As I mentioned last week, most of you know how committed I am to understand the historical background of any biblical text prior to commenting on the text itself. That was the essence of last week’s blog. Today, we will look at the encounter itself, as Jesus begins a conversation with the “The Woman at the Well.” Those of you who have read my book “The Day Everything Changed,” realize that I have already provided the content for this conversation, and so, as I did last week, I submit for today’s blog the essence of that conversation from my book. By the way, if you would like to have a copy of the book, just let me know.
THE ENCOUNTER
A Divine Appointment. It had been almost 2,000 years since Jacob’s servants completed digging the well near Sychar in the valley between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. On one occasion during the early part of His ministry, Jesus told His disciples that they were going to leave Jerusalem and return to Galilee. However, instead of taking the normal eastern route that would avoid Samaritan territory, which was expected of all faithful Jews, Jesus told His disciples that they were going north, right through Samaria. Jesus’ disciples were naturally hesitant, that is, until Jesus said to them, “We must go through Samaria.” Jesus knew that there was an appointment that He had to keep, an encounter that would forever change the life of someone whom He was going to meet.
As they came to Jacob’s well near the village of Sychar, Jesus knew that His “divine appointment” was imminent. Knowing that having His disciples present would surely intimidate the one whom He would meet, Jesus sent His disciples into the village to buy food. Left alone by the well, a woman from the village came to draw water from the well. It was mid-day, and it was hot. The other women from the village came to draw water in the early morning before the heat became too unbearable, but this woman did not come with the others. You see, she was shunned by her peers because of her immoral lifestyle. And this was the one whom the Father had pre-ordained for His Son to meet.
Jesus began the conversation by asking her for a drink because He had nothing with which to draw water. His request took her by surprise because the social custom of the day prevented a Jewish man from speaking to any woman without her husband present, and particularly a woman from Samaria. Because Samaritans were considered “unclean” (by Jewish standards, of course), and knowing that if Jesus, a Jew, were to drink from a cup provided by an “unclean” Samaritan, He Himself would become defiled. But Jesus rarely paid attention to such restrictive social customs, and as a result, she asked,
“Why do you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?”
Sensing her hesitation, Jesus responded,
“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”
Living Water. Jesus knew how to craft a conversation in order to raise curiosity in the hearts and minds of others, and without telling her who He was, He subtly asked her to consider the identity of the One who had asked her for a drink. He also challenged her to consider what “the gift of God” and what the mysterious liquid called “living water” might be. Jesus wanted her to connect the dots, so to speak, by identifying “the gift of God” as the “living water” of which He spoke. He was also asking her to consider the identity of the One who could give her this water.
With her mind firmly focused upon the water found in the well in front of her, she assured Him that the well was deep and wondered how He could get this “living water.” Jesus knew her desperate need, and so He carefully and compassionately helped her to understand that there was another kind of water not found in the well dug by Jacob’s servants. Jesus said to her,
“Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water that I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
Guiding her thoughts toward another kind of water than that found in the well, Jesus offered to give her “living water.” She then understood that “the gift of God” was the “living water” that Jesus was offering her, and so, by a simple act of faith, she said,
“Sir, give me this water…”
Interestingly, being unaware of Jesus’ true identity, she addressed Him simply as “sir.” Unable to fully grasp the meaning of Jesus’ words, she asked to receive this water because,
“I don’t want to get thirsty again, nor do I want to continue coming all the way to this well to draw water.”
Jesus was helping her understand that the gift of “living water” would not come from any well, but from the bottomless reservoir of His own life. Jesus needed her to understand more of the “gift of God” as well as the identity of the stranger who was willing to give her a drink of “living water.” At this point, Jesus chose to lead her on an inward journey that would confront both her past, as well as her present circumstances.
Uncovered Past. Realizing that she had come to the well at the time of day that would avoid other women from the town, Jesus could see her desperate need for love and acceptance, and asked her to,
“Go, call your husband, and come here.”
Being a Prophet, Jesus knew that she had no husband, and she stated that fact plainly,
“I have no husband.”
To which Jesus responded,
“You have well-said, ‘I have no husband.’ In fact, you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband.”
Because she had never mentioned any men in her life, let alone husbands, she responded,
“Sir, I believe that you are a Prophet.”
And indeed, He was!
True Worship. In order to avoid the pain of having to discuss her failed relationships, she purposely changed the subject to something less threatening, namely, the right place to worship. Looking toward Mt. Gerizim, she said that all her ancestors, being Samaritans, worshiped there, but affirmed that Jews believed people should worship in Jerusalem. Jesus responded with the foreknowledge of a Prophet, knowing that before the generation would end, even the Jews in Judea would no longer worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said,
“Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father….But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
Jesus knew that the prophesied end of the Old Covenant, with its Temple worship, sacrifices, and priesthood, was not far off. Although it would be another 40 years until Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed by the Roman army, Jesus knew that because of the nation’s rejection of His call to repentance, as well as their rejection of Him as their Messiah and Savior, the end would soon come. In fact, the events leading up to “the end” had already been set in motion.
After A.D 70, worship would not be in any location, whether on Mt. Gerizim or in Jerusalem, but true worship would be in “spirit” and in “truth.” In fact, Jesus said that God was actually looking for those who would worship Him not in any particular place, but in “spirit” and in “truth.” In “spirit,” coming from the heart, and in “truth,” coming from the mind as one recognizes God as having sent His Son to die for the sins of mankind.
Revealed Identity. Jesus’ prophetic response to her question about worship prompted her to focus on the One who was promised to come. And so, the woman responded thoughtfully,
“I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ) and when He comes, He will declare all things to us.”
It didn’t take long for Jesus to respond to her insightful declaration,
“I who speak to you am He.”
She now knew the identity of the One with whom she had been speaking. And the timing was perfect, as the disciples were returning to the well with the food that they had purchased in town. As the disciples neared the well, they realized that Jesus had been speaking with a woman, and yes, a “Samaritan woman.” Seeing the disciples coming, she left her water pot and ran to the village, telling as many as would listen of her encounter with the Messiah. Like a rushing torrent, the townspeople began flowing out of the village toward Jacob’s well in order to see the One who had told the woman all about her past, and that He was the Messiah. They came, they listened, and they believed, as the townspeople testified,
“It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Interestingly, Jesus stayed another two full days, sharing the Good News of salvation with, of all people, Samaritans! Just like Jill, the “living water” that the Lion of Judah offered to the woman changed her life and the lives of the people of Sychar and surrounding villages.
It’s hard to imagine the shock wave that must have reverberated through the hearts of the disciples, men who had always avoided Samaritans at all cost. For the first time, the disciples began to realize that God’s love and concern for lost people extended to everyone, even Samaritans! And they began to see that this “living water” had the power to change lives. They also realized that this “living water” came as a gift of knowing the true identity of the One whom the woman met at the well – it was Jesus, the long-expected Messiah, the Lion of Judah, the Giver of Life, and the Dispenser of “living water.”
Of course, the invitation to receive the gift of “living water” was not just given to the woman from Sychar and her friends and acquaintances. That “living water” is available to each one of us. Months later, as Jesus returned to Jerusalem, He extended an invitation to the Jews, and in reality, to all of us by saying,
“If you are thirsty, come and drink” (Jn. 7:37).
Indeed, it’s a simple question, “If you are spiritually thirsty, then come to the only One who can quench your thirst with ‘living water.’” His name is Jesus, the Lion of Judah.
