81 Partake – The Christian Disciple and Jesus Reaches Out
In the previous Podcast we saw two different people approach Jesus differently. We saw the rich young ruler who was eager and keen to meet with Jesus, running and kneeling before Him, only to leave in sorrow at the cost of discipleship. We then saw Nicodemus coming at night to Jesus in order to check out what Jesus was all about for himself. This time we will see two more people encountering Jesus under different circumstances, as He reaches out to them.
1. Woman at the well John 4
John 4v1-4: The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria.
Now we come to see somebody who accepted Jesus for who he was. Jesus went via Samaria as it was the shortest route back to Galilee. It was hot. Jesus was thirsty and wanted a drink. His disciples had gone into town to get food. So he asks a Samaritan woman to fetch him some water from the well. That he asked a Samaritan would have been bad enough, but to also talk to a woman!
The woman
We don’t know the name of this anonymous woman. But by looking at this conversation between Jesus and her, we discover several things about her?
That she was a Samaritan. There was equal animosity between Jews and Samaritans, hence the end of John 4v9: “(For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.” This could equally be translated as “for Jews do not ask any favours of the Samaritans”. The Samaritans were a mixed race people of both Jewish and Assyrian descent from the time of the division of Israel into two parts and the annexation of the Northern kingdom by Assyria. 2 Kings 17 tells us that Assyria repopulated this area.
She was an outcast, that’s why she was fetching water at the hottest part of the day! This was probably due to her sexual immorality having had 5 husbands and currently in a 6th relationship (John 4v18).
She was waiting for the Messiah (John 4v25)
Jesus
What does this tell about Jesus?
Tells us of his genuine humanity. He was tired, drained, hot, thirsty and hungry – normal human feeling and reactions.
Jesus contravened tradition in that He spoke to a woman who was a Samaritan and a sinner. Respectable Jewish men never did that sort of thing!
He showed great humility by asking for a drink of water, he was putting himself in her debt.
He knew the woman’s life of sinfulness (John 4v17)
Tells us of his divinity, when he offered her the water of eternal life (John 4v14).
He was able to spiritually satisfy (John 4v14)
Loved the woman, and gave her the most revealing and explicit statement we have in the Gospels as to who He really was (John 4v26).
In showing love for the woman, he transcended cultural barriers. Ordinary Jewish men would never ask a Samaritan woman for a drink! Hence the disciples reaction in John 4v27! But Jesus is no ordinary man, his love is for all, whether they be rich, learned, male, female, wanted and unwanted!
Shows us that Jesus’ offer of salvation is for all people, and not just the Jews.
The woman misunderstood the living water He offered as she probably thought he meant running water or water from a river! But the living water Jesus offered was spiritual water to cleanse her from sin and give eternal life. Elsewhere in the Old Testament, God is described as “a fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 2v13; Jeremiah 17v13).
When the disciples returned, the woman left her water jar and went back to the town to tell other people about Jesus (John 4v29-30). Many people came to faith in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony (John 4v39-42) and knew Him as the saviour of the world (John 4v42).
As Jesus’ ministry continues, we know that He spoke to people regardless of their social status, education, nationality or g
