Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. "The Woman at the Well Bible Story Study Guide." Weary from the countless times we have been rejected, hiding in certain areas because of shame, thirsty for living water, oftentimes we come to the well of religion, the well of an empty relationship, the well of work and striving in the heat of the day, hoping others wont see or recognize us. What did Jesus mean when He said, I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)? Samaritan woman was blessed to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah. She speaks of her anticipation of the fuller understanding she will receive when the Messiah comes. Broken. However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creators expressed permission. The story of the woman at the well is one of the most well known in the Bible; many Christians can easily give a summary of it. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. True worship will be done in spirit and in truth. The woman was shocked. His request was very appropriate. The strict Rabbis forbade a Rabbi to greet a woman in public. (John 4:42, ESV). This fact suggests that she did not have any women friends which only happened if nobody wanted to be associated with her. Years earlier, Babylon had invaded Jewish territory and had taken the brightest and strongest in captivity. John 4:25-26 NASB. What is a Samaritan in the Bible? Article Images Copyright , What We Can Learn from Ruth and Naomi - Women in the Bible, a series, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. of Years ago as I pondered this poor soul we know as the Samaritan woman, I thought this is who I am, rejected, abandoned, full of shame, and longing for a drink of living water, but not even knowing what it was I longed for. What is the Significance of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman. Jesus answered, "I who speak to you am he." She is a literary agent atC.Y.L.E., the publicity manager atMountain Brook Ink, and a freelance editor withSherpa Editing Services. 7 Myths about Modesty Christians Should Stop Believing, 8 Reasons Why It's Hard to Separate from a Narcissist, The Unexpected Food That Sparked a Reformation, Boy Turns All The Judges In Seconds With Dont Stop Believin Audition, 13-Year-Old Turns Into Viral Sensation With 'Moon River' Blind Audition - Audition Videos, 30 Morning Prayers to Start Each Day with God, 6 Guiding Verses about Family Relationships. All of her questions and persistence led her to come face to face with the Living God. John 4:7-19 Samaritan Woman. But it was not altogether for their When he comes, he will explain everything to us.. Jesus encounter with this woman brings to light four core beliefs or exhortations that modern-day Christians can learn. Zavada, Jack. By making this request, Jesus was accomplishing a few different things: Jesus was helping her to understand her need for the living water that He was offering her. Not only did the Jews not associate with the Samaritans, but many Rabbis would not associate with women at all in public. The Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at Jacob's Well gleans much from her long conversation with Jesus. And yet, she is eager for the eternal abundance Jesus promises. For centuries Jews and Samaritans had rejected each other. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. For these next few points, we will look at the woman at the well more closely. captive the people of Samaria (2 Kings 17:6). Women of certain status and wealth never went to draw water for themselves. 1) Salvation comes only to those who recognize their desperate need for the spiritual life they do not have. He has now explicitly told the woman that He is the final anointed King that has come to seek and save the lost. Then Jesus declared, I, the one speaking to you I am he (John 4:23-26). [Jesus asked,] Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?, The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him.. Jesus showed that the Gospel is for everyone. When Jesus is our Messiah, He becomes the Lord of our life. today. Jesus acknowledged her past but he did not define her by it. But after meeting Jesus, she was soooo happy that she lost her shame. Very often, meeting the needs of others can be messy. Next, Jesus is revealed as a prophet. JOHN 4:7-9 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water. She is working on her first book to be published in 2016; an autobiographical teaching of the Song of Solomon. There were even Pharisees who were called the bruised and bleeding Pharisees because they shut their eyes when they saw a woman on the street and so walked into walls and houses!, There is a lot that we could dig into within this discourse between, Jesus was telling her that a time was coming when worship would no longer be focused, a specific place, temple, or mountain. How to use Samaritan in a sentence. How can you love her? Biblical scholars tell us that the well was the gathering place for the women of the town, to share the latest news at the cool parts of the day. as I can determine, the Samaritans recognized divorce only in cases of adultery. Nehemiah, a Jew, curried favor with the king and was able to return to Jerusalem to rebuild. All those details combined made her ready to receive Jesus. In reply Jesus said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. RELATED: 5 Faith lessons from the woman with the issue of blood. I have no husband. It would have been