#27 Samaritan Woman at the Well

#27 Samaritan Woman at the Well

Please first read: John 4:4-42; JST John 4:26

The KJ Bible, John 4:24, “God is Spirit” is a critical mistranslation. Jesus never taught or said, “God is a Spirit.” Joseph Smith corrected this in his translation which reads: John 4: 26 … “For unto such hath God promised his Spirit. And they who worship him, must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Background

John the Baptist has already been telling his followers to follow Jesus … that John’s mission of “preparing” has now been done and his role will now decline. The Pharisees have noticed this and that Jesus appears to be baptizing more people than John. When John is imprisoned by Herod they then concentrate their attention on Jesus. Herod also does this and Jesus will eventually proceed on to Galilee to be out of Herod’s jurisdiction.  

Jesus now leaves Judea to go North to Galilee. He will travel through Samaria where he will preach his second great discourse and declare his Messiahship. A “good” Jew, especially a Galilean, would take a longer route so as to avoid going through Samaria and its’ unclean, apostate and mixed-breed of people. To a Jew, a Samaritan was considered “more unclean” than a Gentile or any other nationality; “Samaritan” and “devil” were sometimes used as synonyms.  Jesus, however, has reasons and purpose for going to Samaria; he will also avoid Perea which is the seat of Herod Antipas’ power. We will first consider the history of the great animosity and hatred existing between the Judeans and the Samaritans … it goes back many years and is vital to our understanding of what now takes place.

Disagreements among the twelve tribes around 975 BC led to a division into two kingdoms, northern Israel (10 tribes) and southern Judah (2 tribes.) Some 250 years later the Assyrian and Babylonian kings invade Israel and disperse the Israelites to other parts of those kingdoms and re-people the area with heathen colonists from other parts of the empire. (A way of controlling captured people in an empire.) The intermixing and intermarrying with remnants of Israel is the founding of the Samaritan race. Various events over time kept this animosity between the Samaritans alive, including in 167 BC when the Jewish Hasmonean family successfully revolted against their captors the Samaritans would not participate.

General

In a desert society, a request for water should never be denied. The woman hesitates for a moment: this is a male Jew and a Rabbi speaking to her in public.

It is now mid-day; women usually came for water in the early morning and then at eventide.   Given the apparent status of this woman she may have come at noon to avoid other women?

The woman first thinks of Jesus’ offer of water as labor saving, but seems to quickly feel of his Spirit and then first refers to him as a prophet, and then the Messiah.

With Jesus leaving Judea the emphasis on his baptizing per se seems to decline and to now be more centered on teaching the message of the gospel.

When John wrote his Gospel it may have been directed in part to a Samaritan audience.

Jesus and the Woman

The woman saying Jesus was a prophet would mean to the Samaritans that she was saying Jesus was the Messiah. They acknowledge no other prophets after Moses and waited next for the Messiah.

Jesus saying, “I that speak unto thee am he” would be crystal clear in meaning “Messiah,” it would not be misunderstood.

Many believed on Jesus because of the woman’s word, but many more believed when they listened directly to Jesus and felt the personal witness of the Spirit.

The first full clear announcement by Jesus (recorded) of his own Messiahship was made by a well-side in the heat of midday to a fallen Samaritan woman.

The woman is truly convinced that Jesus is a prophet; then that he is the Messiah.

Samaritans

Samaritans favored Herod in part because the Jews hated him. They seemed to delight at any opportunity to denigrate the belief and rituals of the Jews, and I imagine the reverse was also true. The Jews applied the name Samaritan to all the in habitants of Israel, the northern kingdom, not just to those in the city of Samaria.

Just as the Jews had Jerusalem and the temple as their sacred holy place of worship, the Samaritans worshipped at Mt. Gerizim which they believed was God’s true holy place, and where they had once had a temple. The temple was destroyed about 130 BC and never rebuilt, but that was still recognized as the holy place. They claimed to be true descendants of the ten tribes of Israel and guardians of the law. They believed Mt. Gerizim was the site of the Garden of Eden, where Abraham took Isaac, and where Noah and the flood began.

Their bible consisted of the five books of Moses. They used the symbolism of water for God’s wisdom that grants life. The Law was defined or referred to by words such as water, fountain, flowing brook, drink, thirst and living water. There is a spiritual connection between Water and the Spirit. “Living water,” possibly among their thoughts: water is to natural life as living water is to eternal life.

Apostles and Disciples

Although Jesus at this time has told his apostles the gospel is only for the chosen Jews he is very successful in being accepted by these people in their understanding as to who he claims to be.   This could be his indicating to the apostles that the gospel will later be for all people.

When the apostles return and find Jesus talking to a woman, one who is a Samaritan no less, and of ill repute, they are astonished on all counts. In the customs of the day a Rabbi (Jesus) would not do this in public with a woman, certainly not a Samaritan, and one of questionable virtue.

Jesus was very successful in converting many souls to the gospel in the two days he spent here among the Samaritans. It may very well be that the seed sown by Lord at this time resulted in the rich harvest reaped here by the Apostles in later years.

Jesus specifically tells the Apostles not to do missionary work among the Samaritans at this time.

After Jesus is resurrected he commands the Apostles to “be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria.” (Acts 1:8)

Jesus’ Teachings

Christ is “the gift of God.” “Living water” (eternal life) had special meaning to those living in this desert land. To travel desert distances safely meant to plan between wells and watering holes … to be caught away without water meant an agonizing death. (verse 10)

Throughout his ministry we see Jesus again and again being his own chief witness, identifying himself as the Messiah, Son of God, Redeemer. Jesus here talks of a new covenant, a new gospel where the bodies of the saints become temples. Jesus the Messiah will one day take the place of the temple. (verse 28)

One of Christ’s reasons for taking his ministry into Samaria was to show the Apostles that he is not only the Savior of Israel, but of the whole world.

The Samaritan’s idea of the Messiah was religious, not political, so Jesus could speak of his Messiahship without fear of causing political turmoil; much different from conditions in the land of Judah.

Although Jesus at this time has told his apostles the gospel is only for the chosen Jews he is very successful in being accepted by these people in their understanding as to who he claims to be.  

Glenn R. McGettigan  

August 2014

References:

“Our Lord of the Gospels.” Clark, Jr.      

“Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ.” Volume 1. Holzapfel     

“The Gospel According to John.” Volume 1. Brown     

“Life of Christ.” Farrar    

“Sermons of Jesus the Messiah.” Howick     

“Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.” Edersheim     

“Jesus the Christ.” Talmage     

“One Volume Bible Commentary.” Dummelow      

“Bible Review Magazine.” October 1991  

Those Pharisees.” Coleman

“Doctrinal New Testament Commentary.” Volume 1. McConkie

“Smith Bible Dictionary.”      

“The Words of Jeremiah.” Nyman

Elder David A Bednar. CES Fireside. February 2007

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