Jesus and the Woman of Samaria-john 4.4-42.

7/28/2019 Jesus and the Woman of Samaria-john 4.4-42.

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JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA: John 4.4-42.

Abstract: An attemptto show that in the context of the Fourth Gospel

the account of Jesus and the woman of Samaria is a harmonious

connected narrative alluding to the spread of the gospel from Judaea

to Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

The problem.

In the account of Jesus' meeting with the woman of Samaria, perhaps verse 16 has caused

the greatest difficulty, since Jesus' words appear at first sight to have little connection with what has

gone before. Why should Jesus suddenly want to call the Samaritan woman's husband? Various

suggestions have been made to account for "the unexpected and abrupt nature of this particular

verse (4:16)" (Botha 2007,284). Eugene Botha refers to several attempted explanations, which he

finds unsatisfactory, and then argues that sense can best be made by looking at aspects of Speech

Act Theory. I have no competence in assessing the merits of SAT in general, but I suspect that in

the case of John 4 there is an admirable solution to the problem. It concerns the way in which weinterpret the symbolism of the fourth gospel, which cannot be restricted to a single pericope.

The context.

It is not for nothing that the fourth gospel has been termed "a spiritual gospel" since the time

of Clement of Alexandria. In spite of many signs thatJohn is often more historically correct than

the synoptics (Dodd 1963; Robinson 1985),John is not so much concerned with the facts, but with

the significance which he finds in the person, actions and words of Jesus. This is clear enough from

the opening words of the gospel with the titleLogos. Throughout the gospel there are allusions

which need to be searched for, and these are not merely to be found in the whichJohn

relates. Even the sudden mention of John the Baptist in the Prologue (1.6) may also allude to theother John who was also called to witness to the light "in order that all people may come to faith

through him" (1.7) (Barth 1986, 14-15). Such an understanding can be reinforced by regarding

Nathanael (Jn 1.47; 21.2) ("gift of God") as another name for John. By the abrupt mention of the

Baptist in a theological Prologue the evangelist is perhaps also introducing himself to his readers

and hearers.

Our present investigation however must be restricted to the narratives immediately

preceding and following the story of Jesus' meeting with the woman of Samaria. The previous

chapter introduced Nicodemus, "a ruler of the Jews" (Jn 3.1) who was told by Jesus "In very truth I

tell you that unless a person is born of water and spirit he cannot enter the kingdom (or reign) of

God" (3.5). Nicodemus cannot understand, and Jesus goes on to claim that the son of man is the onewho has come down from heaven, and that "just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so

the son of man must be lifted up to heaven in order that everyone may have life eternal by putting

their faith in him" (3.13-15). The word "lift up" () has the double meaning of beingexalted and of being lifted up (on the cross), and alludes to the servant of Isaiah 52.13 "who will be

lifted up (LXX ) and greatly glorified". The lifting up of the serpent was described inWisdom 16.6 as "the symbol of salvation". Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus leads on to the

assertion, either by Jesus himself or by the evangelist, that God's love was for "the world" and that

"any one who puts his trust in him [Jesus] will never perish but will have life eternal" (Jn 3.16).

Jesus' mission is therefore shown as not being confined to the Jews, but as meant for all

people who will accept him. The next scene (3.22-4.3) refers to Jesus, his disciples and John the

Baptist, with the promise of the abundant gift of the Spirit (v34) and a repetition that "the one who

puts his trust in the Son has life eternal" (v35). Jesus' success in making more disciples than John


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the Baptist (4.1-3) leads him to leave Judaea and go to Galilee by way of Samaria, where Jesus

reveals himself to the Samaritan woman as the Messiah (4.25-26). After leaving Samaria Jesus is

found at Cana in Galilee where it is stressed that he performed the second (4.46,54). ThereJesus heals a nobleman's son from a distance, and as a result the nobleman ( ) and hisfamily "became believers" (4.54). The word probably refers to an imperial official, as isimplied by the title "centurion" () in Matthew 8.5 and Luke 7.1 which represent a

similar, if not identical, incident to that reported by John.

