COMMENTS ON TODAY'S GOSPEL READING

NOTES FROM TODAY’S GOSPEL READING ––– JOHN 4:5-42

I wanted to do this because, as long as it is... there really are some interesting things to see here. Now this is more along the lines of Social/Cultural stuff, but interesting none-the-less.


First paragraph, verses 4-6
Jesus is in Samaria. Samaritans were Semiticly related to the Israelites. They were from the same stock of people. One could say they were Jew’s by another name. Although they worshiped in another temple (on another mount – Samara or Gerazim), the temple worship may have been the same, and they may have had the same ideas about God, etc. Yet for some reason, the pious and righteous Jews saw the Samaritans as a combination of red-headed-step-child and deserters of the faith they used to have.
I’d guess it might be today how some Jewish people view Messianic Jews. They actually were once Jews… but they (in their opinion) left their Jewish tradition, to become some bastardized combination of Jewish and something else. It may be a feeling of – either be a Jew or be a Christian, but here you are trying to play both.

Although they are in Samaria, there is reference to Jacob and Jacob’s well. Jacob is one of the three people mentioned in the Torah as connected to the Abrahamic covenant (“The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”.) This could show that the Samaritans and the Israelites share some religious, if not actual, history. They are related.

“It was about noon.” – Sets the stage for what will happen in verse 7.


Second paragraph, verses 7-15
A Samaritan woman comes to the well. Typically women would go to the well in the morning to get the water for the day, or at least the first portions of the day. So why is she there at noon? Well, there’s no one around then. She may very well not have wanted other women around (women were typically the one’s that drew the water for the family – it was, as they say, women’s work). We find out later why.

Jesus asks her for water. Although it is women’s work to serve men, no pious and observant Jewish man would want to be anywhere near a Samaritan… much less a Samaritan woman.

The text says his disciples were away. Would they have protested at this point?
Tangentially, this however begs the question; unless Jesus actually told them what each of them said, how do we know what the woman or Jesus might have said to each other while no one else was there to hear (or record)?

She then responds by noting the fact that she is a Samaritan and he is a Jew, an obvious reference to the animosity between the two groups of people.

He then refers to this idea of Living Water. Living Water is moving, non-salty, drinkable water. He’s referring to Living Water in Spiritual terms. She however thinks he is talking about the water in this well still. “How can you get this water? This well is deep, and you don’t have a bucket.” Jesus responds, “I’m not talking about water in this well, but the Living Water from the well of God.” From this water, you never thirst again.
He’s touched something in her… she wants this water. But she still doesn’t quite get it. “Great. I want this water so I won’t have to come here to this well again.” There may be some sort of shame in going the well, even if it isn’t when the other women go.

Third Paragraph, verses16-26
Here there a first in the Gospel of John.
The first thing he does is move the conversation into more personal and less theological terms. He brings up her “husband” situation. We learn she doesn’t have the most, shall we say, stable marital history. Who knows why, but the implication is not good for her reputation.

She steers the conversation to theological terms – Samaritans worship here, but Jews say one must worship there. Which mount, which temple?
This is often asked still… What is the RIGHT way to worship?
Jesus responds by saying something to the effect of; Which mount, which temple… although people make a big deal about this now, the point is that it won’t matter later. What will matter is to worship God in truth and honesty. The important thing is to bring an open heart.

She then responds by saying she is waiting for the Messiah, the anointed one. Here Jesus says for the first time in the Gospel of John he is the messiah. Interesting that he would reveal himself in this way to a woman whose moral character is publicly criticized. Here we have a real appreciation for Jesus’ connection with the… very real… outcasts.

Fourth Paragraph, verses 27-30
Then his disciples come back. They seem to be able to tell right away who he’s talking to, what kind of history she has. But unlike some other times in the Gospels, they, this time at least, keep their mouths shut.

Then the woman goes back to her village and tells others about Jesus. I find this interesting though… if she was a woman that others found of questionable moral character, what might have motivated her to go and tell the people in her village (perhaps people who weren’t too kind to her) about this person that was in the process of changing her life?
But then again, who’s testimony would have made as much on an impact on her village more than hers?


Fifth Paragraph, verses 30-38
Here we move into another theological discussion that John is famous for. In this case Jesus talks, not about Living Water, but Spiritual Food.
Jesus points out that the sowers and the reapers have done their work (among the Samaritans evidently), and here enter the disciples to labor afterwards.

Sixth Paragraph, verses 39-42
Here we return to the Samaritan village of the woman from the well. Again we have her testimony about Jesus. And as a result he stays in her village 2 days. Here he does what he has been called to do… that is, preach the good news to the people! An interesting thing… he’s not making a difference with the Israelites. He’s making a difference among the Samaritans! They listen to Jesus!
This is the classic plight of the Israelite prophets of old. No prophet was listened to, except one. None of the prophets who went to the Israelites were listened to. And of all the prophets, only one was heard. And that one was sent not to the people of Israel, but to a non-Israelite people. Jonah was sent to the Ninevites. And the Ninevites were the only ones to repent as the prophet Jonah called.

This is all very interesting stuff. Sociologically, culturally, theologically... interesting stuff. And there is a lot there to talk about.
But what difference does all this make after all?
I must say I really struggled with what to say this morning. I did not feel good at all about what I said, or left unsaid.
What did I want to say? I wanted to say that we're all looking for Living Water. I wanted to say it's the outsiders that still are attracted to the words of Jesus, because they often have nothing left to lose. I remember the prison ministry from a few years back. I remember many instances of Living Water from the inmates. Moments of profound prayers, of hearing confessions and seeing people's souls be lighter afterwards. I was with people as they continued struggling through some pretty deep stuff.
We're all looking for that Living Water, those words that speak our name, that speak words of love and acceptance.
I remember a time when I was in High School. I had enterd my parents room to say good bye to my mother because I was going somewhere, I don't rememebr where. My mother was lying down in bed, she was taking a nap or just resting in bed. But in order to give her a hug I had to get down on my knees. And I have always rememebered that hug.
My mother has always been an affectionate person, and her hugs have always reflected that. This hug had warmth and love. It was the embrace of a mother's acceptance of her son. It was a hug that spoke more than any words could have ever said. It was one of the most profound moments of total acceptance I have ever felt. And that hug has stayed with me since then. It was Living Water to me.
Have you ever had Living Water? In the story the woman was changed. The story does not express the profound nature of her desire for Living Water, or the profound nature of the transforation that occurred within her afterwards.
Living Water...

There werwe're all outsiders in some way, but most of us