Third Sunday in Lent

I’ve often wondered about this unnamed woman in John’s Gospel 4:5-42, who is labelled ‘the Samaritan woman’, a term which is used in many early bible commentaries as a code for a sinful woman who had poor judgement, has been married multiple times, and is now living sinfully with someone. Yet she’s forthright, courteous, mistrustful but not cynical, she is curious and informed; and understandably wary of social and cultural religious rules which have labelled her, categorized and dismissed her.  She’s clearly learned to protect herself. She is like many women still today who are marginalized by the judgement of others.   

Yet, this is a magnificent story in John’s Gospel! This unnamed woman gives me hope, showing me how God engages in contested and marginalised communities, with all people, including women who have been dismissed or scapegoated by those around them. 

The encounter resonates on many levels. Jesus is travelling with his disciples and they’re in a place where Jews are aliens and not always welcome. He’s resting wearily by a well.  Its hot and dusty.  Jesus, a stranger, initiates a conversation with a local woman who’s come to the well to fetch water, in the middle of the day. Jesus as a practicing Jew, would have known how many rules he was breaking as did the woman. In spite of this, Jesus asks her for a drink. 

The way this story of the Samaritan woman is told, the well is an image of salvation (Isaiah 12:3); as Jesus is presented as a giver of living water.

On the surface, their conversation is simply about having a drink of water because Jesus is thirsty and here’s a lone woman expecting to fill her water jar with water from the well for herself and her household and she would have been hoping she could do so without being challenged.  It might seem to be a reasonable request from Jesus, but it is loaded with cultural, racial and gendered issues, but he receives a reasonable response from the woman which is unexpected and an unplanned conversation begins.   Jesus then goes off on one of his tangents saying he can offer her ‘living water’.  She questions Jesus again; her courtesy is remarkable, given Jesus’ statements, challenging everything she knows to be true.  Could Jesus really be more important than their ancestor Jacob and Jacob’s well and water?  She is really curious about who it is she is talking to?

Jesus said to her: ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty.  The water that I will give will be come in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life. (John 4:13-14)

The woman’s response is complex: but her recognition of something lifechanging happening is swift and clear.  She realises she will be changed and the world will be changed forever with this water Jesus is offering.  This is good news for her!

Then comes their exchange over the number of her husbands, while noting she’s not married to her current partner.  Jesus knows her circumstances.  His prophetic response causes the woman to see her life differently – something else, a different way of life might be possible.  The deep breath of new possibilities is profoundly significant for her.   A new day is dawning for her with Jesus. The Spirit has disturbed her peace. This is what an encounter with Jesus is like!

The quick call to judgement which assumes the woman has either been promiscuous or careless in her husbands is based only on unkind assumptions.  Its worth remembering women were chattels, owned by father, or brother, or husband, financially and socially dependent on men.  They rarely had control over their own lives.  Having a husband, a male in her life, meant the difference between poverty and survival.  Any criticism is wrong, unkind and lacks wisdom, compassion and information.  Its also worth noting, Jesus did not judge her or her circumstances.

The discussion over the places of worship and who worships where and who’s correct, is once again shifted by Jesus who tells her we worship God in spirit and truth. She recognises he is the Messiah.   Worshipping God as spirit heals, water cleanses, gives life, gives joy, and we are made whole in truth.  Isaiah reminds us.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.’ (Isaiah 12:2-3) 

The woman’s quick recognition of such words as belonging to the Messiah, leads Jesus to identify himself to her clearly: 

 ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you’ (John 4:26)

The woman races back to town, leaving behind her water jar to spread the good news.  The Messiah is here, now! Those who heard her believed her and then after speaking to Jesus and listening to him, they knew for themselves.    As we reflect on the woman’s quick wittedness, her willingness to test Jesus, to work through their shared beliefs and as differences disappear from their relationship and encounter, the Gospel story tells us she knew her scriptures and was ready to recognise him as the Messiah. 

As I listen to the townsfolk, their shift from ‘belief’ to ‘knowing’ makes me think about our own journey of faith in this season of Lent. The woman progresses from thinking she has merely encountered a Jewish stranger, to recognising him as one who speaks truthfully about God, to believing he is the Messiah. What a conversation! Jesus opens up a future she has never before imagined and there is still more to know.   She claims Jesus described her whole life.  Jesus did no such thing in this story.  Yet when Jesus shines a light on our lives, everything in shadow seems to come to the light. We see differently.  When we encounter Jesus, we cannot hide from the reality of our lives. 

The Samaritan woman does not act like someone who has been marginalised. Her community listens to her and believes.  She is a disturber of their peace.  They follow her as the first apostle to the Gentiles, to find Jesus.  Jesus offers everyone the Spirit and truth to face their issues, liberating us far more comprehensively, than pronouncing judgement on us.  We find freedom and the capacity to let go the burdens of life and actively share the good news. 

The living water refreshes and makes whole, we are healed and brought together celebrating and reassured, God has seen us in the most unlikely of places, and seen each of us, uniquely children of God.  Where the Holy Spirit moves we are shaken up and once seen, we cannot unsee the Kingdom of God.

The Lord be with you.