The two sections, 3.1-4.2 and 4.46-54, both refer to Jesus' mission to others than Jews: the

former refers to the universal mission of Jesus and the latter to the healing of an imperial official,

the importance of which John is careful to note by calling it Jesus' second sign, particularly linking

it to Cana with the symbolism of the transformation of life which Jesus came to bring. Between

these two sections occurs the story of Jesus and the woman of Samaria. The length of the account is

but one mark of its importance, the symbolism of which is clearly recognised by John Marsh

(1968,207-227). Samaritans occupied a position intermediate between Judaeans and Gentiles. In

spite of the contemptuous reference in Ecclesiasticus 50.26 and Luke's description of the grateful

Samaritan (Lk 17.18) as a foreigner (), a present-day Orthodox Jew argues "that the

whole point of Jesus' parable [of the Good Samaritan] is merely that a Samaritan may be recognizedas a full Jew" (Lerner 2002,155). Certainly Samaritans observed the whole of the Torah. There is

however no doubt that in Jesus' time Samaritans were often regarded as different from Judaeans (Jn

4.9). Their intermediate position was shown by the programme of Acts 1.8 where the risen Christ

addressed the disciples as those who "will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria,

right up to the end of the earth". Such a recognition of the position of Samaritans is essential for a

proper understanding of John 4.4-42. We do not know whether in fact Jesus himself visited

Samaria: Matthew 10.5 certainly does not seem to give much encouragement for such a visit, but

though Jesus' visit presumably did occur, the real point ofJohn's account is to draw attention to its

significance.

Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4.4-42).

Jesus "had to () pass through Samaria" (Jn 4.4), not because this was the only way toget from Judaea to Galilee, but becauseJohn knew that Samaria constituted a stage in the spread of

the gospel from Judaea to the rest of the world. He came to the village of Sychar, near the site of

Jacob's well, close to Shechem, the important centre of Samaria. Jacob's name was Israel, and his

well was really a spring (). The gift of Israel to his son Joseph (and to all his sons) was meantto be a spring of life ( , Ps 35.10 LXX), where the Psalm contrasts the lot of the "lawlessman" ( v2) with those who acknowledge the Lord's mercy and keep his law, just as theQumran sectaries said "The Well is the Torah" in commenting on Numbers 21.18 (CD vi: Vermes

1987,87).

Before proceeding further we need to consider the allusions to the passion of Jesus which

are to be found in this story. We have already seen that it is through Jesus' exaltation on the cross

that he will be able to save the world (Jn 3.14-17). When Jesus is found seated at the well we are

told "It was about the sixth hour" (Jn 4.6): it was "about the sixth hour" that Jesus was taken to be

crucified (Jn 19.14). Nowhere else inJohn is the sixth hour mentioned. He was seated at the spring

"just as he was" (), having completed his labours () after his journey (v6),when he was confronted by the Samaritan woman. The verb and the noun refer notonly to fatigue and weariness, but especially to the work of proclaiming the gospel (1Cor 3.8;

15.58; 1Th 3.5; and often). This meaning is particulary emphasized in John 4.38 where it occurs

three times (and nowhere else inJohn), and refers to the need of the disciples to reap the harvest ofJesus' labours. In such a context Jesus' request to the woman, "Give me a drink" (v7), reminds us of

Jesus' cry "I am thirsty" (Jn 19.28) just before he died. His thirst was to be quenched by his


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crucifixion and triumphant resurrection as well as by the obedience of his disciples to continue the

work which he had made possible. We are not told whether the woman in fact gave Jesus a drink:

certainly he did not have a bucket, but he had something more worth while to offer.

The Samaritan woman is the representative of all Samaritans. She is a woman because as

Israel was called to be the bride of YHWH, so now Samaria was to be included in the new

relationship with YHWH which Jesus promised. The strangeness of Jesus' request for a drink wasclearly recognised by the woman, leading to the response that Jesus had "living water", a phrase

which can mean running water, but is now clearly referring to the water of life. The situation is

similar to that of Proverbs 5.15-17, where "my son" is bidden "drink water from your own vessels

() and from your springing wells ( ).

But, says the Samaritan woman to Jesus, "You do not have a bucket and the well () isdeep: from where do you get the living water? Are you greater than Jacob who gave us the

?" We note here the change of terms: the woman no longer talks of a spring (), but of acistern. What Jacob gave to his sons was a spring of life, the Torah or the covenant between

Abraham and his descendants. But for the schismatical Samaritans what was a spring of life has lost

its true vitality and has become a cistern. Certainly it provided water and life to the Israelites(including the Samaritans) and their beasts (v12), but now someone greater than Jacob has appeared

who will provide "a spring of water leaping up to eternal life" (v14). The meaning of this would be

familiar to those who know the scriptures: Isaiah 12.3 "You will draw water with joy from the

springs ( LXX) of salvation"; or Isaiah 49.10 LXX, when describing the new life awaiting theIsraelites after the exile - "They will not be hungry nor will they be thirsty ... but he who has mercy

on them will comfort them and lead them by means of springs of waters".

