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John 4:9-10 - Lesson #36 |
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| We have seen Jesus make a purposeful journey into Samaria and, while resting beside a well, ask a woman for a drink. |
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| John 4:9-10 |
| "Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?' For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, "Give Me a drink," you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.'" |
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| We have already examined the enormous tension which existed between the Jews and Samaritans during the time of Christ. We see this tension in the response of the Samaritan woman. She was surprised that she was being spoken to by a Jewish Rabbi, but her response was mixed with a large dose of sarcasm - "How can you, a mighty Jewish Rabbi, speak to me, a lowly swine of a woman?" |
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| It's wonderful to see that Jesus doesn't waste any time addressing her inappropriate reply. It was well within His right - certainly within His right as the Son of God, but also within His right as a Rabbi, even within His right as a mere man. Jesus could have put her in her place. But instead, He immediately moved the conversation to the next level - a level which would call her to a place by His side. |
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| Notice the similarity to the conversation with Nicodemus in Chapter three. Both times Jesus looked past the initial comments and led the discussion directly to Spiritual matters. Also notice how Jesus looked past the social status of both individuals. Nicodemus was on the highest step of the Jewish ladder and this Samaritan woman on the absolute lowest, but each received full attention and a clear call to eternal life. |
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| It's certainly no accident that these two meetings are recorded one right after the other. The message is clear, the gospel is for ALL; "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). In both cases, Jesus simply saw an individual who needed to hear the truth. |
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| In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus spoke about being born again. This had significance to a Jewish leader in terms of a completely new way of life, but Jesus was making a call to a Spiritual understanding. In the case of the Samaritan woman, Jesus spoke of living water - also a term with significance. |
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| In one sense, all water was life-giving. Since it was not so readily available, water was extremely precious as well as essential. The water from this particular well provided life for the whole area. But there was also a deeper meaning to water; "Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). Jesus spoke of living water as a precious gift from God. Let's truly hear the One who is calling and take His gift of living water into a very thirsty world. |
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| Steve Troxel |
| God's Daily Word Ministries |
