characteristics of the samaritan womancharacteristics of the samaritan woman

She seeks truth. Learn Religions, Nov. 7, 2020, learnreligions.com/woman-at-the-well-700205. Who told you about Jesus? As the years passed and my faith in Christ grew, I distanced myself from this needy woman of the Bible, oftentimes looking through the religious glasses I had put on to label others as the ones who needed this drink. There is a lot that we could dig into within this discourse between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. It was about noon, the hottest part of the day, and a Samaritan woman came to the well at this inconvenient time to draw water. She was an honest woman (John 4:16-18). Testament. Interpreters cel-ebrate John 4:4 -42 as a story of hope for all sinners, even those women who sin in the same way the Samaritan woman did. They survived through the time of Jesus, and even, in limited numbers, to the present day. She could be a concubine, which was a legal arrangement but with lesser status than marriage. Salem Media Group. When Jesus turned the question back to him, he had to say that the law stated that a person was to love God and love his neighbor as himself. Because of His magnificent sacrifice, our life should exalt His name (Matthew 5:16). All rights reserved. The Samaritan woman is one of the better known women of the New Testament. She ran to tell everyone, completely unconcerned about what they would think of her. Jesus was coming to establish something new. Firstly, she was poor. Despite the enmity between the Jews and Samaritans, Jesus chose to associate with her. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus asked her for a drink. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. What does the story of the Samaritan woman at the well teach us? Jesus wants to be known. However, the contents of this blog post may not be modified, compiled, combined with other content, copied, recorded, synchronized, transmitted, translated, formatted, distributed, publicly displayed, publicly performed, reproduced, given away, used to create derivative works and otherwise used or exploited (including for-profit or commercial gain) without the creators expressed permission. And that was at the temple they had built for themselves at Mount Gerazim. When we put our faith and trust in Him as the Living Water, we can bank on the fact that the well will never run dry (Psalm 37:4). Specifically, her husbands. (John 4:26, ESV), As the woman began to grasp the reality of her encounter with Jesus, the disciples returned. He made Himself known to her, as He must to all who truly come to know Him. After King Solomon ruled over the Israelites Gods people the unwise actions of his son Rehoboam in the tenth century BC led to a schism in which the kingdom was split into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, each with its own king. This parable is found in Luke 10:25-37. (John 4:29, ESV). We have heard the old saying curiosity killed the cat. I have come to learn that the Lord loves inquiring minds. The Samaritan woman whom Jesus meets at Jacobs Well gleans much from her long conversation with Jesus. She had every reason to ignore him. This post want enlightening as well as informative. Jesus answered, "I who speak to you am he." John 4:1-42). One reason is probably because of the great amount of scripture devoted to the conversation between her and Jesus. All rights reserved. Living water can be obtained only by those who recognize that they are spiritually thirsty. Yet, we often don't see that the satisfaction we so desire can only be filled by a Messiah who speaks in spirit and truth. Jesus did not tell us whether the Just as the Samaritan woman did not fully understand who Jesus was at first, we also need Jesus to open our eyes to the reality of who He is (Psalm 146:8, Ephesians 4:18). The Samaritan woman was so ashamed of her lifestyle when she met Jesus. What you have just said is quite true.Sir, the woman said, I can see that you are a prophet.. #2 She just wanted an easier life, free from the inconvenience of having to walk in the heat of the day for water each day. Proud member The 5 husbands of the Samaritan woman remains a mystery because she never addressed it. He tells us to ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK. The Samaritan woman is perhaps the only person in all of the New Testament to whom Jesus directly says he is the Messiah. And that means hes always wanting to hear from us. From The Fellowship Room, the Daily Nudge asks this morning, What stands out in your mind in the story of Jesus conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacobs well? (cf. By making this request, Jesus was accomplishing a few different things: Jesus was helping her to understand her need for the living water that He was offering her. Learn Religions. First, he spoke to her despite the fact that she was a woman. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17). True worship will be done, If you would like to do your own in-depth study and learn more about the, How to Use the Inductive Method of Bible Study. Instead, Jesus flipped the question. After all, anybody who knew her was not interested in the icky details of her life. Like all Samaritans, she traces her ancestry back to Jacob. A knowledge which explains her astonished reaction and unbelief (v. 9). And many believed because of her testimony (v. 39). But she did this. Maybe its a woman who you and others avoid because associating with her may switch on the rumor mill. For centuries Jews and Samaritans had rejected each other. The following are some outstanding characteristics of the Samaritan woman: She was an observant woman (John 4:9). See my full disclosure for more details. She said to the people, Come and see a man who has told me everything Ive done! Jew, would talk to her but she seemed perfectly willing to draw Him water from the deep well. Dustyn Elizabeth Keepers is a Ph.D. candidate in Systematic Theology at Wheaton College Graduate School. Jesus used the words living water to refer to eternal life, the gift that would satisfy her soul's desire: This living water was only available through him. Jesus took her through the process of seeing her need to change her life. Its no longer about burnt offering, sacrifices, or rituals, but from a heart of sincerity and love for God. But one of her outstanding characteristics is that she was kind. He gives us new desires and a new purpose, that will not be found in any earthly thing, but only in His kingdom (Colossians 3:4-10, Matthew 6:33, Romans 8:28). Jesus tackled the barriers against women by talking to her. We focus on the next best way to organize a closet. Only in recent years have men been allowed to marry women from outside the community, although women who marry outside the community remain ostracized. 