You may have heard of Good Samaritan laws, whereby the one who attempts to give reasonable aid to a person ill, injured, or in peril is exempt from legal liability--physicians cannot be sued for malpractice! The point of this episode with the Samaritan woman is to learn to reach out beyond our comfort zones and sphere of influence when the Spirit leads, and to be ready for that opportunity when the door opens--and we should never think anyone is unredeemable or beyond hope or salvation. The story unfolds as Jesus goes one-on-one with the woman of ill repute and shows that he is not prejudiced, though the disciples seem to be.
The Jews despised the Samaritans (it was a slur word used in a derogatory manner). They were said to worship at the wrong place (Gerizim, not Zion) and only accepted the Torah's first five books, known as the Pentateuch. They were seen as worse than Gentiles because they were half-breeds or hybrid Jews and had a religion of syncretism or mixture with foreign gods. (Prejudice is not based on reason, but emotion, and especially not experience, and shows ignorance or not being up on what you're down on!)
However, Jesus knew they could be saved too and the Great Commission would include them (cf. Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15). Jesus wasn't ignorant of where she was coming from and didn't speak down to her but reached out to her, knowing where she was spiritual. The woman was not only a Samaritan, but an outcast due to being divorced five times, and Jesus showed concern for her soul, not trying to pick her up or come on to her. She noticed that they had something in common ("our father Jacob") and she tried to change the subject when it got personal, but then she noticed Jesus was prophesying. This was the local meeting place and it was high noon, not the regular time for drawing water, and it looked suspicious from the get-go.
Jesus asked her for water but knew she was thirsty! But what she really needed was Him! She demurs and hesitates because she didn't think Jews had any dealings with Samaritans--but this one was different and it piqued her interest. True to himself Jesus was self-advancing or promoting and offered her living water, of which she was ignorant, and this was when Jesus broke the ice and got through to her: it's all about Him and her eyes are opened!
She was confounded, her friends and the disciples were too, who didn't know about the living water that was necessary for spiritual life. You could say she was taken aback when her spiritual eyes were opened when she saw the light. Jesus knew what manner of woman she was, yet He treated her with dignity and respect and was polite, not chauvinistic--unheard of in that day.
She changed the subject to worship after Jesus spoke of her husbands and showed signs of guilt and shame, but Jesus accepted her (it's vitally important that we accept the people we're witnessing to and see where they are coming from and relate to it). The tone of the dialogue shifts to the spiritual and she wonders about where to worship (a legitimate query), but Jesus tells her it's not where but how one worships.
Finally, she shows discernment and is penitent, opens the door to her heart, and accepts Jesus for who He is (you must accept Him on His terms!). She looked for validation and assurance and Jesus gave it to her.
Jesus makes the final point to the disciples: the real food in life is doing God's will! In other words, you will always have the stamina and ability to do God's will, so get with the program! God's will is fulfilling and rewarding and the only safe place to be! There is more to life than the mundane (going to the well) and the profane or secular, but the spiritual dimension.
By her witness, there was an evangelistic explosion in Sychar and many came to faith, as she was probably the first evangelist. The converts wanted to see for themselves and this revival shows how important witnessing is and that God can multiply our efforts, though they may be only one person at first or at a time.
There are several lessons from this episode at Jacob's well: don't be prejudiced; don't flaunt your faith, which turns people off before the door is opened by the Spirit; don't privatize or be ashamed of your faith either, no matter how small; we all can find a need and fill it and be useful for Jesus in our sphere of influence and circle of friends; we should know the good news and be ready to share it--be prepared like a Boy Scout; we need to relate and listen to people as well as preach and tell the good news; we must learn to personalize our witness to the situation and person and be able to adjust; finally, we need to get the "can't-help-its" or the urge to preach eagerly (cf. 2 Cor. 4:13; Acts 4:20).
Soli Deo Gloria!
The Jews despised the Samaritans (it was a slur word used in a derogatory manner). They were said to worship at the wrong place (Gerizim, not Zion) and only accepted the Torah's first five books, known as the Pentateuch. They were seen as worse than Gentiles because they were half-breeds or hybrid Jews and had a religion of syncretism or mixture with foreign gods. (Prejudice is not based on reason, but emotion, and especially not experience, and shows ignorance or not being up on what you're down on!)
However, Jesus knew they could be saved too and the Great Commission would include them (cf. Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15). Jesus wasn't ignorant of where she was coming from and didn't speak down to her but reached out to her, knowing where she was spiritual. The woman was not only a Samaritan, but an outcast due to being divorced five times, and Jesus showed concern for her soul, not trying to pick her up or come on to her. She noticed that they had something in common ("our father Jacob") and she tried to change the subject when it got personal, but then she noticed Jesus was prophesying. This was the local meeting place and it was high noon, not the regular time for drawing water, and it looked suspicious from the get-go.
Jesus asked her for water but knew she was thirsty! But what she really needed was Him! She demurs and hesitates because she didn't think Jews had any dealings with Samaritans--but this one was different and it piqued her interest. True to himself Jesus was self-advancing or promoting and offered her living water, of which she was ignorant, and this was when Jesus broke the ice and got through to her: it's all about Him and her eyes are opened!
She was confounded, her friends and the disciples were too, who didn't know about the living water that was necessary for spiritual life. You could say she was taken aback when her spiritual eyes were opened when she saw the light. Jesus knew what manner of woman she was, yet He treated her with dignity and respect and was polite, not chauvinistic--unheard of in that day.
She changed the subject to worship after Jesus spoke of her husbands and showed signs of guilt and shame, but Jesus accepted her (it's vitally important that we accept the people we're witnessing to and see where they are coming from and relate to it). The tone of the dialogue shifts to the spiritual and she wonders about where to worship (a legitimate query), but Jesus tells her it's not where but how one worships.
Finally, she shows discernment and is penitent, opens the door to her heart, and accepts Jesus for who He is (you must accept Him on His terms!). She looked for validation and assurance and Jesus gave it to her.
Jesus makes the final point to the disciples: the real food in life is doing God's will! In other words, you will always have the stamina and ability to do God's will, so get with the program! God's will is fulfilling and rewarding and the only safe place to be! There is more to life than the mundane (going to the well) and the profane or secular, but the spiritual dimension.
By her witness, there was an evangelistic explosion in Sychar and many came to faith, as she was probably the first evangelist. The converts wanted to see for themselves and this revival shows how important witnessing is and that God can multiply our efforts, though they may be only one person at first or at a time.
There are several lessons from this episode at Jacob's well: don't be prejudiced; don't flaunt your faith, which turns people off before the door is opened by the Spirit; don't privatize or be ashamed of your faith either, no matter how small; we all can find a need and fill it and be useful for Jesus in our sphere of influence and circle of friends; we should know the good news and be ready to share it--be prepared like a Boy Scout; we need to relate and listen to people as well as preach and tell the good news; we must learn to personalize our witness to the situation and person and be able to adjust; finally, we need to get the "can't-help-its" or the urge to preach eagerly (cf. 2 Cor. 4:13; Acts 4:20).
Soli Deo Gloria!
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