easy for her to make up a story about her husband being dead or unavailable but she didnt. She knew that the Messiah would know the secrets of everyone. The Samaritans were a people group in the Bible that lived in the area of Israel following the Assyrian conquest. ? In fact, they took this so seriously thatthey would close their eyes when a woman approached them. One of his most famous parables is that of the good Samaritan. She is probably remembered by some, more for her moral condition than anything else. First, Jesus is revealed as the Living Water (John 4:13-14). You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. She leaves her water jar behindjust as the disciples left their fishing netsa sign of her complete embrace of this calling to follow Jesus. The history of Samaria reminds us that no matter who you are or where you come from, there is Good News through Jesus Christ. Through her response to Jesus as an evangelist, we are reminded that being a follower of Jesus calls us to put our gifts into action for the sake of others. Another of the characteristics of the Samaritan woman is about her spiritual condition. Could this man be the Christ? (John 4:29, CEB). Its only through the waters of His Spirit abiding in us that we are able to live, worship, and commune with Him. Jesus used the words living water to refer to eternal life, the gift that would satisfy her soul's desire: This living water was only available through him. The Samaritans were people who lived in what had been the Northern Kingdom of Israel. #2 She just wanted an easier life, free from the inconvenience of having to walk in the heat of the day for water each day. Second, she was a Samaritan woman, and the Jews traditionally despised Samaritans. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. He asked her for water and this opened a conversation about worship. by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17:24-29). And yet,Jesus, in His divine intentionality sought to meet this specific woman at this specific time. They had their own unique version of the five books written by Moses, the Pentateuch, but rejected the writings of the prophets and Jewish traditions. As he pressed the point, telling her that with this water she would never thirst again, her attitude became rotten. Samaria was a dessert town and the heat of the day was not the time to be filling up the jars of water. During his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs. Meet us in this story from Scripture and in our lives this day. As a Samaritan, she had similar beliefs so she should have know what Jesus was saying. As quickly as she responded, Jesus exposed what she thought would be a secret to him. (2020, November 7). In response, Jesus speaks of a future time when all true worshipers of God will worship not in a particular place but in the Spirit and in truth (4:23-24). At this point, the woman realized He must be some kind of prophet. And, third, he asked her to get him a drink of water, although using her cup or jar would have made him ceremonially unclean. Rev. Jesus is the living water that we need. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. This was a strange time of day and she was all by herself. The Samaritans had a very unusual history. living in sin when Jesus met her, but I feel sure her life was different from that time on. Who is a woman you know who may be bearing the weight of sin, guilt, and shame? Jesus treats people as individuals, accepting them with love and compassion. She has been married 5 times and currently lives in unrepentant sin by living with her boyfriend ( John 4:16-18 ). In summary, Jesus was trying to avoid controversy with the religious leaders over his ministry. The Samaritan woman's name or age is not revealed in the story of her meeting with Jesus. Him gladly. HOW can you offer better water? The Samaritans, being a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. The Samaritans began taking possession of the land of Israel after Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians. The Samaritans saw themselves as the true descendants of Israel and preservers of the true religion, while considering the Jerusalem temple and Levitical priesthood illegitimate. Like the Samaritan Woman, we are thirsty. Then he helped her to understand what it meant to truly worship God. Let my weariness, my thirst, my longing for truth always bring me face to face with YOU. She had every reason to ignore him. They did not acknowledge the rest. Then in church a few weeks ago, we meditated on the verses of Jesus encounter with this woman from John 4. A Rabbi might not even speak to his own wife or daughter or sister in public. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. All this happened approximately seven-hundred years earlier. These circumstances point to her desire to avoid the shame that would come by attending the well when other women were present. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. After all, anybody who knew her was not interested in the icky details of her life. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. Do you know anyone who bears these titles? They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. Jesus told him, Go and do likewise (Luke 10:36-37). "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet." The Samaritan woman had a past she was not proud of. God is not bound by time or place and hes not turned off by our condition. Initiating a conversation with the woman shows that Jesus wasnt concerned about political correctness. She was a receptive woman ( John 4:13-15, 21-25 ). Jesus has paused to wait on you, to give you living water. Samaritan Woman at the Well Bible Study Video. He is not surprised by our evil desires, but rather He seeks to reconcile us to the Father in spite of them (Hebrews 7:25). 