Cometh a Woman of Samaria

The scripture for this study is found in the Gospel according to John. The intent here is not one of lengthy exposition, but a few choice observations.

While Matthew, Mark and Luke freely make use of the parables of the Lord Jesus, John does not. Under the surface writings of this Apostle lie allusions, portrayals, meanings of great depth. Woven into them are “signs,” semelon, Gr., indication, mark, signify. As the Jews have always been a people prone to seek “signs,“ so the “signs” portrayed in John revolve somewhat around the culture of the Jews.

Matthew begins his writing with the genealogy of Christ, beginning at Abraham, while in chapter three Luke traces it backwards to Adam. John likewise records our Lord’s genealogy: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1. To recognize that the record of John is shrouded with mystery, one need only read the Book of the Revelation. Though in thisdocumentation his accounting on the surface may appear relatively simple and straight forward, may it be said that there are depths to be discovered here of which many will never become aware. Does not John give more than a hint of what is to follow as he declares the Son of God to be the Word; to be Light; to be Life; to be Creator of all? “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. Here is the eternal Word incarnate in Jesus Christ. He is the Bread of Life; He is Living water: drink deeply of Him. . .

I remember the words of a dear preacher/brother: When you look at the scripture and see what man is doing, do not stop - not until you discover what God is doing: the Bible is not a book whose design is to reveal man unto God, but to make known the Person of the Godhead, to reveal Christ, the Gospel, and at least a few of the Divine Purposes of a Sovereign God unto man. If we say, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” how much the more do we come short of the glory of God when we do not earnestly seek His face; to know Him; to know of His glory?

Jesus had left the marriage at Cana where He had been told, “They have no wine,” whereupon He made the waters of purification wine - the wine being offered to the governor, intimating the blood of Christ that reconciles and brings joy. In chapter three Jesus is in Jerusalem. Nicodemus comes to Jesus intrigued by “these miracles that thou doest;” but finds that in order for him to drink of this Living Water, he must first be “born of water and of the Spirit,” speaking perhaps of both the spiritual Womb and the Word; the Spirit being the “attending Physician!” Shall not the Jewish nation come to Jesus in the forthcoming of their darkest hour. . .?

We are in chapter four. And now we find our Lord in Samaria, sitting on Jacob’s well, where He repeats His former request as at the marriage of Cana: “Give me to drink.” Once again would He Himself supply the needed refreshment that would forever quench the thirst of the willing partaker.

“There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink” John 4:7. Inquisitive creature that she is, she asks, “How is it that thou being a Jew, asketh a drink of me which am a woman of Samaria?” vs. 9. “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is [the Gift of God] that saith unto thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of him, [the Gift of God] and he would have given thee living water” vs.10. In chapter five Jesus is found at the pool of Bethesda: there is a man who lay impotent for thirty-eight years, (“Thirty eight years was exactly the length of time that Israel spent in the wilderness after they came under the law at Sinai. . .in the Wilderness of Sin, that of old, Israel manifested their “impotency” - blind, halt, withered - under the law. (Gospel of John, A. W. Pink.) This man thought to be put into the water that he might be made whole - but Jesus put within him Living Water - and he was truly made whole! Examples being given, Jesus becomes plain in His teaching. In chapter six He proclaims, “I AM the bread of life” vs. 35,48,51. References made to “drinking His blood”: vs.53,54,55,56. In chapter seven Jesus says: “If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” John 7:37,38. In chapter eight a woman is brought into His presence, accused of adultery - which I suppose leads us into our current study!

Here is the account of a woman upon whom judgment has been passed; she is presumed guilty; a woman of ill repute, worthy of great shame; an adulterous woman - after all, she is a Samaritan. . .But “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10.

“Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman saith unto him, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that sayest thou truly” John 4:17-19. What did Jesus know that we do not? “Thou hast had five husbands.” Is He indicating that she is divorced from all five - or that all five are deceased? And “he whom thou now hast is not thy husband.” His marital state is not known: was he married? widowed? divorced? How involved, their relationship: had he “known” her?

What saith the scripture? “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead. . .But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter” Rom. 7:2-4,6.

