The First Scandalous Mystery
Jesus turns to the Samaritan woman at the well and says, “Give me a drink.” She is taken aback. Convention would preclude him speaking with this woman but she also knows that Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jews look down upon Samaritans. They see them as throwbacks to a more primitive faith. Samaritans often hindered travelers to Jerusalem because they did not believe that one had to visit the temple to offer sacrifice. Jesus responds that if she only knew who was asking, she would in turn ask and receive living water. She fails to understand and notices that Jesus has no bucket. She recalls with pride that Jacob gave them this cistern. Of course, the water here is like the water from the rock in Exodus, it supports the body but does not quench the thirst of the soul. Jesus tells her bluntly, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Beginning to understand but still thinking of literal water, she begs for this living water so that she would not have to repeatedly return to the well. But our Lord knows the state of her soul and challenges her for having many husbands and yet none of them of them are true. She does not argue. Stung that he knows the truth about her she offers the typical challenge to Jews about them offering sacrifice only at the temple in Jerusalem. Instead of debating with her, he says that true worship will not be restricted to her mountain or Jerusalem. God will be worshipped “in Spirit and truth.” Of course, then he claims that Jews properly understand what they worship and that salvation comes from the Jews. He is, after all, the Jewish Messiah. The highlight to the Gospel passage is when the woman says, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus reveals to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.” Nothing will ever be the same again. Notice how Jesus speaks so candidly to her about something he is careful about saying in front of his own people. The Jews have many wrong and militant ideas about the Messiah. The Samaritans envision him somewhat differently. The disciples do not witness this conversation. Indeed they are surprised that he is talking with her. She runs off and leaves her water jar. She is accepting his offer and becomes a prophetess for her people.
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