The urging of the Samaritans for a Jew to stay with them was very unusual as was the fact that a Jew would indeed stay with them for any period of time. Their hearts had obviously been changed by seeing Jesus for themselves and they wanted to spend more time with Him.

John tells us earlier in his gospel (John 1:11) that “His own” received him not. The irony is that these ‘strangers’ welcomed him. Which do you do?

John 1:11  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

He only stayed 2 days but the results were awesome:

1. A revival sprang up and many more believed in Him.
2. This provided a foundation for a future church among the Samaritans in the neighboring city of Samaria. Acts 8:5-8
3. “From the nearer town of Shechem came Justin Martyr, one of the greatest Christian writers of the second century.” (McGarvey TFG 153)

Acts 8:5-8  Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.  With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

Jesus stayed in the town of Sychar, a Samaritan village, but when He was sending His disciples out to spread the gospel at another point in time, He told them to not even enter a Samaritan village (Matt 10:5).  How do we justify the totally different aspect of these?  He later instructs them to specifically go into Samaria and to witness to Him there (Acts 1:8). The answer is that it’s all a matter of timing and timing is God’s domain. To know when to do something, let alone to know how to do it, we need instructions from the Lord. How do we get those? By spending time with Him and having ears to hear.

Matt 10:5  These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.

Acts 1:8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”