“But now we are delivered from the law.” Delivered, katargeo, to abolish. “The effect of the identification of the believer with Christ in His death is to render inactive his body in regard to sin, Rom. 6:6. The death of a woman’s first husband discharges her from the law of the husband, that is, to make void her status as his wife in the eyes of the law, 7:2; in that sense the believer has been discharged from the law, 7:6. Vine’s Expository Dictionary .

The word “delivered,” as used in the Authorized Version carries a much stronger connotation in the Greek; it is a legal term, “discharged from the law.” When a man is discharged from the law, he has been cleared and will never face trial in that matter again. No phantom of re-arrest hangs over one whose case has been settled. (Barnhouse) Are we not “dead to the law by the body of Christ?” What? Shall the law pursue, arrest, and think to re-try a dead man for his past crimes? The arm of the law may be long, but not long enough to reach into the grave! But it is not as though we were held in captivity by the law and were snatched away by the hand of another from a reluctant law who refused to let us go. No, “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” Gal. 3:24.

The Samaritan woman, if she were yet under the servitude of the law, faced death: for the law could not deliver her: but she continued under the servitude of a far worse taskmaster; that of sin itself. It is suggested that Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Joshua represent the five husbands (possibly omitting Deuteronomy from the list as it was the second giving of the law) placing the Samaritan woman to be living during the time of the judges. “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” Judges 17:6. The same verse is found in Judges 21:25, the end of the book of Judges. Thus, the thought here is, the woman, acting independently, not being bound by the law of the husband, is doing that which is right in her own eyes, she “has no husband.”

But what if “Thou hast no husband” signified that she was at the threshold of being made free from the servitude of the law? What if she is ready to serve in newness of spirit; to be married to Christ? Is she even now ready to worship God in spirit and in truth? The hour is coming when Israel will be “delivered from the law that they should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

The Samaritans were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise” Eph. 2:12. Their “five husbands,” all deceased, had left them widowed. Having desired a king so as to be in conformity with the other nations, they had alienated themselves from their Betrothed: the Lord God Jehovah was their Creator, King, and Husband. Now in a foreign land, distanced from Jerusalem, appeared a woman, going not to one of the wells within the city, but to Jacob’s well. She might not return unto Jerusalem, but the water from Jacob’s well may have brought a degree of comfort. Perhaps she remembered David, who, in finding himself estranged from the beloved Bethlehem, longed for a drink from its wells. Alone and despised by both the Jew and the heathen in whose land she is made to serve, there is shame, reproach, sorrow. But in spite of these there remains a Blessed Hope - Messiah the Christ will come!

“There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. . .Then said the woman of Samaria unto him,” How!?! “How is it that thou ask drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria?” vs.9. Is she, a creature of His Creation, expected to give unto her Creator from the abundance of His creation?

“The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” vs.11. “No man came come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” John 6:44. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” John 12:32. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” Rev. 22:17.

“The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” “The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing upinto everlasting life” vs.14.

“In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness” Zec. 13:1. “And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications” Zec. 13:10.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” vs.10. (Here is a short-term prophesy, for in a few moments the woman would say, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.”) things, logos: something said; subject of discourse, reasoning; by extens., a computation; spec.(with the article in John) the Divine Expression(i.e. Christ.) Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. The immediate response given her of Christ: “I that speak unto thee am he,” or I AM He. Search the New Testament scriptures. To whom, be it man or woman, priest or Pharisee; be it to the religious or the apostate; be it at day, be it at night; be it in the temple, be it by the seashore: to whom did He plainly declare Himself, I AM He? Here at the noon hour, in the accursed Samaria, to a solitary woman coming to draw water, did He plainly, openly acknowledge Himself as the Christ! I marvel! He would reveal Himself to this woman, then later, (also at midday) to Saul, a persecutor of the saints: “And I said, Who art thou Lord? And he said, I AM Jesus whom thou persecutest” Acts 26:15. Even this day will He “give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” Luke 1:77-79.