John 4.15-26.

The woman however does not yet see the meaning of this, and asks Jesus to give her thewater which will always quench her thirst. Jesus' response immediately helps her to find the true

meaning of the spring of water leaping up to eternal life. "Go and call your husband and then come

here" (v16). This demand is not as abrupt as it may seem. The allusion is not to marital infidelity

but to the need to preserve the unity and faithful bond between Israel and YHWH. The references to

Jacob and living water make this clear: Jesus is not talking about a promiscuous woman, but of

something more fundamental. "Husband" is a regular rendering of the Hebrew baàl(Ex 21.22; Dt

22.22; 24.4; Pr 12.4), and Isaiah 54.5 addresses Israel "Your Maker is your husband (baàl)", while

Israel is "a wife forsaken" (Is 54.6). The theme is developed in Ezekiel 16, with particular mention

of Samaria (Israel's "younger sister" vv46,51), as also in Ezekiel 23. The imagery of Israel as the

bride of YHWH, her husband (baàl), is a persistent feature of the Old Testament. But baàlalso

refers to the divinities of the various heathen sanctuaries which expressed their worship in culticprostitution, thereby showing that they did not belong to YHWH (von Rad 1975,22-30). Samaria is

sister to Israel, according to Ezekiel. It is therefore right that a Samaritan woman should symbolize

Samaria. The woman rightly says that she does not have a husband (ba'al), because Samaria is

alienated from Israel. The woman understands what Jesus means: so she says that he is a prophet,

one who speaks out the truth about YHWH. She is not concerned with any previous marital

husbands, but with the Samaritans whom she represents. So Jesus elaborates by adding that she

once had five husbands. There were five false gods (ba'alim) in Samaria (2Ki 18.34), as confirmed

by Josephus (Ant9.14.3), and YHWH cannot be regarded as the true husband of Samaria, for

salvation, fullness of life, is to be found only in the Judaeans (v22), the true Israelites.

In this context Jesus' address to the woman in John 4.16 is all of a piece with the rest of theaccount. Jesus is addressing Samaria as a sister to Israel, and telling her indeed to find true salvation

from the Judaeans. But there is much more for her to find, as is indicated by the pericopai on each


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side of the story of the Samaritan woman. The true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and

truth: God is Spirit (v24), and we have been earlier reminded that God "does not give the Spirit in

bits" ( , Jn 3.34), but enables everyone to share in the fullness of his Spirit, the Spirit oflife symbolized by the springs of water. So Jesus is brought to aver that he is the Messiah (v26). He

is indeed greater than Jacob and provides water more abundantly than Jacob's could eversupply after the salvation effected through his death and resurrection.

The final scenes: John 4.27-42.

The woman has come to the Christ, the Messiah. So she leaves her water-pot, of which she

now has no need! She has found the source of the water of life, and goes to tell the news to the

people of the city. Meanwhile Jesus' words to the disciples remind us that his work was to

"complete ( v34) the work of the one who sent me", so recalling words spoken at hispassion (Jn 17.4; 19.28,30). But the work which he had completed has to be carried on by his

disciples (4.38), of whom the Samaritan woman was to be a good example. It was she who

persuaded the Samaritans (v40) to acknowledge Jesus as "the Saviour of the world" (v42), a title

found nowhere else in the New Testament except predicatively in 1John 4.14. The theme first

suggested in John 3.16-17 finds its fulfilment in the faith of the Samaritans, kinsmen of Israel (Ezk16.46), followed immediately by the faith of the (Jn 4.53).

John Suggit.

Bibliography.

Barth, K. 1986. Witness to the Word: Commentary on John 1. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Botha, E. 2007. Speech Act Theory and Biblical Interpretation, inNeotestamentica 41(2) 274-294.

Dodd, C.H. 1963.Historical tradition in the Fourth Gospel. Cambridge: CUP.

Lerner, B.D. 2002. Samaritans, Jews and philosophers, inET113, 152-156.

Marsh, J. 1968. The gospel of Saint John. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Robinson J.A.T. 1985. The priority of John. ed J.F.Coakley. London: SCM.Vermes, G. 1987. The Dead Sea scrolls in English. 3rd ed. London: Penguin.

von Rad, G. 1975. Old Testament theology: vol 1: The theology of Israel's historicaltraditions.

London: SCM.

Jesus and the Woman of Samaria-john 4.4-42.

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