Facts
The scripture is all about the living water. In this a Samaritan woman meets Christ who is the source of the living water. Jesus is a Jew and according to Jewish culture it was not right for a man to speak with a woman in public. The Samaritan woman questions Jesus why He request water from her. His disciples marveled when they found Him speak to a woman. Salvation is for all and not what is known to be for the Jews, she receives Christ and many others (Alexander & Patricia,1999).
Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman. He puts Himself in a situation as one who needed the help to open a conversation between Him and her. The woman out of the curiosity asks Jesus where He is to get water from where Jesus informs her that He has the living water.
For Christ to build confidence with the woman He tells her concerning her life. This made her to believe in Him and she addresses Him from this point as a prophet. Christ then explains to her what the true worship is. The woman runs to the city and calls many who also received Christ (Stanton, 2008).
The incidence took place at the city of Samaria which was referred as Sychar. Samaria was found in between Jerusalem on the way to Galilee. Jesus having being exhausted on the long journey He then sat at the Jacob’s well. The well was out of the city as it is recorded in verse 28 and 30 where “the woman went into the city” and people “went out of the city to meet Him” and at this particular time His disciples had gone into the city to buy food. Jesus stayed in Samaria for two days then He went to Galilee (Alexander & Patricia,1999).
The event took place at around noon since it is recorded that it was about sixth hour of the day. It was after Christ had realized that it had come to the knowledge of the Pharisees that many accepted Him by becoming His disciples as well as being baptized. He did not want to conflict with them such that He went away from them. It is at this point the physical personality of Christ is also revealed by the fact that He became weary and His disciples had gone to look for food in the city. He was not only God but a Man also (Alexander & Patricia,1999).
Interpretation
The event took place after John the Baptist had glorified Christ as the Son of God. This was after it was reported to John that Christ baptizes many disciples and all were coming to Him. There had rose disagreements between John disciples and the Jews. John remarks that he who believes in Christ has everlasting life. He thereafter departs to Galilee where he was received by the Galileans as they had seen great thing He had done. He also healed a son of a dignified man in Galilee (Stanton, 2008).
On scriptural comparison Christ is the gift from God. In John 3:16 God gave His only begotten Son and in John 4: 10 Jesus addresses the woman as He’s the gift from God. He is also referred as a gift that cannot be described in 2 Cor 9:15. Christ talks of the living water verse 10 in Ezekiel 47: 9 speaks of the living water in that whoever takes it shall not thirst and will live forever.
In verse 16 Jesus request her to call the husband before receiving the living water. She had sins that had to be dealt with first just as in James 3: 11 who say “a spring cannot send off sweet and bitter water at the same time”. The bitter water of sin Christ had to deal with it first (Stanton, 2008).
The woman had gone to fetch water just as normal and not with other women. Jesus is on a mission to convert her into His disciple but she perceives Him at first just like any other Jew and she wonders why He’s doing contrary to the Jews.
His disciples wonder the same but even after they marveled Christ did not question even though He could perceive it. He knew why He asked water from her. A true worship to God is not in respect on buildings or mountains but in “truth and spirit”. God Himself is Spirit and them that worship Him must believe in their heart in truth (Stanton, 2008).
Christ is the gift from God that was sent to redeem mankind. He is the living water Himself and whosever drinks of Him, does not thirst ever in life. We cannot at all hide our sins from Christ as He is in a position to know them all. He is not bound by the Jewish custom or gender.
It wasn’t right for a Jew to speak to a woman in public and more so a Samaritan; He is therefore a universal savior. He is the prophesied Messiah and in Him there is the exact sense of life which the Samaritan woman received and many others (Alexander & Patricia,1999).
Application
The Samaritan woman reflects the divine thirst in the spiritual journey. Everybody knowingly or unknowingly experience spiritual thirst in that we end up searching for it within the meaninglessness practices of life but all in vain. This thirst will be satisfied in eternal completion if we only encounter with the source of living water.
Traditions, beliefs, institutions, and all sought of barriers should not limit us from attaining the living water. At the same time one should not use the barriers as a defense of not letting other people receive the living water (Stanton, 2008).
References
Alexander, D., & Patricia, A. (Eds.). (1999). Zondervan Handbook ti the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.
Stanton, E. C. (2008). The Woman’s Bible. New York: BiblioBazaar, LLC.