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. Why was the woman at the well? Finally, this was not the closest well to where she lived. She planned her day to escape the pain of her shame. She wanted to avoid the awkward stares and murmurs that she was sure to encounter if she came with the other women. Jesuss mention of the future raises her hopes for the coming Messiah. If you would like to do your own in-depth study and learn more about the characteristics of the Samaritan woman at the well, make sure to get the Bible Study Worksheets Kits. Widowhood was a common experience in a culture where women were married very young. Amen. I relate the Samaritan women to myself, no matter where you come from or what you have done in your past, the Lord forgives and you can still have a purpose filled life! Another reason for her familiarity might be the remarkable change that occurred in They had servant girls for that kind of thing. Photo credit: Guercino [Public domain] via, 4 Amazing Things We Can Learn from the Woman at the Well. He says: Jesus answered her, 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. - John 4:10. She could have kept the good news to herself. We have heard the old saying curiosity killed the cat. I have come to learn that the Lord loves inquiring minds. During the time of Jesus, Samaria was located between Galilee to the north and Judea to the south. Her actions invite us to stay connected to Jesus and ask questions about our faith in order to come to a fuller understanding of it. Equipping Christian Women to Abide in God's Word. She reveres this place but is curious about this stranger who promises something greater. What do you hear the Spirit saying to you/your family/your church/your community. The Samaritan woman in John 4:1-29 reveals this truth about us: that we are blind to our own need until the Anointed one opens our eyes. As she slighted Jesus for his apparent ridiculous offer, he decided to take things up a notch. And that was at the temple they had built for themselves at Mount Gerazim. From the fall of the rebellious northern kingdom of Israel, to a mixed idolatrous religion, to a people group hated by the Jews, the Samaritans had a rocky history. Zavada, Jack. Meanwhile, Jesus told his disciples the harvest of souls was ready, sown by the prophets, writers of the Old Testament and John the Baptist. #1 She just wanted to not have to suffer the indignity of going to the well and having to interact with the very people who treated her badly. He will never dissatisfy. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.. But just as our growth in faith is not only for our own benefit, the Samaritan woman takes her new learning and is propelled into action around her calling. Who is a lost woman in your life who needs to know Jesus? her life. Who told you about Jesus? The solution is found in our focus in this essay: worship in the world without end. What can we learn from the woman at the well? Nearly all of us are the Samaritan woman. And that means hes always wanting to hear from us. Over and over, Jesus comes to the weak and broken. Jesus said to her, You are right when you say you have no husband. He cannot be the Messiah, can he? (4:29). As I reflected on the plight of this woman, I began to wonder if in my religious zeal I had become like the disciples who wondered why Jesus would talk to such a woman. Found. God does not have favorites and he does not judge or condemn. The Bible mentions plenty of stories about Samaritans, and the hatred between Jews and Samaritans features prominently in the Gospels. Next, the Samaritan woman went to draw water from the well at noon. Just as the Samaritan woman was looking to men to satisfy her soul, we also look to things outside of Christ to give our hearts meaning and purpose ( John 4:14 ). However, the Samaritans remaining in the land opposed the rebuilding efforts and caused problems for Nehemiah and his fellow workers (Nehemiah 6:1-14). God is always in the business of rescue and restoration. The Bible mentions plenty of stories about Samaritans, and the hatred between Jews and Samaritans features prominently in the Gospels. Jesus didn't erase the Samaritan woman's past but reminded her that her past was not her future. By reaching out to the Samaritans, Jesus showed that his mission was to all people, not just the Jews. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the Assyrians took Jesus illustrates this in Matthew 8:3. In her story there is hope for everyone. Then you can get clean, clear direction to walk in light and life. But in this time period, it was not unreasonable. Jesus often taught spiritual lessons through parables or stories. Sadly, we do not even notice the aching question behind our search for the next best thing. The longer she talks with him, the more her understanding grows until she sees the full truth: Jesus is the Messiah. Another of the characteristics of the Samaritan woman is about her spiritual condition. She has been married 5 times, and is currently living in unrepentant sin, by living with her boyfriend (John 4:16-18). So, it seems most likely that her many marriages were not a result of her choice.