The Samaritan Woman

Jesus left departing to Galilee

Walking the journey through Samaritan territory was dangerous and extremely tiring. We see here that Jesus is completely human, getting tired and exhausted, but also completely God able to make out of the miserable conditions sources of blessing.

Jesus could create water from nothing if he wanted, but he wanted to create dialogue with the Samaritan woman.

Water’s creation was not characterized by goodness, but God was able to use this water for everyone to live. He came sanctifying the water by speaking of himself as the living water.

St John Chrysostom explains beautifully:

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First, He shows that she is worthy to hear and not to be overlooked, and then He reveals Himself. For she, as soon as she had learned who He was, would straightway hearken and attend to Him; which none can say of the Jews, for they, when they had learned, asked nothing of Him, nor did they desire to be informed on any profitable matter, but insulted and drove Him away.

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Our worth is in the fact that Jesus declared us his sons and daughters and gave us the freedom of being called his children. There’s a certain liberty that comes because of our sonship to God.

The Jews didn’t recognize this, nor did they want to, because they became enslaved to the religion and not sons of the author of the faith.

How did the plants and the creation when they saw the author of life walking through, making out of its desolation, life? It’s astounding how the Jews made a desert out of their hearts and the “infidel” Samaritans allowed grace to take root within their hearts.

Vs 21 Jesus begins openly declaring the nature of God (spirit) and that the true believers are those who worship in their hearts before their lips. The Jews and the Samaritans had extravagant traditions and customs, but had lost their heart in the process.

The Liturgy serves as a chamber in which our souls are purified and our heart is lifted to God.

Vs 26 Jesus said to her, “I, who speak to you, Am He”

Jesus declared that He is God very plainly and openly. I Am in the Bible is God’s name “I am that I Am (YHWH)” (Exodus 3:14)

The Samaritan woman is an archetype of every hopeless case we see in church and the world. What little she knows about God she learned in relation to the Jews, and Jesus came to expand on that, giving her Himself authentically and openly.

After showing what she knew from the Jewish religion she continued to boast about her Samaritan customs and traditions.

Jesus came to establish his Way, which the Jews and the Samaritans had ruined originally through their self pleasing explanation of the law.

The Samaritan Woman did not make excuses for falling into sin, she took ownership of her mistake and admitted the truth, despite the fact that she had yet to know God having lived so far away from him. In direct comparison, King David relished in his own comfort and completely ignored the fact that he knew God. When he realized the consequences of his own sins, he tried to cover up his mistake with more sins and mistake. By choosing not to struggle, David fell into sin. Although the Samaritan Woman had already fell into sin, her persistent struggle to fill the water day in and day out eventually led her to Christ and his mercy.

Comfort poisons us and makes whatever spirituality we have slowly rust and corrode into a facade that breaks easily. When we allow ourselves to go through struggle, even if we are sinning and falling away from God, He will come to us in our struggle and bring us into His embrace.

“…Because both Samaritans and Jews were careless about the soul, but took great pains about the body, cleansing it in various ways, it is not, He says, by purity of body, but by that which is incorporeal in us, namely the mind, that the incorporeal One is served. Sacrifice then not sheep and calves, but dedicate yourself to the Lord; make yourself a holocaust, this is to offer a living sacrifice. You must worship in truth ; as former things were types, such as circumcision, and whole burnt offerings, and victims, and incense, they now no longer exist, but all is truth. For a man must now circumcise not his flesh, but his evil thoughts, and crucify himself, and remove and slay his unreasonable desires.“ St John Chrysostom

“She knew then who could teach her, but did not know Who was teaching her. When He is come, He will tell us all things: as if she said, The Jews now contend for the temple, we for the mountain; but He, when He comes, will level the mountain, overthrow the temple, and teach us how to pray inspirit and in truth.” St Augustine

So, what happened after the Samaritan Woman met Jesus?

She was baptized on the day of Pentecost with her children. She preached all around North Africa and within the Roman Empire. She would later be martyred for Christ’s sake at the hands of Emperor Nero. We know her name. St Photini.

Conclusion

The Samaritan Woman engaged in dialogue with an open heart. How many times are we open to what God has to say to us?

The Samaritan Woman knew who the Christ was by name. How many of us seek to know Christ daily and in the odas?

The Samaritan Woman became a powerful force for change not just in her own life, but in her entire city. Because of one sinner, a whole city was saved. Are we saving each other? How about our community? Or do we often blame if others for our lack of effort?

The Samaritan Woman didn’t reason with God as to why she sinned, but instead took from Him water, living water unto life, that springs into eternity (John 4:14). Are we a source of life for our families? Our community? Our church?