The Woman at the Well
One of the benefits of summer break is cleaning out my homeschool room. While rummaging through curriculum, unfinished workbooks and a vast array of books, I discovered a Precept study that I had not completed. I began Part 1 of John probably about two years ago and stopped it around week seven to prepare to teach Daniel at my church. The study was filed in my homeschool bookcase and forgotten about.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to discover an unfinished study, especially since my quiet time seemed to be lacking. It was just the prescription I needed.
I picked back up with John Chapter 4. Like most people, the story of the Samaritan woman was familiar. I knew some of the cultural issues with the region of Samaria and spent time researching them further in my commentary. I found this helpful in understanding better about the woman at the well encounter from the Bible Knowledge Commentary:
The woman was shocked to hear a Jewish man ask for a drink from her. The normal prejudices of the day prohibited public conversation between men and women, between Jews and Samaritans, and especially between strangers. A Jewish Rabbi would rather go thirsty than violate these proprieties[1]
A Rabbinic law of a.d. 66 stated that Samaritan women were considered as continually menstruating and thus unclean. Therefore a Jew who drank from a Samaritan woman’s vessel would become ceremonially unclean[2]
What Jesus did here with the woman was extraordinary. He reached across cultural boundaries and shared the universal message of the gospel. God’s saving grace isn’t just for Jews, it is for all races, all people all over the world. This was, and still is, good news!
Then verse 39 (ESV) struck me. It says,
Many Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “he told me all that I ever did.”
Here was a Jewish man who broke Rabbinic laws by not only speaking to Samaritan woman but asking for a drink from water she drew, telling her of her life and offering her living water. The woman, already known with a reputation that Jesus pointed out in verse18, shared her experience with other Samaritans and they responded with curiosity.
Jesus makes it clear, no matter what your background is, no matter what your sin issue is, no matter what culture your from, salvation is available to you. He further shows through the woman that even a society outcast or someone with a less than stellar reputation can share their testimony and reach a group of people. In other words, God can use anyone.
Look again at verse 39 (ESV),
Many Samaritans from the town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.
Many believed.
I love this story. It encourages me to share the gospel more, and not just with my neighbors but with other cultures as well. I also know that even though I am not prefect, God can use my testimony to reach people.
Jesus showed great love in Chapter 4 of John. His gospel message is good news and I need to get busy sharing it with everyone.
In Christ Alone,
Dana
[1] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 285). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 285). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
It is so true, Dana. Jesus reached out to the rest of the world by sharing God’s love and grace with the Samaritan woman. We too need not to hold back on sharing the Good News will all we come in contact with. We need to share what God has done for us.