Tuesday: “ ‘Sir, Give Me This Water’ ”
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 29th of October 2024
“ ‘Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them’ ” (Ezekiel 36:25-27, NKJV).
How does Ezekiel 36:25-27 reflect the truths Jesus was seeking to give to Nicodemus and to the woman at the well?
In both cases, Jesus was seeking to reach these people with spiritual truths, even though He used illustrations from the natural world to do so.
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
At first, neither person understood what Jesus meant. How, asked Nicodemus, can a man be born again? That is, how can he return to his mother’s womb? Nicodemus clearly was functioning at a mundane and earthly level, even though Jesus clearly was pointing him toward spiritual truth. This woman, too, took Jesus’ words about the water in a literal sense when Jesus was clearly talking about something spiritual.
The woman’s response to Jesus’ offer of living water was, “ ‘Give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw’ ” (John 4:15, NKJV). She reasoned that the water Jesus offered would obviate trips to the well, thus reducing the risk of facing others. It is striking that the conversation shifted so quickly from Jesus’ asking for a drink to the woman’s asking Him for a drink.
Read John 4:16. How did Jesus respond to the woman’s request?
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Abruptly, Jesus changes the topic of discussion, telling the woman to go call her husband and come back. Why the sudden shift in topic? The woman’s actions bespoke avoidance. Jesus could read her heart. She must face her situation to find healing. “Before this soul could receive the gift He longed to bestow, she must be brought to recognize her sin and her Saviour.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 187. |
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Life is pretty hectic for me at the moment. In fact, I sometimes wonder how I ever managed to fit work in before I retired. Sometimes, I find it difficult to take the time to just sit and talk to the people in my life, let alone find time to talk to strangers. In our haste to get to the spiritual lesson we often like to say how important it is to set aside time for prayer and Bible study. But, it should be just as important to spend time talking and listening to people as well.
In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, we like to make the point that Jesus already knows from his divine connections, the story of the woman. That is probably true, but the real point of the story is that Jesus took the time and made the most of the opportunity to have the conversation with her. It was a real conversation, with Jesus listening and responding to her questions and observations. And in the informality of the moment a bond was created between the divine and the Samaritan woman.
In my academic life, I became very conscious of the importance of informal conversations with students outside of class. Often those conversations had nothing to do with the disciplines I was teaching, but they provided the sort of relationship where real learning occurred.
I think of the relationship that I had with my own lecturers at Avondale when I was a student. They taught the disciplines of Physics, Chemistry, and Maths, but outside of class they provided the sort of conversations that I still think about today.
Spirituality in never about one's self. Rather it should be a shared experience, even with casual acquaintances. That is how the Holy Spirit works. Its a bit like watering a garden. A conversation potentially stimulates growth.
Thank you Maurice for this contribution. I am so impressed by the way Jesus masters communication. He always knows the right things to say and ask at the right time. I pray that He helps me to build this skill of communication and relationship with Him so that I can engage persons in meaningful conversations that can help stimulate and encourage them to know and love Jesus.
It is noteworthy that if though Christ knew about the woman's not so moral past and present situation, he took out the time to connect with her. The message of the messiah was not spread to Samaria by someone who was upstanding in the society but through a broken vessel. God can use anyone, anywhere for His purpose.
Amen!!
In Ezekiel, the analogy is about water to bath, and to clean. In the woman and the well, Jesus uses the analogy of the water of that well as Him being better than that water of that well primarily for drinking purposes and secondarily as Him also for washing and cleansing from sin and that was why he then turns to the subject of her calling her husband, which was not her husband. And it is very probable that her past relations to men were also not husbands either but just "Husband Wanabe's." Jesus probably just gave her the benefit that she had in the past "Five" husbands etc. What sort of woman would have "Five" marriages and then go on to just live with another man without marrying him? Definitely not a very "Virtuous Woman" to say the least!
I can relate to Maurice. I am close to retirement but my work can be overwhelming. It chokes out, at times, the ability for casual downtime with friends and family. I am constantly praying for God to take my heart and lead my priorities. Giving it all up to God is so important. I love how the Samaritan woman’s priorities change suddenly and she is a new person.
Though we have the blessing of 20/20 hindsight today, I am certain that similar responses are given when a person hears spiritual truths clothed in metaphors for the first time. Haven's Spirit addresses the spirit of man, not his reasoning.
Sadly, not aware or willing to find out that it is the spiritual part of man which needs to be satisfied for man to enjoy true life, many do not only reject heaven’s Truths, but openly mock it. The women at the well did not! She was open, engaged, wanting to hear more from Jesus though the circumstances unsettled her.
John's writing leads me to believe that she accepted the God of her fathers – John 4:11. Responding with caution, she was curious and still wanted Jesus to explain how this living water can change her life. He said: ”If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10; 25.
She ‘did not know’ Jesus nor the power of this Living Water, but she wanted to know more about them. Respectful, practically minded, down to earth in her thinking, she did not mock Jesus or reject His offer outright as so many of His Jewish brethren had done; she was open to learn. As her heart was right with God, the Spirit persuaded her to reach for the Living Water Jesus Christ offered her - 4:11-16; 39. Praise God!
Question here,how did the woman come to know that Jesus was a Jew that she didn't want to give him water?
Ethnicity, particularly when there is enmity, is sometimes obvious.
There are things we do as a race, culture,dressing, how we speak and general appearance that makes us different from others and you know when you meet one
There is a lot of psychology at play in the interactions between the woman and Jesus. It is known as the "Benjamin Franklin effect."
The psychological phenomenon commonly known as the "Ben Franklin Effect" explains why people wind up liking you more or feeling more positively towards you when they do you a favor.
That is because people often feel honored that you trust them enough to ask for their help. You will feel closer to others when you allow them to assist you. The people in your life will also feel closer to you.
Jesus, who made us, understands how we are wired and used that effect to get to the woman's heart. This should remind us of the importance of wisdom in soul winning.
For sure, it is true. Even God became so close to us by giving His son. So we ought also to follow the same example