Relevant Verses: John 4

Theme: The Witness of the Samaritan Woman

Leading Question: Does a personal relationship with Jesus always feel good and comfortable?

There could be no character more opposite to Nicodemus than the Samaritan woman at the well.

Question: What are some of the contrasts you can draw between Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman?

Question: What do you make of the detail that “it was necessary” for Jesus to go through Samaria on his journey from Judea to Galilee (John 4:3-4)? Is it just a geographical detail? Is it a theological necessity? (Remember: “God so loves the world …”)

Question: What is the significance of Jacob’s well as the site of meeting between Jesus and the woman?

Question: What is the significance of the time of day?

This commentary writes about the bright time of day and its meaning as follows:

“The woman at the well meets Jesus at the lightest and brightest part of the day, when the sun is the highest in the sky and there is the most sunlight possible. Many commentators interpret this odd time to draw water as a statement about the woman’s morality. She arrives at the well at noon because she does not want to be seen by others; she’s embarrassed by her questionable past or she has been ostracized to come to the well when no one else is around. Such curiosity makes little sense for this Gospel where issues concerning morals, values, and what we would equate with sin, are of little significance. For John sin has nothing to do with past actions or present indiscretions. Sin is a synonym for lacking a relationship with God. To cast judgment on the perceived “sin” of the woman misconstrues what sin is for the Fourth Evangelist. The reference to the time of day points to the theological theme of light and darkness, with darkness representing the realm of unbelief, and light, the realm of belief. The fact that the Samaritan woman meets Jesus at noon invites hopeful invites hopeful anticipation of this conversation. The guiding question should be, how will she do in the conversation with Jesus? This detail suggests that she may very well fare better than her counterpart in Nicodemus.”
 (Karoline M. Lewis, John; Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentary, p. 55)

Question: How does the ironic disconnect between Jesus and the woman work? How are they each understanding “living water”?

Question: Why does Jesus ask about the woman’s husband(s)?

Jesus’ reason for asking about her husbands is not to condemn her for her past. She is not a “five time loser” or a tramp as many sermons still claim. There is no proclamation of forgiveness for her questionable morals. There is no exclamation of judgment for her assumed sin or sexual impropriety. Yet she is continually blamed for her plight and charged with behavior for which there is no textual or historical proof. (
Lewis, John, p. 59)

“I have no husband.” Her brief statement is heartrending. It is not only a statement about her marital status but an assertion about her marginalized status. She is a woman, a Samaritan woman, without a name, who has been married five times. To have been married five times in ancient Palestine would be evidence of circumstances completely beyond the control of any woman at that time. Likely widowed or divorced … for trivial matters, but more likely because she was barren. … that would mean that she would not have family to turn to in the case of being widowed, which would further excacerbate her dependent status. The fact that she is currently living with a man not her husband does not correspond to a modern-day “shacking-uo” or “living in sin.” Rather, her situation was probably a levirate marriage. By law (Deut 25:5-10), the brother of the dead husband was obliged to take in his dead brother’s wife, either by formal marriage of by living arrangements of some kind. (Lewis, John, p. 60)

In the Gospel of John, it is a theological necessity to acknowledge the gravity of the woman’s predicament at the well. Jesus’ revelation to her is not merely that he is aware about her family situation; rather, he knows what it means to be her. The incarnation itself would be taken less seriously if Jesus were to refer to her in any other way than the manner in which she has been thoroughly defined up to this point. Additionally, her reality and identity will undergo a significant transformation as the conversation advances.

Remarkably, Jesus reveals the entirety of who he is, in all of its intimacy, vulnerability, and awe, to her:

The woman returns to her city and invites her people, “Come and see” (John 4:29). These are the same words Jesus gives as an answer to the question the first two diciples ask, “Rabbi, where are you staying? … “Come and see” (1:39).

Question: Does the presence or absence of the disciples of Jesus contribute anything to the story?

In response to the women’s invitation, the people leave the city and are on their way to meet Jesus. In the meantime, there is an interruption. The encounter with Jesus is postponed … The disciples believe that Jesus must be hungry and push him to eat. Jesus responds ambiguously which then leads to a literal interpretation. The humor should not be lost in this interchange for in humor there is also truth. The questions of the disciples “Did you bring him lunch?” “No, did you?” “When did he eat?” expose their confusion. The use of misunderstanding in the Gospel of John is more than just a rhetorical, grammatical, or syntactical device; it is intended to underline how truly amazing everything is. It emphasizes the improbability of what is being offered theologically: that God chose to become human.

Question: What is the result of the woman’s testimony?

The Samaritans respond to the woman’s invitation to “come and see” by going to Jesus and inviting him to “stay” with them. “And he stayed there two days” (John 4:40). But the verb is not simply “stay,” it is “abide,” (menõ), which functions as a synonym for relationship with Jesus. To abide with Jesus is to be in an intimate relationship with him. The Samaritans do not ask Jesus to just hang out for a few hours. They are speaking the primary language of relationship. As a result of this abiding, “many more believe because of His word” (John 4:41).

Abiding and believing are synonymous, and the first persons beyond the first disciples to experience this relationship with Jesus are Samaritans. We are once again reminded of 3:16, “For God so loved the world.” This entire story of Jesus in Samaria is an embodied presentation of what this verse means. Jesus, the Samaritan woman at the well, and her villagers have acted out what God loving the world looks like.
 (Lewis, John, p. 65)

The final confession of the Samaritans about who they perceive Jesus to be is nothing short of incredible. The only time Jesus is called “savior” in the entire Gospel of John is here and by outsiders. Nicodemus was not capable of seeing this possibility of Jesus’ identity and not even the disciples will name Jesus as “savior.” (
Lewis, John, p. 65)