[1]. There is the Dustyn Elizabeth Keepers is a Ph.D. candidate in Systematic Theology at Wheaton College Graduate School. Stuck in sin. What is for sure is this: nobody could contest her testimony. Types of Giving in the Bible, Examples What is Giving in the Bible? To explain the origins of the Samaritans, we must go back to the days of the kings. As the story progresses, we learn that this woman regularly comes to the well at this time of day (John 4:15). The Samaritan woman Jesus met faced prejudice from her own community. Matthew 28:18-19 NASB. This parable is found in Luke 10:25-37. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. a man to whom she was not legally married. Shocked by the truth of His words and exposure of her own sin, her eyes are beginning to open to the truth of who He is. Although they had never met before, Jesus revealed that he knew she'd had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. However, as Jesus revealed Himself to her, he sought to show her that He was the never-ending water she was so thirsty for (John 7:38). Lord, when you present me with life-giving water, let me respond with exuberance and longing desire. It was about the sixth hour. He said to her, Go, call your husband and come here. Even the metaphorical use of water in regard to Wisdom owes much to its related and . The northern kingdom fared worse than the southern kingdom, with a long line of wicked rulers. I Dont Want You To Join My Church, Be Added to His! John 4:16-19 says: He told her, Go, call your husband and come back.I have no husband, she replied. When he left, the people told the woman, " we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the savior of the world." She could be a concubine, which was a legal arrangement but with lesser status than marriage. The Jerusalem/Gerizim debate would soon be obsolete; He was ushering in a new era. First, he spoke to her despite the fact that she was a woman. The woman at the well did not have a great life. To get her to a place where she could be ready to receive eternal life and to call others to receive their freedom. Jesus was coming to establish something new. When Jesus revealed himself as the Living Water to the woman at the well, his message was strikingly similar to his revelation as the Bread of Life: I am the bread of life. At first, the Samaritan woman did not fully understand Jesus' meaning. One reason He gives us new desires and a new purpose, that will not be found in any earthly thing, but only in His kingdom (Colossians 3:4-10, Matthew 6:33, Romans 8:28). Let me say YES Give me what I long for. He would make Samaria, not Jerusalem, His seat of government. have been, in the end she had a good influence on those around her. They consider Samaritanism to be the true religion of the ancient Israelites and regard Judaism as a closely related but altered religion. The details are strong. Above all, the story, which unfolds in John 4:1-40, suggests that Jesus is a loving and accepting God, and we should follow his example. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. She was ashamed of it but Jesus got her to pay attention. She was a social outcast. Many were transformed by her testimony. three. He shall never thirst he shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his souls desires; they are longing, not languishing. But by the time she was done talking to Jesus, the mess of her life became a mighty message that she was not afraid to run and tell other about. If a stranger could reveal her own story to her, this has got to be the Messiah. She was a logical woman (John 4:11-12). Yet, throughout the years she has often been maligned or misunderstood because of her sexual history. He will never turn us away. Ashamed. True worship will be done, If you would like to do your own in-depth study and learn more about the, How to Use the Inductive Method of Bible Study. He said, It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. She has a good grasp on her own traditions beliefs, so she asks, Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well? (4:12). Perhaps like the Samaritan woman, we need only acknowledge our place of brokenness, that place where we are attempting find satisfaction: I have no husband.. During his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs. Jesus is the Messiah. As she referenced Jacob, she thought Jesus must be a crazy person to think that he could provide such a water that Jacob himself could not. This interaction between Jesus and the woman at the well can teach us some truly deep lessons of confrontation, compassion and freedom. fastest and most direct, though it required travelling through Samaria. In addition, interpreters use the story to encourage particular evangelistic practices. Look after him, he said, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have (Luke 10:30-35). The Character Study Kit is designed to help you do your own study of any Biblical character. On one occasion, Jesus was passing through Samaria on his way from Judea to Galilee. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Excited by what the woman told them, the Samaritans came from Sychar and begged Jesus to stay with them. The woman at the well argues with Jesus The Samaritan Woman. The Samaritan woman knew what it was like to be dealt some bad blows in life but she did not use that as an excuse to be rotten to others. 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