Wednesday: The Woman at the Well
Study John 4:5-32, and then answer the following questions.
- What social conventions did Jesus break, and why? What should this tell us about social conventions and the way in which they should be regarded when they interfere with witnessing? What social conventions might be hindering your witness to others?
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
- In what way did Jesus confront the woman about her sinful life? What lessons could we take from His approach?
- What does this story reveal about the prejudices of Jesus’ disciples? Again we have to ask ourselves, in what ways are we guilty of the same thing?
- Though obviously impressed by the fact that Jesus knew that she had been sexually promiscuous, what did the woman say in her witness that showed that she still had some questions about who Jesus was? What lessons can we draw from this about our own need for patience when it comes to the making of disciples?
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Reading about Jesus and the woman at the well, impressed me to not jugde people and to forgive others eventhough we know that they have committed many sins, for Jesus forgives us daily.
The woman thought she had found a man, but Jesus had other plans, plan of salvation to the samaritans! I think Jesus said his mission here - he came so that we won't be worshiping in jerusalem or in the mountains of our fathers (jacob's mountain) so even me an african can now worship in spirit and in truth. No more jew, or gentile, he came for the lost sheep, for the lost coin!
Christ is the master. Nomatter what you have done, he never will condemn you. He knows the best way to bring out the best in everyone. I love the way He spoke with the woman caught in 'the act'. Again, look at the way He told the woman everything about her relatioship.
Jesus came to save everyone irrespective of religion, race, gender and language. No social restriction or convention should ever stop us from spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must emulate our master and stop comdemning our neighbours even before the judgement day. So help me God
To me Jesus was a master of human psychology and how He worked with that woman under the circumstance is a marvel. He didn’t confront differences but drew her out in such a way that gave her faith in who He was. In my view if we are to win souls this incident is one that we would do well to study in depth.
I believe it is a mistake to think that Jesus subverted local customs and culture except when they nullified the commandments of God. From what I understand God always works within the framework of human social constructs. In the case of the woman at the well Jesus both circumvented some customs while using others. He bridged the barrier between Jew and Gentile and to a certain extent between man and woman but at the same time used the unspoken law in the Middle East to never refuse water to a thirsty traveler.
He supported all the traditions of the Jews up until they interfered with the requirements of Jehovah. It is these kinds of things that Jesus seemed referred to when He said, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Mat 23:1-3 NKJV)
My master knew that the woman was not confident. He brought her closer so that she will open up for discussion.Jesus is a professional counselor and always attracted people so we should be like Him in witnessing.
Christ longs for "all to come to the knowledge of God(truth)" 1tim:2:4 freedom looses us from bondage of traditions and mental slavery's spirit and truth,"I am he" Christ tells the woman, Jesus lives in the heart, mind, and soul of us all. What we know, is to be our ministry to others. As the woman went into the city her words were "come, and see a man which told me all things that ever I did". The love of God never puts an individual into a predicament that compromise spiritual growth, but rather leads us to seek out His will for us to do. blessings!!!
Chances are Jesus might not have met this woman elsewhere had he not gone to the well; it was a strategic location to meet a Samaritan woman. Jesus was willing to meet people in their territority despite the stereotype. What a lesson for those who want to witness to whomever!!!!
Question......Jesus met this woman at the sixth hour,was this 18:00?
If yes what time of the day can we equate it to our current clock time periods?
How did the people of those days set their clocks or divide the day?
This will help me to know at what time darkness came in while Christ was on the cross?
The normal counting of time was from sunrise to sunset (06:00am to 06:00pm) and sunset to sunrise (06:00pm to 06:00am) so Jesus met the woman at noon
During that time of Jesus, people did not recognize him as a King, a Savior, of the world. They thought He was one of the ordinary people who can heal, preach etc..like us today. But by telling His story to this woman at the well, at once she dropped her bucket and ran to the city calling out to people "I have found the Savior, come and see him". I love this story, it is one of the best stories that changed my life.
Question: did moses made the laws by himself or with the directives from God? And why did jesus seemed to have disobeyed the laws of moses?
In the incident of the Samaritan woman at the well, is shown one of the Saviour's ways of winning souls. While the woman was extolling Jacob's well, Christ was speaking to her of the water of everlasting life. He who drinks of the water of Jacob's well "shall thirst again," he said, but he who drinks "of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst."
Instead of disparaging Jacob's well, Christ presented something better. "If thou knewest the gift of God," he said, "and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water." He turned the conversation to the treasure he had to bestow, which would satisfy the craving of mind and heart. He offered the woman something better than anything she possessed, even living water, the joy and hope of the gospel of his kingdom.
This is an illustration of the way in which we are to work. It is of little use for us to go to pleasure-lovers, theater-goers, drunkards, and gamblers, and scathingly rebuke them for their sins. We must offer them something better than that which they have, even "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding." We must make it as plain as possible to them that the law of God is binding upon all human beings, and that this law is a transcript of the divine character, an expression of that which the Creator wishes his children to become. {YI, September 11, 1902 par. 3}
"Give me a drink" ... truelly Jesus specialized in transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary!
... way back, this well earned the samaritan five men, Jesus chooses His words carefully, each calculated to spark hope where there is none! her world is one of unstable relationships in the night. Jesus presents her with an encounter at high noon.
Jesus, Reedemer.... break the abyss that exists between us and your beloved children so we may stand as a family!
According to what the bible i'lustrates about the lady at the well. It shows that she was awared that they wanna come the messiah, but on that time she wasn't knew that she was speaking with him.
Although Jesus exp'ained himself to her she didn't believe him. Similarly to us today we here the words of God calling us to cease our demmon ways to repent but we are not.
This lesson teaches us that we should know that God can transform people for instance prostutes to preach the gospel of God, like what the lady did.
Final'y the death of Jesus christ have made us not to distinguish us by race, culture, political'y and language. We should praise him
in spiritual and truth
Why is the lesson author stating that the Woman at the Well was sexually promiscuous?
From the plain reading of the Bible there is absolutely nothing, in any way, that suggests that this woman was sexually promiscuous.
There are several biblical reasons why she may have had 5 husbands and be dwelling the 6th man, and not be sexually immoral. e.g Levirate Law or being unable to conceive, a samaritan woman had no choice in a divorce, only her husband or the priest could initiate a divorce... etc
It's amazing that we are so willing to accept the speculation of the "Church Fathers" in this instance, but not for other Roman Catholic teachings.