of Samaria, near to the well of the patriarch Jacob, and not far from Flavia Neapolis (Συχάρ πρό τῆς νέας πόλεως, Eusebius in his Onomast. (p. 346, 5 edition, Larsow and Parthey)) toward the E., the representative of which is to be found apparently in the modern hamlet al Askar (or Asker): John 4:5, where cf. Bäumlein, Ewald, Brückner (in De Wette (4th and following editions)), Godet; add, Ewald, Jahrbb. f. Biblical Wissensch. viii., p. 255f; Bädeker, Palestine, pp. 328, 337; (Lieut. Conder in the Palest. Explor. Fund for July 1877, p. 149f and in Survey of Western Palestine: 'Special Papers,' p. 231; Edersheim, Jesus the Messiah, Appendix xv.). The name does not seem to differ from סוכר, a place mentioned by the Talmudists in סוכר עין 'the fountain Sucar' and סוכר עין בקעת 'the valley of the fountain Sucar'; cf. Delitzsch in the Zeitschr. f. d. luth. Theol. for 1856, p. 240ff Most interpreters, however, think that Συχάρ is the same as Συχέμ (which see 2), and explain the form as due to a softening of the harsh vulgar pronunciation (cf. Credner; Einl. in d. N. T. vol. i., p. 264f), or conjecture that it was fabricated by way of reproach by those who wished to suggest the noun שֶׁקֶר, 'falsehood', and thereby brand the city as given up to idolatry (cf. Habakkuk 2:18), or the word שִׁכֹּר, 'drunken' (on account of Isaiah 28:1), and thus call it the abode of μωροί, see Sir. 50:26, where the Shechemites are called λαός μωρός; cf. Test xii. Patr. (test. Levi § 7), p. 564 Σικημ, λεγομένη πόλις ἀσυνέτων. To these latter opinions there is this objection, among others, that the place mentioned by the Evangelist was very near Jacob's well, from which Shechem, or Flavia Neapolis, was distant about a mile and a half. (Cf. B. D. under the word Sychar designates the Samaritan town to which Jesus deliberately traveled on His way from Judea to Galilee (John 4:5). The place lies close to the property that “Jacob had given to his son Joseph,” the site of Jacob’s well, and the location where Joseph’s bones were ultimately buried (Genesis 33:19; Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32). Geographical Setting Nestled between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal in central Palestine, the vicinity is rich in covenantal history. Ancient Shechem occupied nearly the same area, and most conservative scholars regard Sychar either as a suburb of, or an alternate name for, Shechem. The fertile valley, ample water supply, and strategic crossroads made the site a natural hub for agriculture, travel, and worship. Biblical Background 1. Patriarchal Associations 2. Covenant Renewals By New Testament times the region lay within Samaritan territory, marked by centuries of tension between Jew and Samaritan yet bound to the same patriarchal roots. Gospel Narrative and Theological Emphases John 4:4-42 records Jesus’ longest dialog in the Gospel, unfolding at Sychar’s well. Several truths emerge: Covenantal and Redemptive Themes Sychar forms a bridge between Old and New Covenant revelation. Past covenant ceremonies at Shechem are fulfilled as the Mediator of the New Covenant reveals Himself. The place where Joshua exhorted Israel to choose now hosts a woman choosing to believe, a village confessing Christ, and the first recorded non-Jewish confession, “This is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). Evangelistic and Missional Insights 1. Crossing Barriers: Jesus confronts ethnic hostility, gender norms, and moral stigma, modeling compassionate engagement. Historical Reception in Church History Early Christian pilgrims identified Jacob’s well and honored the site for its unbroken link with the patriarchs and with Christ. By the fourth century, a church stood over the well (noted by Eusebius and Jerome), and later Byzantine, Crusader, and modern structures have continued to mark the spot, attesting to the enduring memory of Sychar in Christian devotion. Lessons for Contemporary Ministry • Intentional Presence: Gospel advance often begins with choosing to linger in unlikely places. Related Scriptures Genesis 33:18-20; Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:1-32; John 4:4-42; Acts 8:4-17 |
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