God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:22-24 NASB. This woman had been living a sinful life but by the time she was finished talking to Jesus, she received salvation in fill. Jesus knew her history but still accepted her and ministered to her. As she slighted Jesus for his apparent ridiculous offer, he decided to take things up a notch. In 586 B.C., the southern kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonian Empire once and for all, as the walls of Jerusalem were breached, the temple was destroyed, and the city walls torn down. See my full disclosure for more details. Samaritan woman was blessed to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Above all, the story, which unfolds in John 4:1-40, suggests that Jesus is a loving and accepting God, and we should follow his example. Redirecting to /core/journals/new-testament-studies/article/abs/marriage-and-the-samaritan-woman/0C99A409746F3DC20A14FBDDC0D7B8E0 Proud member Lord, when you present me with life-giving water, let me respond with exuberance and longing desire. The woman at the well seems to be a mysterious character in the Scriptures. Very often, meeting the needs of others can be messy. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Through conversation with the Samaritan woman, we see Jesus reveal Himself three times throughout the story. Another of the characteristics of the Samaritan woman is about her spiritual condition. 12 It is remarkable, for example, that in examining the Old Testament background of the expression 'living water' they concentrate on the symbols, Wisdom, Torah, Spirit, and ignore the figurative use of water in regard to women (for which, see below). As can be observed from the Bible, there are some thirty-four verses used to record this event. She should have understood what Jesus was talking about. When we put our faith and trust in Him as the Living Water, we can bank on the fact that the well will never run dry (Psalm 37:4). She was a social outcast. ? All this happened approximately seven-hundred years earlier. Jesus encounter with this woman brings to light four core beliefs or exhortations that modern-day Christians can learn. These circumstances point to his desire to avoid the embarrassment that would come from attending the well when other women . Firstly, she was poor. In the book of Acts, after Jesus' ascension into heaven, his apostles carried on his work in Samaria and to the Gentile world. What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? Everywhere He went, Jesus interacted with the poor and outcast. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. Lesson #1: Jesus is never too tired to love you. The Samaritans are also said to have expected the Messiah, as did the Jews; but they felt Jesus told him, Go and do likewise (Luke 10:36-37). In response, Jesus said that if she asked Him, He could give her living water. And that was at the temple they had built for themselves at Mount Gerazim. Stuck in sin. The Samaritans had a very unusual history. Samaritans were a group of people who were part Jew and part Gentile. He said to her, Go, call your husband and come here. The 5 husbands of the Samaritan woman remains a mystery because she never addressed it. Take time to look at the Samaritan woman inside yourself this week. It was about noon, the hottest part of the day, and a Samaritan woman came to the well at this inconvenient time to draw water. It was about the sixth hour. Jesus does not judge this womans history, though many Christian interpreters have. John 4:1-42). Through her response to Jesus as an evangelist, we are reminded that being a follower of Jesus calls us to put our gifts into action for the sake of others. I have no husband. It would have been easy for her to make up a story about her husband being dead or unavailable but she didnt. suspicion by some rulers of His own nation, here is one of the despised Samaritans who received What Does It Mean That "Your Life Is Hidden with Christ"? The following are some outstanding characteristics of the Samaritan woman: Lord, please grant us more women with the above characteristics, in Jesus name, Amen! No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can worship God whenever or wherever. Why did Jesus stop to talk to her? The Priceless Woman Virtues of a Godly Woman. He shall never thirst he shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his souls desires; they are longing, not languishing. We no longer need the next best thing, because Jesus is the greatest thing that will ever happen to us. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus asked her for a drink. We come with our water jug to get the water we thirst for. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.. Jesus is sovereign and sees the sin within our hearts (1 Timothy 5:15). living in sin when Jesus met her, but I feel sure her life was different from that time on. She has met the Messiah, the one she has been hoping for. In my weakness He is made strong. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35, NLT). What is for sure is this: nobody could contest her testimony. What can we learn from the Samaritan Woman at the well? Who was the Samaritan woman at the well? The Bible mentions plenty of stories about Samaritans, and the hatred between Jews and Samaritans features prominently in the Gospels. Whether we feel called to evangelize as she does or we are called to use our gifts in other ways, her story reminds us that our callings are opportunities to turn personal growth in faith into action for the sake of others. Learn how your comment data is processed. Topics concerned spirituallity, such as water, wisdom, life, workship, bridegroom, pilgrinage,. He tells us to ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK. Years earlier, Babylon had invaded Jewish territory and had taken the brightest and strongest in captivity. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman." (v.27). The other thing was that the Samaritans used only the first 5 books of the Hebrew holy book. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband (John 4:17-18). Zavada, Jack. Although they had never met before, Jesus revealed that he knew she'd had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. The Samaritan Woman in the Bible Was Living in Adultery, Jesus Conversation with the Woman at the Well, Do Your Own Bible Study of the Woman at the Well, The Samaritan Woman at the Well Commentaries, The strict Rabbis forbade a Rabbi to greet a woman in public. As the years passed and my faith in Christ grew, I distanced myself from this needy woman of the Bible, oftentimes looking through the religious glasses I had put on to label others as the ones who needed this drink. Happy Womens Month to you . The living water that is given to us so freely in Christ becomes the well-spring of our life (John 4:13-14). Jesus did it to set women free to access the gospel in full. Qualities of Abigail in the Bible lessons from the woman with beauty and brains, 8 Amazing lessons from Mary the mother of Jesus . The longer she talks with him, the more her understanding grows until she sees the full truth: Jesus is the Messiah. Many were transformed by