John 4:27

And upon this came his disciples; and they, marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why speakest thou with her?

They marvelled that he was speaking with a woman ... The low estate of woman in that generation is evidenced by these words. It simply was not done. No holy man, after the custom of the times, would have done what Jesus did here; but, in the beautiful words of McCartney:

Woman, who made it fit and decent and moral for a prophet to talk with thee? Who threw a zone of mercy and protection around thy little child? Who lifted thee up and changed thee from man's chattel and property to man's friend and equal and inspirer? Who obliterated the brand of the slave from thy face and put on thy brow the halo of chivalry and tenderness and romance? Who so changed thy lot, that instead of marvelling today that a prophet should talk with a woman, what men marvel at is that there ever was a time when men should have marvelled that Christ talked with a woman? Come then, woman; break thine alabaster box, filled with the ointment precious and very costly. Come, break the box and pour thine ointment of love and gratitude upon his head and feet. Come, wash his feet with the tears of thy love and wipe them with thy hair for a towel.[5]