In the spring of the year 30 C.E., Jesus went to Jerusalem. Many people had come to the city for the Passover. As part of the celebration, they made animal offerings at the temple. Some people brought animals with them, but others bought them in Jerusalem.

When Jesus went to the temple, he saw people selling animals there. They were making money for themselves right in Jehovah’s house of worship! How did Jesus react? He made a whip out of ropes and drove the sheep and the cattle out of the temple. He overturned the tables of the money changers and poured their coins out on the ground. Jesus told those who were selling doves: ‘Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a place of business!’

People at the temple were amazed at what Jesus did. His disciples remembered the prophecy about the Messiah: ‘I will be full of zeal for Jehovah’s house.’

Later, in the year 33 C.E., Jesus cleansed the temple a second time. He would not let anyone show disrespect for his Father’s house.

After the Passover, Jesus and his disciples traveled through Samaria on their way back to Galilee. Near the city of Sychar, Jesus stopped at a place called Jacob’s well. While he rested there, his disciples went into the city to buy food.

A woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her: “Give me a drink.” She said: ‘Why are you talking to me? I’m a Samaritan woman. Jews don’t talk to Samaritans.’ Jesus told her: ‘If you knew who I am, you would ask me for a drink and I would give you living water.’ ‘What do you mean?’ asked the woman. ‘You don’t even have a bucket.’ Jesus said: ‘Whoever drinks the water that I give him will never get thirsty again.’ The woman said: “Sir, give me this water.”

Jesus then told her: ‘Bring your husband to the well.’ She said: ‘I don’t have a husband.’ He said: ‘You are telling the truth. You’ve been married five times, and now you live with a man to whom you are not married.’ The woman said: ‘I see that you are a prophet. My people believe that we can worship God on this mountain, but the Jews say that we can worship only in Jerusalem. I believe that when the Messiah comes, he will teach us how to worship.’ Then Jesus said something he had not told anyone else: ‘I am the Messiah.’

The woman hurried to her city and told the Samaritans: ‘I think I have found the Messiah. He knows everything about me. Come and see!’ They followed her back to the well and listened to Jesus teach.

The Samaritans invited Jesus to stay in their city. For two days, he taught there, and many people put faith in him. They told the Samaritan woman: ‘After listening to this man, we know that he really is the savior of the world.’