There is a little sentence in this passage that we easily overlook, but that says a lot. ‘Now He had to go through Samaria’ (:4).
The religious Jews who did not want to defile themselves, preferred traveling through the heathen region across the Jordan to traveling through the area of the Samaritans, who served many gods besides the Lord (2 Kings 17:33). Jesus - the Savior of all people - did not have a single reason not to travel through Samaritan territory and besides, it was the shortest route. Yet, He did not go through this area for logical reasons, but because He had to! ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me,’ has Jesus said. But who then can command Him to travel through this area? A little further on in this passage we find the answer: ‘My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to finish His work’ (:34).
Although Jesus had all authority, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient. He - Who was enthroned above all might and power - was willing to submit. Precisely therefore, God gave Him all authority. Jesus knew that if He wanted to finish God’s work it could not be done through the enormous wisdom and knowledge of scripture He had, but only in complete submission to the Father.
And in this too He is a tremendous example for us. When we truly accept guidance by God’s Spirit, we too will be exactly there where God needs us. Even when we are tired and feel we need to rest, we will - despite all our exhaustion - be prepared, just like Jesus, to do God’s will when He asks that of us, and so we will always be a reliable guide to Christ for all who call out to God.