In John’s Gospel the Samaritan woman
Samaritan woman at the well
The Samaritan woman at the well is a figure from the Gospel of John, in John 4:4–26. In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic traditions, she is venerated as a saint with the name Photine.
Messiah
In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of moshiach, messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible; a moshiach is a king or High Priest traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil. Mes…
Nicodemus
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John...
Full Answer
Who is the woman at the well in John 4?
John 4:5-30 Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
Who was Samaritan woman in the Bible?
In Eastern Christian tradition, the woman's name at the time of her meeting Jesus is unknown, though she was later baptized "Photine". She is celebrated as a saint of renown....Veneration.Saint PhotiniVenerated inEastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church)2 more rows
What is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well?
The Story of the Samaritan Woman As He was resting, a woman of the town came to fetch water, and He asked her for a drink. She was surprised at His request, for Jews did not associate with Samaritans. Jesus responded that if she knew who she was talking to, she would have asked Him for a drink.
Is Mary Magdalene the same as the Samaritan woman?
The references to Cathar belief in a married Christ reflect the medieval legend that Mary Magdalene was a sinful woman saved from her depravity by Jesus; the witnesses to this Cathar belief state that they identified her with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:7-30) and the woman taken in adultery (John 8:2-11).
Who is the Samaritan woman and why was she alone at the well?
The Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at Jacob's Well gleans much from her long conversation with Jesus. When she discovers his identity as the Messiah she leaves her water jar, much like the disciples left their nets, and becomes an effective evangelist to her community.
Where did the Samaritan woman come from?
John 4:4-9, The Samaritan Woman So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water.
What is the character of Samaritan woman?
But one of her outstanding characteristics is that she was kind. Although Jesus was a male, Jewish stranger, she was kind enough to grant his request for water. She had every reason to ignore him. She could have chosen to carry on the tradition of hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.
What is the moral of the story of Samaritan?
The moral of the story is that you should put aside your differences and help those who are in need of help. The Samaritan did not think about the race or the religion of the man; he just saw a man who needed help.
What lesson can we learn from John chapter 4?
“Our purpose is to worship the true and living God and to do it by the power of the Spirit and in the way he has ordained. The approved worship of the true God leads to salvation; devotions rendered to false gods and which are not founded on eternal truth carry no such assurance.
What did Jesus say about Mary Magdalene?
But Jesus refuses to condemn her, or even to deflect her gesture. Indeed, he recognizes it as a sign that “her many sins must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love.” “Your faith has saved you,” Jesus tells her. “Go in peace.”
Did Jesus have a daughter with Mary Magdalene?
The notion of a direct bloodline from Jesus and Mary Magdalene and its supposed relationship to the Merovingians, as well as to their alleged modern descendants, is strongly dismissed as pseudohistorical by a qualified majority of Christian and secular historians such as Darrell Bock and Bart D.
Are Mary Magdalene and Jesus related?
St. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. She was one of the witnesses of the Crucifixion and burial of Jesus and, famously, was the first person to see him after the Resurrection.
Who were the 3 Samaritans?
According to Biblical tradition, the Israelites were divided into 12 tribes and the Israelite Samaritans say they are descended from three of them: Menasseh, Ephraim and Levi.
What is the character of Samaritan woman?
But one of her outstanding characteristics is that she was kind. Although Jesus was a male, Jewish stranger, she was kind enough to grant his request for water. She had every reason to ignore him. She could have chosen to carry on the tradition of hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans.
What did the woman at the well ask Jesus?
Your questions, without understanding inflection, tone of voice, facial expressions, and other characterizations, seem raw and pointed. She asked Jesus a series of questions when he asked for a drink:
What happened during Jesus’ talk with the Samaritan woman?
After Jesus asked for a drink, the Samaritan woman asked how she could ask him for this, since she was a Samaritan and Jesus was Jewish. He answered:
What did Jesus say to his disciples before he ascended to heaven?
Just before He ascended to heaven, Jesus told his disciples, Go and make disciples of all nations. We know that this is a command for all Christians in each successive generation. Yet I think most of us feel guilty because we hardly ever tell anyone about the greatest gift in the world (salvation through Jesus Christ).
Why do we drink water?
