Uppity Woman of the Bible and Unconventional Jew

Uppity Woman of the Bible meets Unconventional Jew
John 4: 5-42
Opening Prayer: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be always acceptable to you, our rock and our redeemer.
Introduction: I am very thankful for the privilege of being able to preach today. Last week when I saw what today's passage, I called Ted and begged to be able to preach. This is the passage I did my paper on for my Exegesis class.
I really enjoy studying the Gospel according to John because there are various levels of meaning in it. It is like being in front of a giant buffet with one plate, and trying to decide which dishes to sample. Everything looks so good!
When we remember that John uses a lot of metaphors and symbols in the gospel, it really affects the interpretation. Last week, Sara preached on Nicodemus, a well respected religious leader and how he came in the night, was searching, and stayed spiritually in the dark during that encounter. So today, we hear about the Samaritan woman who had been married five times and was now living unmarried with a man, who Jesus talked to during the day, and she saw the light spiritually. In addition, today's passage can be looked at as an allegory, but that would be another sermon.
The Gospel Passage:
Maybe it's just me, but have you ever had a lingering question after reading a passage? This passage is packed with so much, and yet, I continue to wonder if Jesus ever got his drink of water. I just had to mention that so I can put it out of my way. :)
This is one of those times when we see Jesus being very unconventional. Jesus was not just a good man, or wise teacher. Jesus really went against the traditions at times. Here he is talking to a woman, who is a Samaritan, and he is asking her for a drink of water. The Jews considered Samaritans unclean. Not only that, it was not considered appropriate for a man to talk with a strange woman in a public place.
There is a Buddhist parallel to the Samaritan woman at the well. It is thought to be from the 2nd or 3rd century A.D.
Buddha's favourite disciple Ananda, tired after a long journey, asks a girl of the Candala caste who is drawing water at a well for a drink. When she warns him not to contaminate himself, he replies: "My sister, I do not ask what your caste or your family is; I am only asking you for water, if you can give it to me."
In an environment where water is so plentiful, it can be easy for me to take it for granted and to forget how essential water is. In this passage, Jesus starts off talking about water in the literal sense, but then offers water in the metaphorical sense. Water is often a symbol of God's blessing and of spiritual refreshment. Think of the times you have felt like you were in a spiritual drought. Think of times when you have felt spiritually thirsty. There are times I have been in Church services or events where I was spiritually thirsty, and left feeling even thirstier. And yet, there have been times when I left spiritually refreshed. The cool, running, living water of the Spirit will run into me and fill me up, and as a result, I can then give to others. Water is also connected with Baptism.
Jesus was literally thirsty for water, but the same Greek word can also be used figuratively to mean someone "long earnestly for, or having a strong desire for."
Just as 'water' is used literally and figuratively in the passage, 'drink' is also used literally and figuratively. In the figurative use of the word, Kittel states "It signifies receiving the means of salvation offered by Jesus, and finally receiving Jesus Himself, through faith."
Our interpretation of the passage says more about us than it does about the passage. This passage is read during the third Sunday of Lent. Traditionally, Lent was time when the candidates for Baptism were being prepared for Baptism during the Easter Vigil. Since they were preparing for Baptism, this passage was included because of the emphasis on water. Since then, the focus of Lent has changed. The focus tends to be more on Lent being a penitential season when people are to take stock of their spiritual life and confess their sins. I believe this has added a filter of sinfulness to the story that was not meant to be. Many preachers will focus on how sinful the woman must have been. And yet, we are not told why she was married five times. Jesus does not appear concerned about it. Maybe she was a five-time divorcee, or maybe some of her marriages ended with the death of her husband. We don't know. Women had no power then. Divorce in that time period was the sole prerogative of the man. What ever happened, we can guess that her life had been rough. Jesus showed he was a prophet by telling woman she had had five husbands, and the man she was living with now was not her husband. Jesus just made an observation, and not a judgment. There was nothing said about her needing to repent, or that he forgave her. He just made an observation.
How does this relate to us today?
Think back to times in your life when someone knew everything about you, even the dark secrets, and still loved and accepted you unconditionally. That is so liberating! Look at the woman's reaction. Jesus told her to call her husband, and come back. When she said she did not have a husband, Jesus told her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" Then they moved on in their conversation. Jesus did not dwell on it; instead they moved on with the conversation. In addition, Jesus treated her like an intelligent person, which was unusual for a woman to be treated that way by a man.
We all need water in order to sustain life; but Jesus also offers us "living water", which sustains us spiritually by his very real presence. The "living water" of the Spirit will never run dry. We can drink all we want from that stream, and it will continue to refill with more "living water". All we need to do is to ask for that "living water" of the Spirit.