12 It is remarkable, for example, that in examining the Old Testament background of the expression 'living water' they concentrate on the symbols, Wisdom, Torah, Spirit, and ignore the figurative use of water in regard to women (for which, see below). They were replaced with a foreign race, planted there This woman without a name is a wonderful model for all of us on our own journey of faith. The Samaritan woman in John 4:1-29 reveals this truth about us: that we are blind to our own need until the Anointed one opens our eyes. The meaning of SAMARITAN is a native or inhabitant of Samaria. The nameless woman at the well was called to be a disciple and evangelist. The Bible mentions plenty of stories about Samaritans, and the hatred between Jews and Samaritans features prominently in the Gospels. This fact suggests that she did not have any women friends which only happened if nobody wanted to be associated with her. The Samaritans had a very unusual history. Not only was she in adultery, but she also had a shameful past. That scenario would certainly be similar to the example used by the Sadducees The other women would have gathered their water early in the morning, before the heat of the sun beat down on them, before the tasks of the day wearied them . Lord, help me not to be so caught up in rules that I would miss you. Hes always listening to our whispered prayers and our silent prayers. The Samaritans, being a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. All those details combined made her ready to receive Jesus. Though we are not told this womans name, she has the longest conversation with Jesus of any character in the book of John. After the Jews in Babylon were released, they cut off those who had intermarriage claiming that they were no longer full-blooded Jews because they had betrayed Jewish customs. RELATED: Jesus and the rich young ruler 7 modern lessons from an old Bible story. She was so happy that she ran to tell the rest of her village and the whole town was saved. On its surface, the story chronicles ethnic prejudice and a woman shunned by her community. The following are some outstanding characteristics of the Samaritan woman: Lord, please grant us more women with the above characteristics, in Jesus name, Amen! the city and began telling others about Him. She leaves her water jar behindjust as the disciples left their fishing netsa sign of her complete embrace of this calling to follow Jesus. She had not recognize Jesus from some past meeting, nor was she aware of His true identity. Years ago as I pondered this poor soul we know as the Samaritan woman, I thought this is who I am, rejected, abandoned, full of shame, and longing for a drink of living water, but not even knowing what it was I longed for. However, as Jesus revealed Himself to her, he sought to show her that He was the never-ending water she was so thirsty for (John 7:38). 2. Jesus was using her natural thirst for water as a picture of her spiritual need for Him. Samaria was a dessert town and the heat of the day was not the time to be filling up the jars of water. He knows our desires, and yet He still pursues us and loves us (Romans 3:23). For centuries Jews and Samaritans had rejected each other. Today, Samaria is in what is now the northern West Bank. Its hard to live in full surrender to God when we are ignoring the simple truths we already know. I want to just focus on four main topics that Jesus discussed with her. She may have been Both kingdoms devolved into corruption and sin, despite repeated warnings from prophets sent by God. True worship will be done in spirit and in truth. What is God whispering to you about your own calling? She struggled with shame, which is evident by the time of the day she journeyed to the well. He cannot be the Messiah, can he? (4:29). She is the co-author ofDear Hero and has 200+ bylines in publications ranging fromThe Christian Communicator toKeys for Kids. I have no husband. It would have been easy for her to make up a story about her husband being dead or unavailable but she didnt. The Samaritan woman is one of the better known women of the New Testament. Who in your life witnessed to you that they knew and were known by Jesus? She knew that the Messiah would know the secrets of everyone. They comfort us as we examine the evidence of Gods grace, mercy, and forgiveness in their lives and help us to see how we can relate to them. [1] For a more detailed examination of the historical record on women and marriage in this time period and the Samaritan womans story in particular see Women in the World of the Earliest Christians by Lynn Cohick (Baker Academic, 2009), 99-128. Jesus illustrates this in Matthew 8:3. Jesus does not judge this womans history, though many Christian interpreters have. The details are strong. Jesus encounter with this woman brings to light four core beliefs or exhortations that modern-day Christians can learn. A thousand AMENs Iona. There is the But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. As I reflected on the plight of this woman, I began to wonder if in my religious zeal I had become like the disciples who wondered why Jesus would talk to such a woman. Do you dismiss certain people as lost causes, or do you see them as valuable in their own right, worthy of knowing about the gospel? Like the Samaritan Woman, we are thirsty. She was trying to find out from the One she perceived to be a prophet where the correct place of worship was. She drops her water jar and rushes back to the village and says to everyone she meets, Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done. This woman came for water at an unusual hour and she came alone. Shame, which is evident by the time to be a prophet where the correct place of was! Reaction and unbelief ( v. 9 ) reality of her spiritual need for Him the hatred between Jews and had! ( Matthew 5:16 ) a dessert town and the rich young ruler 7 modern lessons from old... Some past meeting, nor was she in adultery, but from a heart of sincerity and for! Call the righteous, but from a heart of sincerity and love for characteristics of the samaritan woman great! 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