Final answer:
John 4:9 indicates that Jews historically did not have dealings with Samaritans, mainly due to religious and ethnic disputes, despite sharing common ancestry and scriptures.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to John 4:9 in the New Testament, Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. The verse reflects historical tensions between Jewish people and Samaritans during ancient times. This animosity is understood within the broader context of religious differences and ethnic disputes. Jews and Samaritans shared a common ancestry and scripture (the Torah), but disagreed on the location and ways to worship God. While Jews centered their worship in Jerusalem, Samaritans believed that Mount Gerizim was the correct place to worship. This division led to a lack of interactions between the two communities.
Historically, after the Exodus from Egypt, Jews established monotheism, worshipping only one God, Yahweh, as part of their covenant. Over time, Jews continued to develop their religious practices and interpretations, like those found in the Talmud, placing emphasis on moral behavior and actions in this world. In contrast to the portrayals of tension in historical and religious texts, other sources, like those from the 6th century BCE in Leviticus and statements from Hillel in the Talmud, emphasize love, compassion, and ethics within Jewish teachings.