A Samaritan Woman Meets Jesus – Part 2

Recap of Part 1 – vs 1-15

Jesus had started to get attention from the Pharisees, who had noticed that he was attracting more followers than John the Baptist. He withdrew to his home territory of Galilee and chose to go by way of Samaria [verse 4 says he had to pass through Samaria – indicating a divine purpose]. While there he initiated an encounter with a woman who had come to draw water. If he were following the rules of conduct for a rabbi he would have avoided her on at least three counts, as she was a Samaritan, a woman and had lived an immoral lifestyle. Instead, Jesus engaged her in a dialogue about living water. She seemed to think he was talking about a better source of physical water – but she was clearly drawn to Jesus and wanted to know more.

Vs 16-20 – Jesus reveals the secrets of her heart

Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

Background

When the kingdom of Israel was split into two nations following the death of Solomon, the ten northern tribes [Kingdom of Israel] built their own temple in Samaria. It was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin [Kingdom of Judah] continued to worship at Jerusalem until the Jerusalem temple was destroyed in 586 BC, and again after it was rebuilt. After the Samaritan temple was destroyed, some members of the ten northern tribes also came to worship in Jerusalem but apparently most did not.

vs 16-18 – Go, call your husband …. I have no husband …. you have had five husbands

• Jesus zeroes in on her sin, brokenness and shame
• He is doing exactly what is described in 1 Cor 14:24-25. This is the gift of prophecy at work.
• Notice that he doesn’t tell her she is a sinner. She already knows.
• By prophesying to her – without condemnation, simply speaking truth – Jesus reveals her heart and she is on the hook.

vs 19-20 – I perceive that you are a prophet … our fathers worshiped on this mountain

• The woman realizes that Jesus is prophesying to her
• She immediately asks him a question about worship. She correctly assumes that as a Jew he would regard the temple in Jerusalem as the proper place to worship.
• Why do you think she brought up this topic?
• Was she responding to God in some way, or was she just trying to dodge the awkward, embarrassing issue of her marital history?
• Hint # 1 – what was the point of Temple worship?
• Hint # 2 – is there a connection between worship and prophecy?

Vs 21-24 – Jesus reveals true worship (and invites her in to it)

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

• Jesus answers her question with no disrespect. Amazingly, He uses her question as a springboard to address the deepest need of her heart.
• He affirms that salvation comes from the Jews (they are the chosen people and their Messiah is the Saviour of the world) but then shifts the focus to the true worship.
• What does worship in spirit and truth require of us? What does it promise us?
• Imagine you were this woman. How might you be feeling as Jesus spoke to you about these things? What thoughts might be passing through your mind?

Vs 25-30 – Jesus reveals His identity as Messiah. The woman becomes a witness to her town.

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Background

The Samaritans had their own Pentateuch [first 5 books] and believed from Deut 18:15-19 that a (teaching) prophet like Moses would come at the end of days.

• The woman speaks of this hope, perhaps as if to say “I don’t understand all this talk about worship, but when the Teacher comes, he will explain it all to us”.
• The disciples arrive and are amazed that Jesus was talking to a woman. Why?
• Why didn’t they question Jesus about this?
• Jesus tells her that he is the Messiah and she is convinced enough to tell the townspeople about him.  Why? What convinced her?
• What was the result of all this?

Reflection

Based on this story

• How was Jesus different from most other religious leaders of his day (or ours)?
• How can the gift of prophecy serve the purpose of evangelism?

Ministry

Let’s stir up the gift of prophecy by praying over each other and listening to Holy Spirit as we do so.

Personal prophecy is not good advice. It’s not primarily about giving correction or direction. Paul says that the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation (1 Corinthians 14:3) and that prophecy has the potential to reveal secrets of the heart (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). In so doing it also reveals Jesus, brings about spontaneous repentance and leads to genuine worship.