Bible Discussion Thread

The Woman AT the Well. What are the lessons to be learned

Hi Frank . To me , this is a deeply significant encounter . First ,let's think about the other encounters that take place at wells : Gen Ch 24 , Gen Ch 29 , Exo Ch 2 . In John Ch 4 V 27 the disciples marvel that Jesus is talking to a woman who is a Samaritan , in V 9 we see that she is a bit surprised also , a bit like a Cincinnati Bengals fan passing the time of day with a Pittsburgh Stealers fan . It doesn't often happen . She is at least honest about her relationships and the simplicity of her confession in V 17 always reminds me of Eve's very simple confession in Genesis . For me though , V 26 is the stunner . This is the only time that Jesus himself tells anyone who and what he is . And he picks a Samaritan woman . How many times in the gospels do other people say that he is the Christ , the Son of God and every time he tells them not to say that . He tells only this Samaritan woman . Matt Ch 16 V 20 , Mark Ch 1 V 23-25 , Mark Ch 8 V 27-30 , there are plenty more examples . In V 39 we read that she is instrumental in bringing her whole village to him . She does the work of a preacher , albeit unknowingly but that's what she does . A Samaritan woman , who is an anathema to Jews , brings others to Christ . As I said at the start , this is a deeply significant encounter .

Hi frank.

I would like to add one parallel verse to my comment.

Ezekiel 36:26-27. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

God bless.

Hi frank.

What I find significant in these passages is John 4:23-24. "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."

He's giving something new.

Something they haven't experienced.

The gift of the Holyspirit working in them.

Notice a previous verse. John 4:10. "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 wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee LIVING WATER."

God bless.

I find it interesting she was told to bring her husband, which she couldn't, so instead after the truth about her shame was openly faced and she received the Lord's (light) chastisement of her sin with inquiring faith he revealed Himself to her as plainly has He ever had up to that point. After that she was able to bring her whole town.

We have to learn to see love when the Lord rebukes, corrects, chastises, and humbles us rather than try to hide or run from it.

Revelations 3:19

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

The light is critical to face as He shines it on us. When the darkness is exposed to the light it loses its power over us before others.

I find it interesting that unlike many sinful Jews he healed or received and told "Go and sin no more", Jesus didn't say that to her. Although we could speculate, we don't really know what she did about the man she was living with.

Yet Jesus totally changed her from a person no one would talk to or be seen with into someone people saw a change in and gained faith from. That change probably gave her options to make other choices that she had long ago lost through her sin. Rebuilding our lives in His light may not be instantaneous or rise to the standards and expectations of others when we first recognize Christ for who He is, but once we are turned to Christ a path forward becomes possible.

It may be that He did not tell her "the Samaritan woman" to go and sin no more because He was sent to His own fiirst the Jews. Besides she never denied His rebuke but answered Him truthfully. Also, salvation is of the jews first. He also didn't tell the Phoenician woman or the centurion to go and sin no more either. The whole world would have be in darkness and sin until Christ removed their cloak. First the jews then the gentiles. The Samaritan woman would have been second, but Christ's Grace always super abounds!

Thank God that His Son Jesus was that Great Light that shown and lights all men's hearts that took the sins of the whole world! Praise God and to Him be the Glory!

I don't disagree with you, in fact I do agree with you that His confrontation of her sin and her response was of grace. The other gentiles you mentioned are not shown to be converts to Judaism and in the case of the Samaritan woman we know she was not, and Jesus rebuked that too when He said salvation was of the Jews. When that did not put her off, He revealed His father's plan for worship and she expressly connected thise words to her belief in the Messiah. That is when He told her He was the Messiah as clearly as He ever had up to that point and she believed. So I see that rebuke/chastisement/correction, belief and grace are all inseparable in this story.

Praise God for grace, but also for rebuke/chastisement/correction that is believed. That is where the Pharisees and Sadducees repeatedly failed, but she didn't.

Amen & Thank you and may God richly bless you!!!

Hello Frank,

Good question.

I think that it demonstrates that God will no way cast out anyone who comes to Him seeking salvation and eternal life, no matter what our sinful state entails nor what class, race, or group of people we come from.

I think that it also demonstrates the omniscience of God. He knows all things, as Jesus demonstrated this divine characteristic here.

I think that it demonstrates that God is compassionate and merciful towards people others may not dare to interact with.

I think that it demonstrates that the woman recognized that Jesus indeed was the Messiah and went and told others, since what she saw and heard was definitely 'Good News".

Others may shave additional remarks to what has been posted so far.

1. It demonstrates the Word of Knowledge, that the Holy Spirit imparts as He wills.

2. Jesus was sent to the Jews first, but this was a Samaritan Woman. This could be a Divine Appointment because not only was she saved, but most of her town got saved too.

3. The Lords not going to be conformed to our opinions and presuppositions on how He should behave.

Does the clay ask the Potter, "what! Are you doing?"

Jeremiah 18 and Romans 9:21