But instead we spend our time and energy drinking water from the world’s broken cisterns and wonder why we are still thirsty. Wealth, beauty, art, education, power, pleasure, career, even marriage –all are finally meaningless in the effort to find the essential values of life, to find personal fulfillment, to quench our thirst. Nothing material or earthly can satisfy the thirst of our spirits. Jesus claims to give one drink that will satisfy our heart’s thirst forever. To drink is another way of saying, “to believe.”
Why does Jesus say "living water"?
Here Jesus identifies living water with the Holy Spirit who indwells each person the moment that we put our faith in Christ. In the O.T. the Spirit came upon people to enable them to accomplish specific tasks, then He could leave. But now He lives permanently in each one of us who belong to Jesus. That is why we will not be thirsty for God again.
What did Jesus say about the disciples?
The disciples were as literal in their understanding as the woman was. Jesus spoke of the complete satisfaction that comes from doing what God wants us to do. Many of you know the unparalleled joy it is to see a person trust the Savior because of your efforts.
What did the disciples attitude towards women reflect?
The disciples attitude towards women reflected that of the culture, but Jesus never obeyed the traditions of men that violated God’s value system and they did not dare to question him.
How to win people to Jesus Christ?
The premise is that as we try to win people to Jesus Christ, we must attempt first to become their friends, talk to them, listen to them, invite them to our homes, go places with them, show them love, help them in their need.
Why is it important to confess your sins?
The sins we commit are just the evidence that we have a sinful nature. We all need forgiveness and Jesus is the only One who can give it. Many times human pride will keep us from admitting our sin. That is why this is important.
Who Was the Samaritan Woman at the Well?
Though we are not told this woman’s name, she has the longest conversation with Jesus of any character in the book of John. Yet, throughout the years she has often been maligned or misunderstood because of her sexual history. This history often colors our reading of this episode, so before diving into the rest of her conversation with Jesus, let’s look at this aspect more closely.
Where does Jesus meet Samaritan women?
Jesus meets this Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well after a morning’s journey and disregards social custom by asking her for a drink. This boundary crossing between a Jew and a Samaritan sparks a conversation about their theological differences. Like all Samaritans, she traces her ancestry back to Jacob. She reveres this place but is curious about this stranger who promises something greater. She has a good grasp on her own tradition’s beliefs, so she asks, “Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well?” (4:12). And yet, she is eager for the eternal abundance Jesus promises.
What happens if two partners are not equal?
If the two partners in the relationship were not of equal social status or wanted to avoid inheritance issues, they might choose this option. She could also be a second wife, a role which was also socially acceptable but not considered of the same status as the first wife.
Who was the woman at Jacob's well?
The Samaritan Woman at the Well. The Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at Jacob’s Well gleans much from her long conversation with Jesus. When she discovers his identity as the Messiah she leaves her water jar, much like the disciples left their nets, and becomes an effective evangelist to her community. This Bible study of John 4 explores ...
Does Jesus judge this woman's history?
Jesus does not judge this woman’s history, though many Christian interpreters have. Instead, through her conversation with Jesus, we discover a model for discipleship that is open to discovering a fuller understanding of God’s action in the world.
Who is Dustyn Elizabeth Keepers?
candidate in Systematic Theology at Wheaton College Graduate School. Her current research centers on John Calvin, ecclesiology, and feminist theology. Dustyn is also an ordained minister of Word and sacrament in the Reformed Church in America and previously served as a pastor at North Holland Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan.
What does Jesus say to the Samaritan woman?
Jesus is speaking about the spiritual realm but the Samaritan woman can’t get past the physical realm. JOHN 4:16-19 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”.
What does John 4:18 mean?
Chances are, she had been divorced a number of times and/or been with men who weren’t her husband. ανδρας (andras), the original Greek word translated “husbands” in this passage more commonly means “men,” so John 4:18 could very well have read, “for you have had five men, and he whom you now have is not your husband...”.
Why did Jesus sit by the well?
Jesus and his disciples entered a Samaritan village, and the disciples went to buy food (v. 8) while Jesus sat by the well because he was tired. A woman from the nearby village of Sychar came for water. 4: 7b and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink.".
What did Jesus say to the Samaritan woman?
