He said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband''; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is from the Jews."
Message: Debating Theology with Jesus
Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."
What the Lord is Saying: Jesus has now told the Samaritan woman about living water and that this living water, when requested, He provides her something that causes her to actually never thirst again. He provides her eternal life. Interesting how eternal life is likened to living water. Water is something we need to survive each day on this earth. It sustains us. Even when we are fasting, we are drinking water. And Jesus says to take living water from Him merits eternal life.
I also think back to Jesus' words in chapter 3 and he remarks, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." Could there be a link between the two? Is the water in chapter 3:5 referring to the living water that Jesus is speaking of here?
Next up in our study of the encounter Jesus has with the Samaritan woman is Jesus asking about her husband and she admits she does not have a husband and Jesus clarifies with this woman that she actually has had five husbands. Again, this woman, is an outcast. She most likely comes to the well by herself, not the common practice, because no one will come with her. She was rejected in her community by her sexual immorality. She's had five husbands already and the man she is with right now is not her husband. She admits this. Upon Jesus confronting her, she does not lie or hide. Before him, she admits that she has no husband. Could it be that because of the way Jesus speaks to her she has a need to be honest and admit her sin? "the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." And yet she at first tries to hide by saying she has no husband.
Upon hearing this, though, the woman is astonished and further understands Jesus as being someone different. He's already mentioned living water. And now he know about her and her past. And yet she knows he is still speaking to her. I am reminded that this is significant because Jews were very careful about associating with anyone or anything that was deemed unclean. Surely this woman would be an example of someone unclean. And yet Jesus in these back to back passages speak to a religious leader and a social outcast and both have the same need - spiritual rebirth.
Even though the woman is an outcast she has understanding of spiritual matters. She understands the difference between the Samaritans and the Jews. The Samaritans only worshipped here and only recognized the first 5 books of the Old Testament and other alterations. And Jesus acknowledges this but also makes me mention that the past ritual of where one should worship is not the issue of the moment - but rather the issue first and foremost is salvation and it is from the Jews (v. 22).
Jesus makes it clear that where you worship or the surroundings will not be important. There will not be limitations to worship. Salvation will be different. In chapter 3, I saw something significant and that is the ability of a person to even see their need to believe and be born again (v.16) came about from the Spirit (v. 6,8) and in this awakening their sin is exposed (v.19).
There is clearly something really different here. And it is like it isn't over yet and there is more to understand.
Summary: The woman's sin of being with a man not her husband is exposed by Jesus and Jesus points to her a time when worship will be different and salvation from the Jews.
Promise: In the Gospel, our sin is exposed and we acknowledge our estrangement from God. The Gospel does more than make life better. It improves and satisfies the condition of us.
Prayer: Father, you are real and true and Jesus is true and Holy Spirit, you have awakened me to know You and have salvation in You. Thank you for continuing to teach me through the reading now of Your word. Keep enlightening me and others and help me to speak the truth of Your gospel to others. Expose people. Expose their sinful nature so they see you are the answer.
Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.
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