her testimony. Cast out. Typically, women came for water earlier in the day and they came in groups. Widowhood was a common experience in a culture where women were married very young. However, the Gospel brought hope to Samaria. Just as the Samaritan woman was looking to men to satisfy her soul, we also look to things outside of Christ to give our hearts meaning and purpose (John 4:14). The Samaritans were people who lived in what had been the Northern Kingdom of Israel. ", Summary of the Story of the Woman at the Well. The woman said to Him, I know that the Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us. 26 Jesus *said to her, I am He, the One speaking to you. Jesus loved her. All of her questions and persistence led her to come face to face with the Living God. This is why the Samaritan woman found it strange that Jesus, a Jew, was speaking to her. This was around noon-time during the heat of the day. Who is a woman you know who may be bearing the weight of sin, guilt, and shame? Yet, throughout the years she has often been maligned or misunderstood because of her sexual history. Copyright 2014 Light From God's Word. The Samaritan woman had a past she was not proud of. If you want to share this resource with others, please share the link to the blog post. At this point, Babylon had given way to the Persian Empire. As can be observed from the Bible, there are some thirty-four verses used to record this event. This, in and of itself, was uncommon for Jews to do, as Samaritans were part Jew and part Gentile, and greatly disliked by both parties. She wanted to avoid the awkward stares and murmurs that she was sure to encounter if she came with the other women. Leaving behind her water jar, the woman returned to town, inviting the people to "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did." We live in a culture where we are highly focused on the next best thing. The Samaritan woman is perhaps the only person in all of the New Testament to whom Jesus directly says he is the Messiah. The Samaritan woman represents everyone who needs Jesus. Jew, would talk to her but she seemed perfectly willing to draw Him water from the deep well. Next, the Samaritan woman went to draw water from the well at noon. Even the metaphorical use of water in regard to Wisdom owes much to its related and . The Samaritans looked for the Christ and expected Him to be a prophet who would teach them. After all, anybody who knew her was not interested in the icky details of her life. But in this time period, it was not unreasonable. One reason Jesus wants to satisfy the deepest longings of our soul through a loving relationship with Himself. The Insights Bible Study looked at several woman this week, but Tracey Henkel continues this week's teaching focusing on the Samaritan woman. Its possible that this was a genuine question, but its more likely that she was just trying to avoid the current topic of conversation. Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. He saw her potential to become a fully committed daughter of God. She was ashamed of her past and the way she was living at the time when she talked with Jesus. From the fall of the rebellious northern kingdom of Israel, to a mixed idolatrous religion, to a people group hated by the Jews, the Samaritans had a rocky history. For centuries Jews and Samaritans had rejected each other. She responds honestly and succinctly, I have no husband (4:17). The Jerusalem/Gerizim debate would soon be obsolete; He was ushering in a new era. She was an evangelistic woman (John 4:28-29, 39). As a Samaritan, she had similar beliefs so she should have know what Jesus was saying. During his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs. https://www.learnreligions.com/woman-at-the-well-700205 (accessed April 18, 2023). But after meeting Jesus, she was soooo happy that she lost her shame. However, Jesus had sent His disciples away (John 4:8), and we see the woman approach the well for water. God is not bound by time or place and hes not turned off by our condition. While on the way He got tired and thirsty. He is the Living Water that she needs, the well spring of life. The Samaritan woman is one of the better known women of the New Testament. The Samaritan woman in John 4:1-29 reveals this truth about us: that we are blind to our own need until the Anointed one opens our eyes. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Photo credit: Guercino [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons, (original image cropped). However, the Samaritans remaining in the land opposed the rebuilding efforts and caused problems for Nehemiah and his fellow workers (Nehemiah 6:1-14). The woman at the well was a Samaritan. fastest and most direct, though it required travelling through Samaria. How can you offer her living water? It was known that Samaria was a center of Baal's worship because he was one of the most attractive gods in the ancient world due to his commission of being the god of storms, rain and fertility, which the land of Samaria was longing for. He made Himself known to her, as He must to all who truly come to know Him. The Samaritan woman went to draw water at noon because she was not welcomed at the local well where the women in her community went for water. The Samaritans, being a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. Dustyn is also an ordained minister of Word and sacrament in the Reformed Church in America and previously served as a pastor at North Holland Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan. This was the beginning of a long-lasting hatred between Jews and Samaritans. As Jesus talked with her, he tried to get her to understand the idea of living water. He will never tire of us. The Jews and Samaritans were related. There was a teaching among the Samaritans that God could only be worshipped in one place. Then you can get clean, clear direction to walk in light and life. There were even Pharisees who were called the bruised and bleeding Pharisees because they shut their eyes when they saw a woman on the street and so walked into walls and houses!, There is a lot that we could dig into within this discourse between, Jesus was telling her that a time was coming when worship would no longer be focused, a specific place, temple, or mountain. Jesus showed that the Gospel is for everyone. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. This interaction between Jesus and the woman at the well can teach us some truly deep lessons of confrontation, compassion and freedom. of What does it mean that the fields are white for harvest (John 4:35). This post contains affiliate links. He knows our desires, and yet He still pursues us and loves us (Romans 3:23). So, there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:4-8). He broke through the cultural barriers in order to love others. Perhaps the broken relationships had taken their toll on her. Read my full disclosure. This must have affected her spiritual life since she believed that God was located in only one place. This fact suggests that she did not have any women friends which only happened if nobody wanted to be associated with her. 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