Man…Does Jesus love His Women #4 The Samaritan Woman
Thirsty for true Love? Lonely and rejected by family and friends ? Perhaps concerned that your past or present may prohibit you from God’s complete love? God sees you my sister. He is going out of His Way to show you that He is the Way. How do I know?…from spending time with our next sweet sister in our series “Man….Does Jesus Love His Women” which focuses on Jesus’s relationship with women in the Bible. Let us study together our fourth women who is referred in scripture as The Samaritan Woman.
First read slowly John Ch. 4: 4-42.
- What do you think the statement, “He had to pass through Samaria” means?
Actually, he didn’t “have to” pass through Samaria as most Jews bypassed this area. The Samaritans were looked down upon by the Jews and any item they touched would be considered “unclean”. I believe that this was a divine appointment and that Jesus “had to pass through Samaria” because this was God’s will. God (Jesus) knew the Samaritan women would be at the well at noon and made sure he was there as well.
2. Why did she come at Noon? When do the other women come?
Women traditionally came early in the morning to fetch water. Perhaps she went at noon to avoid the other woman in her village? Did they look down on her for her living situation? Jesus knew she would be alone.
3. She is shocked that he would ask for her to touch something he would touch …why?
A Samaritan woman would be considered ritually unclean by the Jews. He had her at “Give me a drink”. Her thoughts probably were, “Who is this Jewish man that is talking to me …trying to get to know me?” He came not to ask for water but to give her what He knew she was thirsty for…….
4. Does she understand what he means by “living water?”
No. She takes him literally and thinks he is talking about a magic well.
5. She is happily surprised that Jesus knows about her five husbands and that the man she is living with is not her husband. How do you think the way Jesus is responding is different than the women in the village? She doesn’t feel condemned as her reaction is excitement and surprise that Jesus “Knows her”. I suspect she feels cared for that Jesus understands the circumstances, knows her heart and takes the time to chat with her.
She questions Jesus on which Mountain is best to worship God…..Does the physical location matter? What kind of worshipers does He seek? Spirit and Truth (John 14:16-17 John 3:5-7)
The Samaritans had their own Temple on Mt. Gerizim to contrast with Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. But Jesus is saying the location of worship doesn’t matter. Worshiping the true God is what is most important. He is seeking our true worshipers and seeks out the Samaritan woman as He is seeking to have relationship with you my sweet sister. Worship begins in our hearts. She no longer lives in confusion as to which mountain to worship on or if she should continue in her sin of living with this man.
She is face to face with the holy God of the universe and now knows what she needs to do.
Now read Isaiah 43:3 as this is an example of how water is used in scripture as an analogy for forgiveness and new life.
Remember not the events of the past, The things of long ago. See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, In the wasteland, rivers.
She leaves her jar and runs into town to tell them about her encounter with Jesus.
What is the significance of her leaving her jar?
She has found what she was really thirsty for. The Unconditional Love of the Savior of the World.
She has received the gift of the “Living Water” (Isaiah 44:3-5)
She has met Jesus who later in the same gospel answers, “ I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
She is often referred to as the First Missionary? Why?
She runs to tell everyone about her encounter. Even those women who rejected her? Yes! She wants to share her joy with all who will listen.
Does a missionary have to travel far? No…it often is the people around us in our ordinary day of fetching water that we can share the good news.
So my sweet sister. The Holy Savior of the World knows your heart. He sees you and knows your struggles. Come to the well and He will quench your thirst.
I end with a quote from the beautiful book, The Better Part by John Martunek
Christ is the Savior of the World, the Messiah, the long-awaited King greater even than Jacob, inheritor of the Promise and father of the twelve tribes of Israel, so he tells this divorcee. He graces the Samaritan woman with one of the richest descriptions of himself and his work that appear in all the Scriptures. Why? Why tell someone so insignificant? Because to him, she wasn’t insignificant at all. He wanted to be known by her, to give her hope, to save her. Ours is a Lord who wishes to shower us with His love, to fill us with the “living waters” of “the spirit and truth,” and to “tell us everything”. This is the God in whom we believe; this is the God we serve.