John 4:1-4 He needed to go through Samaria

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  But He needed to go through Samaria.

(1) Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John  We were told in the 25th and 26th verses of John Chapter Three that John's disciples were speaking with the Jews about purification.  At that time they announced to the Baptist, "Behold, He[Jesus] is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!"  We do not know whether Jesus learned this information from John, his disciples, or the Jews who had come to question John about his baptism.  But certainly Jesus may have been aware of their knowledge simply due to His omniscience as the Son of God who knows all things.

(2) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples)   We are given no direct explanation as to why Jesus did not baptize, but it is supposed that He did not want to honor any individual by such an exclusive privilege, which might lead to the formation of an exalted and separate group.  The first-century church at Corinth exemplified this negative human potential which the Master wisely averted by His reservation from performing the baptisms Himself.

 

For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.  Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. - 1st Corinthians 1:11-15

(3) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  At the close of the previous chapter, John had recorded Jesus' location as the area of Aenon near Salim.  The most direct route back to the Sea of Galilee would have been to follow the Jordan River.  However, the fastest route to the area of Nazareth would have been to travel through the mountain pass to Shechem, and then to proceed along the eastern edge of the interior mountain ridge to Nazareth.

 

Aenon to Shechem - Base map from Moody Atlas of Bible Lands

(4) But He needed to go through Samaria.   Due to the traditional animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans, it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus needed to return to the proximity of His hometown; and, that timeliness was of some importance.  A basic knowledge of the history of Samaria is necessary to fully understand the narrative of the following verses.  The excerpt below will suffice.  Click the link for a broader discussion from the Pulpit Commentary.

 

[The antagonism commenced then was deepened into a deadly rivalry by the erection of a temple to Jehovah on Mount Gerizim ( B.C. 409), and by Manasseh, brother of the high priest of Judah, being driven from Jerusalem by his refusal to renounce Sanballat's daughter, and by his becoming high priest of the heretical temple. This temple on Gerizim, in close proximity with the site of Shechem, the abode of the first patriarchs, gave dignity and solidity to some of their traditions and claims; and the modifications they had introduced into the text of the Pentateuch in their celebrated version of it helped to aggravate the schism between the two peoples. The district of country was held during the quarrels of the Ptolemies and Seleucidae alternately by both. Samaritan hatred of the Jews led them to purchase peace during the cruel oppression of Judah under Antiochus Epiphanes, by dedicating their temple to Zeus (Josephus, 'Ant.,' 12:05, 5), and again by siding with the Syrians against the Maccabees. Their temple was destroyed by John Hyrcanus, B.C. 130, and its ruins only were visible in the time of Christ. The city of Sebaste was built by Herod, on the site of the city of Samaria, and Flavia Neapolis, now called Nablous, was erected on the site or close neighbourhood of the ancient Shechem. There were mutual recriminations between Jews and Samaritans, which led to strained relations and fierce condemnation, and yet, strange to say, the rabbis did not treat the land as "unclean" (Edersheim, 'Life of Jesus the Messiah,' bk. 3, 100, 7), and consequently the disciples were not precluded from purchasing articles of food from the Samaritan village. They were the "foolish people," "abhorred" of devout Jews (Ecclus. 50, 25, 26); and Rabbi Chuda treated them as heathens, yet Simon ben Gamaliel regarded them as Israelites, and the 'Mishnah' shows that in many of their customs they resembled the Jews.] - Pulpit Commentary