“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things” vs. 25. In verse 22 Jesus seemingly taunts her by saying that salvation is of the Jews (Judah). But she, undaunted by His words, boldly declares her faith in the coming of Messiah the Anointed One; that she would be included and not be denied the presence and salvation of God’s Chosen One though she is a Samaritan. Her words appear to be not the words that would be spoken of an unbelieving adulteress but of an Old Testament believer. A Samaritan? Yes. But perhaps also of the seed of Abraham, by faith?

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrim on the earth” Heb. 11:13.

But let us continue: “For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city” Heb. 11:14-16. How well this fits the misfits of Samaria!

“Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” vs. 26. Or, I AM He. There is a certain silence here. Jesus did not say, (we are not given record of) Be not faithless and unbelieving, nor, thy sins be forgiven thee.)

“Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.” Dare we conclude that this woman, then and there, had an “Emmaus experience?” “And their eyes were opened, and they knew him. . .And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” Luke 24:31,32.

“Then the woman left her waterpot, [she just found the Well of Living Water] and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” vs.28,29. Missionary that she was, she would not presume to impose faith but to propose it!

“Then they went out of the city, and came unto him” vs. 30. Obvious, I know, but how can we pass by the all-familiar verses of Hebrews 13:12 and 13? “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach” Heb. 13:13.

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman [if she be regarded as one of ill repute, therefore untrustworthy - why would they listen to her testimony at all?] and many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” vs. 39,41-42. Here in Samaria, the outcast, the scourge of Israel; put to shame, made widows of their former “husbands,” have met Him for whom their hearts have longed:

“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thywidowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For in a moment I have forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer” Isa. 54:4-8.

The returning disciple urged our Lord to eat. . .“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say ye not, There are four months, and then cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receivest wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together” vs. 35,36.

The obedience of the apostles and the other believers: “and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria. . .” Acts 1:8b. “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria [Sychar?] and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake” Acts 8:5,6a. “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” Acts 8:12. “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John” Acts 8:14. Behold the order: the fields already white unto harvest. . . ye shall be witnesses unto me. . .in Samaria. When Philip went to Samaria to preach Christ, they received the Word with one accord. . .they believed. Yes! Jesus must needs go through Samaria, where the people would “believe. . .because we have heard him ourselves, and knowthat this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world!”

The Heart of the Matter.

There remains today an unrest in the land of the Jews. Israel, though once again assembled as a nation, is in reproach; nations gather around her as birds of prey. But there is an internal strife. Israel is wounded - from within - and there is a great gulf fixed, a breach that separates her from Messiah: Israel needs the touch of the Great Physician; only he can heal and make whole. . .

“Pray for the peace of Israel.” Yes. But Israel shall not know peace among her neighbors until she first finds peace with God; the Peace of God. (“When a man’s [or a nation’s] ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” Proverbs 16:7.)

“Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. . .And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd. . .and my servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them. . .and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary

shall be in the midst of them for evermore” Ezek. 37: 21-28.

* Somehow it seemed appropriate to address the subject of Worship at the end. It is almost as though a parenthesis might be put around verses nineteen through twenty-four: they are somewhat doctrinal and theological in nature. Though we shall conclude with only a few brief comments, may reader (and writer) take them to heart.

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship” vs. 20. The worship of God: is it in the mountains of Samaria? or at Jerusalem? or within the confines of the sanctuary of the local church?

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” vs. 23,24.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions. . .I go to prepare a [dwelling?] place for you.” John 14:2. In chapter 15 Jesus says, “Abide in me.” “Abide in me and I in you, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me” vs.4. Where is the dwelling place of John 14? Is it not Christ Himself, our Abiding Place? What then, of worship; is it not the fruit of abiding in Christ? If not abiding in Him, then no fruit; if no fruit, then no worship. Likewise theacceptance our worship must include the hearing of the Word and the Obedience of the same. “If any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” John 9:31.

The place of worship is in the Person of worship; in the Presence of that Person, in the Spirit of that Person, in the Word of that Person. Though worship be a command yet our response should be, Lord, even if Thou hadst not commanded I would have given myself: I have desired, with all my being, to worship Thee! (Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” Matt. 22:37.) (how may one worship God unless he loves Him supremely?)

Jesus must need go through Samaria; He must be made flesh and dwell among us; that He may discover true worshippers, who will taste of Him; drink of His everlasting water; who shall come to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.