Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

Jesus and the woman at the well. 

The story of  Jesus and the Samaritan woman can only be found in the Gospel of John. In Chapter 4, Jesus stayed in Jacob's well. As a Samaritan woman was drawing water, Jesus asked her if she can have a drink of water. This started a conversation between Jesus and her. There were many topics that they conversed such as: 1.)  Why did she conversed with her, for Jews and Samaritans don't deal well with each other. 2.)  A conversation about water, a comparison to Jacob's well and Christ as the living water. 3.) Her real identity, regarding her husband (as Jesus has said she has already 5 husbands). 4.) About the place where to worship. 5.) About the identity of the Messiah.
(JOHN 4: 4-26)

When she knew that he was the Messiah, she left her jar and went about the town and told about Jesus. Many people in that place believed in him. (JOHN 4: 28-29,39-42).

The story of the Samaritan woman shows that Jesus does not choose whom he will save. The people of Samaria has a different belief because of the division of the Kingdom of Israel ( 1 KINGS 12). Yet Jesus calls us near a well. The symbolizes the world, since those that drank of the water of the well will still thirst. In this world, we always thirst for money, power, etc. But Jesus Christ provides us with the living waters, (his word), so that we may never thirst, It will be "a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (JOHN 4:14).  This is his promise to us.

There is also the topic of worship. As the Samaritan woman said that they worship in the mountains but the Jews said that they worship in Jerusalem. Jesus replied that they know not what they worship but the Jews do, for theirs is salvation. Jesus then told her that there will come a time that the Father will be worshiped in Spirit and Truth, because the Father is a Spirit. (JOHN 4: 20-24). This means that the Samaritans worshiped in the mountains as their custom (again a practice given by King Jeroboam, their first king) while the Jews worshiped in Jerusalem (the Temple). Jesus message for us here is that there will come a time that we will not worship the Lord in a physical place, but more in a spiritual nature. The mere fact that she was called by Jesus meant that she is going to know of this. And when she believe what he said, she called the people in Samaria, and many believed him.

We are like the Samaritan woman. We are all bound by traditions or things of this world. We go about our life on a daily basis. Eat, sleep, work, have fun, etc.  But God calls us to offer him a drink. In return he will give us living waters. These living waters will not only quench our thirst, but will flow within us, spring forth and overflowing. Why? So that others that thirst can also drink of it, and his thirst can be quenched. Have you drank of the living waters?

MAY JESUS BLESS YOU

BRIAN LUCIANO

JANUARY 17,2017