Wednesday 18 March 2009

Background

This passage closely follows the story of Jesus' conversationwith Nicodemus, the respected Jewish leader, a member of thereligious in-crowd (John 3:1-21). Inthat story, Nicodemus can't grasp what Jesus is talking about whenhe says that "no one can see the kingdom of God without being bornfrom above" (John 3:3).

Today's passage would have been scandalous to its original hearers.Jesus is speaking with a woman. In those times, a Jewish man shouldnever start a conversation with an unknown woman, and a Jewishteacher didn't have a conversation in public with a woman. Yet hereJesus is, speaking openly with a Samaritan woman - one of theenemy.

The woman isn't named. Why? Why does she only have a label? Noticehow rarely women are named in the Gospels.

One of the great disputes between Jews and Samaritans was where toworship. For the Jews it was in Jerusalem, for the Samaritans itwas Mount Gerizim (considered by them to be the location of the'near' sacrifice of Isaac - Genesis 22:1-19).Jesus looks to the time when true worshippers will worship theFather in spirit and truth. God is spirit, and so is not limited toone particular place, but rather can be worshipped at all times andin all places by those who seek after truth, whether or not theycan put a name to God.

The woman had had a hard life. The text says she's had fivehusbands and the man she is currently with isn't her husband but itdoesn't say why. Many commentators say the woman is sinful. Howeverthat is their interpretation of the text. She is not labelled as asinner by Jesus, or by the Gospel-writer John. Rather, praise isheaped upon her. She is a witness.

Jesus affirms in verse 22 that "salvation is from the Jews" but itis not limited to them. Because of the testimony of that woman, theSamaritans affirm that Jesus is the saviour of the world.

Notice in verse 4 that Jesus "had to go through Samaria". Is this atheological statement about God's purposes for him rather thansimply a geographical one? Do boundaries always need to be crossedif we are to encounter the living God?

The disciples will eventually be called to be witnesses inJerusalem, in all Judea and in Samaria (Acts 1:8), butwithout being asked, the unnamed outsider woman gets there firstand people respond!

To Ponder

What boundaries still exist in your community?Who is considered an outsider?

Who needs to be named and honoured rather thanshamed?

What does this passage say about the need forinter faith dialogue?