Jesus and the Samaritan woman
The meeting with the Samaritan woman took place at Sychar in Samaria, near Shechem about a mile from Jacob’s well and located on the shoulder of Mount Ebal opposite Mount Gerizim. Jesus is tired and finds Himself at the well at about noon. What is unusual is that a conversation occurs with a Samaritan woman. Samaritan women were regarded as perpetually unclean by the Jews and for Jesus to ask a drink from her would mean drinking from a vessel handled by this woman which would make the one who drinks from it becoming unclean ritually. For Jesus, a Jew, to speak much with a woman is something discouraged by the rabbis of the day.
Interestingly, rather than being worried about how unclean He is likely to get, Jesus approaches the woman and communicates what He could offer her if she realised who is speaking with her. If she knew the gift of God, described as “living waters”, and who is speaking to her, namely, One with the capability to give it, she would be asking Him and would receive the gift of living water (Zech. 14:8; Ezek. 47:9; Isa. 12:3, 44:3; 49:10; 55:1-7). Jesus is actually speaking of a divine provision tied to the life-giving Spirit (Jn. 6:63) which is a way that John refers to the gospel.
The woman misunderstands Jesus, assuming that Jesus is referring to well water and noting that He lacks a bucket to draw the water. She then asks whether Jesus is greater than Jacob, the patriarch who provided the well which has served so many for so many years. Jesus replies by saying that the water He gives will allow one never to thirst again and this water will leap up from within unto eternal life. The woman, still thinking of real water, asks for this water so that she will not have to make any more trips to the well.
Jesus then turns from what He offers to reveal who He really is. Jesus then asks her to go and find her husband. She replies she has none; the Lord then reveals her marital history by pointing out that she has had five husbands and the one she has now is not her husband. The woman noted Jesus’ insight and unusual knowledge of her and she concluded that He must be a prophet.
She then asked the Lord a theological question: whether one should worship at Mount Zion or Mount Gerizim, the contrast between the understanding of the Jews and that of the Samaritans respectively. Jesus’ reply focused not on where God is worshipped but how – He shared that an hour is coming when the true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth. The reply hints at a new era and structure for worship – God seeks worshippers who can worship Him anywhere from within; He is not so concerned with external issues of location.
The woman then shared that she is aware that the Messiah is coming and that he will tell them and show them all things. Jesus replies simply without any hesitation, “I who speak to you am he.” The Messiah, the One who can give life from the ongoing supply of the Spirit is present. The Spirit is given in a way that leads to eternal life; as living water, the Spirit works from within, creating worshipers of God who worship in spirit and truth. The text gives a summary of the gospel, which is about a promised new, unending quality of life in fellowship with God, grounded in the Spirit.
At this point, the disciples show up, amazed to see Jesus having a conversation with a Samaritan woman. In conversing with this woman, Jesus has crossed the barriers of both race and gender; more than that, He was prepared to interact with one who would be noted by others as a “sinner” and an “outcast” (explaining perhaps why she prefers to come alone to the well at noon). Those will not be obstacles to His offer of the gift of “living water” The woman departs to the village and gives an uncertain witness to Jesus. She is clear that He knew all about her and asks, “Could this be the Christ?” The remarks cause those in the village to come out to see Jesus. By going out to tell others of her experience with Jesus, the woman has become a witness.
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus to eat. Jesus’ reply: ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ His lack of interest in eating the food makes the disciples think that He already had received some food. Jesus repeats Himself and notes that His food is to do the will of the One sending Him and to accomplish His work (John loves to describe Jesus as the one sent and the Father as the sender).The disciples misunderstood Jesus because HIs remarks are interpreted as dealing with physical reality rather than spiritual truth. The time has come to collect the ‘harvest’ of those enabled to worship the Father in spirit and truth through the sent One and by the Spirit. The result of Jesus’ sowing of the word in HIs interaction with the woman – many Samaritans did believe, and confess Him as “Saviour of the world”.
The Second sign: The healing of a royal official’s son
Jesus came again to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water into wine. An official in Capernaum is tending to a sick son. He goes to meet Jesus to beg the teacher to come and heal his son who is at the point of death. The request brings a rebuke from Jesus: “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” It reminds us that if all that draws us to Jesus is His miraculous work, then it is rather superficial, focusing on Jesus’ remarks elsewhere that blessed are those who do not see and yet believe. Despite the challenging ‘rebuke’, the official asks Jesus to heal the boy. Jesus simply tells him to return home, promising him that his son lives. The man turns to go home, believing in Jesus’ word.
Here is the life-giving power of Jesus’ word, effective even from a distance. As the official returns, his servants meet him to tell him that his son lives. When the official asks when the boy got better, the reply is at the “seventh hour” (1.00pm). The official realises that this was the very time of his conversation with Jesus and the moment when Jesus uttered the promised word of healing. So the official and his whole house believe. The official had moved from faith in seeking a miracle to an appreciation for and trust of Jesus the person.
The miracle illustrates the claim that Jesus is the Saviour of the world. Jesus has shown how He brings the new era of the new wine. He brings the new birth. He brings the living water. He heals with HIs word from a distance. All of it means that He is the Saviour, the provider of life. To believe in Him is to have access to life. John stayed focused on who Jesus is and what He does.