Although the woman still wasn’t sure what this living water was, she wanted it. 4:16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back.". 4:17 The woman answered him, "I have no husband.".
Why did Jesus reveal himself to this woman and not to Nicodemus?
The Samaritans were not looking for a political Messiah from the line of David; they were looking for a prophet like Moses who would restore the observance of the law of Moses as it should be (Sloyan, 54). Jesus could reveal himself as Messiah to her without worrying about political misunderstandings that would have arisen in Judah.
Why did the woman have 5 husbands?
She could also be trapped by the Levirate marriage law. Her five husbands could have been brothers for whom she was supposed to produce an heir (Matt. 22:24-28). Either the family ran out of sons or the next son could have refused to marry her. That she was living with a man now who was not her husband could have been the lesser of two evils. Since the culture provided economic security only within family structures, her only other choice after husband number five died or divorced her could have been prostitution. Regardless of why the woman had had five husbands, the implication is still that she is a woman who cannot keep a man.
Did Jesus go through Samaria?
Verse 4 says that Jesus “had to [Gk: edei] go through Samaria.” The use of edei (had to) makes it clear that this is a divine appointment. It was not geographically necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria, and Jewish travelers normally traveled around Samaria. Jesus and his disciples entered a Samaritan village, and the disciples went to buy food (v. 8) while Jesus sat by the well because he was tired. A woman from the nearby village of Sychar came for water.
Who was the first person Jesus revealed himself to?
Jesus then revealed something to this unnamed, foreign woman that he did not reveal to Nicodemus, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you” (John 4:26). The Samaritan woman was the first person to whom Jesus revealed himself as Messiah in the Gospel of John, and this is the first “I am” statement in the gospel as well (Cunningham and Hamilton, ...
When was Solomon's temple destroyed?
Tensions continued to degrade until the temple on Mt. Gerizim was destroyed by the Jews in 128 B.C. ( The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 726-7).
What was the route to Jerusalem from Galilee?
There were three routes between Galilee and Jerusalem. (1) Along the coast, (2) along the Jordan valley, or (3) along the central ridge road that wound north through the passes in the mountains. The latter was the fastest and most direct, though it required travelling through Samaria. Antagonism between the Jews and Samaritans sometimes caused tension along this route (Luke 9:52), but, because of its speed, it was the route taken by most Jews going to Jerusalem, [158] except, perhaps, the strictest Jews who avoided the route to prevent contracting some kind of ceremonial uncleanness.
Where is Sychar located?
Sychar, probably on the site of the present-day town of Aschar, is near the ancient ruins of Shechem. [159] . The site lies on the ridge road between Galilee and Jerusalem in the narrow pass between two mountains, Mt. Ebal to the north (3,080 feet elevation) and Mt. Gerizim to the south (2,890 feet elevation).
What does Yahweh mean by "spring of living water"?
Yahweh refers to himself as "the spring of living water" (Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13), his people will drink from his "river of delights," and he offers the "fountain of life" (Psalm 36:8-9). As we'll see, Jesus uses the metaphor of living water to refer to the gift of the Spirit in 7:37-39.
What does Jesus mean by "living water"?
Jesus mentions "living water." This phrase normally referred to flowing water from a river or stream, as opposed to standing water from a pond or well. But Jesus uses the word ambiguously (as is common in John's Gospel), giving the word a deeper meaning, water that imparts life, and, as we see in verse 14, a gift that imparts eternal life.
How many claims does Jesus make for those who drink this water?
Jesus makes two claims for those who drink this Living Water.
What draws the woman's attention to Jesus' reply?
Jesus' reply draws the woman's attention to two things: (1) his gift, and (2) his person.
How deep is Jacob's well?
Jacob's well still exists there, fed by springs and dug out to a depth of more than 100 feet. Though the Bible doesn't tell of its initial construction, it was doubtless dug on the land Jacob purchased from the leader of the nearby city of Shechem (Genesis 33:18-20). [160]
What does Jesus say about having no husband?
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband .18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
What did Jesus say to a Samaritan woman when she came to draw water?
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (E)8 (His disciples had gone into the town(F)to buy food.)
What did Jesus say to the woman?
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”. 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. ( N)
Where did Jesus leave for?
he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ( AO) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, ( AP) for they also had been there.
