Coming into John chapter 4 today, I realized I had already written on this passage several years ago. I will add some detail so as not to miss anything, but the take home remains the same. Let’s consider John 4:1-6 first.
Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. ~ John 4:1-6
Again we see Jesus’ disciples baptizing and John also baptizing. People are starting to talk. Who’s more important? What is the meaning of these religious acts that we religious leaders aren’t in charge of? Who do these guys think they are? We better watch them real close and make sure they don’t do anything we wouldn’t approve of. That’s the setting when Jesus decides to set out through the very place that all these watching him under a microscope religious men painstakingly avoided. Jesus goes through Samaria, and that, friends, is something these too good religious guys would never, ever do.
Samaria was a place full of people they despised, so they would take a whole lot of extra time on purpose, just to walk around the long way when it came to this type of town filled with this type of people. That’s the kind of religious sickness Jesus is being judged by. Just so we understand the context.
Still, when Jesus gets to Samaria, he comes to the very town, Sychar, which sat adjacent to Joseph’s field. Joseph. Remember him? He’s the guy who was desperately hated by his very own brothers because of their gross jealousy. He’s the one who was despised and rejected for his prophetic dreams. Joseph is the guy who got to get sold, go to prison, get promoted, and save a bunch of foreign enemies along with his whole entire family all for the glory of God. Joseph knew what it was like to be the gifted one who was hated by his own. It is not without reason that Jesus goes to his place and he sits down at his father, Jacob’s, well to prove his seething with self-righteousness religious brothers a long-overdue lesson.
When Jesus sits down at the well, along comes a woman. Not just any woman, though. This was a Samaritan woman. No religious man who was worth his salt would talk to the likes of someone like her. Everyone knew that much. Yet Jesus strikes up a conversation. He asks her for a drink.
Imagine that. Jesus asks the woman, who was just as despised as he and his ancestor Joseph among the self-righteous religious men by the way, for a drink. Apparently Jesus knew how it felt to be that guy among a bunch of guys who thought they were something way more special than what they actually were.
But, what, Jesus? Why are you talking to me? says the woman. You’re a Jew, remember? I’m a Samaritan. You know what happened all the way back there in Nehemiah’s day don’t ya? Remember? We’re the guys who darkened your people to try to get you to stop rebuilding your wall around Jerusalem? My daddy’s daddy’s daddy lied about yours. We got a grudge no one is about to forgive. Remember? Plus, I’m a girl. Gasp. How are you gonna talk to me??
I mean, she’s got a point, right?
But Jesus points her to the spiritual. He says she should have asked him for a drink. She thinks of the physical water, but he is saying something of the spiritual. She asks for this spiritual water and what does Jesus do? Does he give it to her?
He does, but first Jesus calls her to repentance. He does that by showing her that she is guilty of sin, specifically, adultery. Try doing that in today’s world. Yes, it was just as awkward and difficult then as it is now. But Jesus isn’t afraid to call things what they are, is he?
Notice how the woman reacts. She is not pretending she is innocent. She doesn’t lie to Jesus or try to cover up the plain truth that he is telling about her present state. Instead, she calls him a prophet. Perhaps this woman is ready to repent? It sure seems that way.
Jesus then tells her about what true living water and real spiritual worship looks like. And then he says something interesting. He says this: “…for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23b)
Jesus tells this woman that God is seeking people to worship him rightly – people, maybe, just like her. God is seeking her. Wow!!! What incredible news! Because the religious men of her day were doing anything but. They were actually avoiding this good-lookin’ girl – at least in the light when they had their religious robes on – like nobody’s business.
In other words, pretty soon, lady, there will be no distinction or division between true worshipers at all. The ceremonial law, which keeps people like you out of God’s house, is soon to become obsolete. That division was provisional and temporary, and it’s about to go away. Soon, all people who know me will worship by means of my Spirit, not mere ceremonial laws.
The woman already knows. She knows a Messiah is coming. She’s waiting for him to inform her about how these things will be. Jesus gives this woman hope. One day she will be welcome at God’s table. And just then, at the very moment when she thinks this guy is done, Jesus tells her exactly who he is.
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” -John 4:26
I am he. I’m that guy who is going to do this for you! I am the guy who is God! So just when she gets it, guess who else gets there? Jesus’ disciples. This should be good. Because, according to every societal norm and standard, this girl was not someone he should be talking to. Friending this floozy was religious suicide. Don’t you know that Jesus? Ain’t nobody gonna believe you are a real righteous man, now, Jesus.
It seems the disciples had not only the same attitude as the religious men of their day, but they also suffered from the same lack of understanding that she did initially. They try to force physical food and he points them to the spiritual food. It’s time for a harvest…of souls!! Are you guys in? Cause this is what we’re about to do: include everyone. Even this girl you wouldn’t be caught dead talking to.
Back to our story…This part I wrote on March 6, 2017:
So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. ~John 4:3-4
The context of this “leaving” is notable. Jesus left Judea for a reason. He left because the religious leaders of his day caught wind that he was gaining a following. His disciples were baptizing lots of people – even more than John the Baptist.
Why would that make Jesus leave? If Jesus was bringing people to God, why would religious men be upset? Why would what some religious pretenders thought make him stop and leave? Why was that a problem?
It was a problem because those religious leaders were extremely jealous. Jesus knew they wanted the power and control of God’s house and God’s people that belonged solely to him. Because they so coveted and idolized power and control so severely, they wrongfully assumed that that was what Jesus and his followers must want, too. They thought that he came to take their beloved places of authority. Because their identity was in their works and their positions rather than in a right relationship with God, they hated Jesus and his right-doing followers.
Ironically, Jesus had every right to direct the religious dealings of the Jews. He was their Savior! He had every right to be the authority among all of them and all the Gentiles as well. He is the King of Kings!!! Wonder what would happen if Jesus showed up today to put his church in order? Wonder what religious men would do? Wonder what would happen if he tried to do it through the testimony of an adulteress woman?
Somehow, people, especially particularly religious ones, do not like when Jesus is really in charge of the church. When Jesus is calling the shots, men are not and their almighty positions of leadership are threatened.
Jesus does not fight with them over their pride and pretense. Instead, he reveals it. He reveals it by leaving. He chooses to go through Samaria – a place and a people that the Jews overtly hated. Jesus proves their hypocrisy without even saying a word to them. He does it merely by purposefully preaching to a person they despised – a Samaritan woman.
Sometimes religious leaders cannot hear plain and simple truth no matter how clear and obvious it really is. They cannot hear because they refuse to. The wisdom of Christ recognizes that and stops talking. The wisdom of Christ simply shows them up by doing exactly the things they should be doing but refuse out of their pride and hypocrisy.
Jesus went directly through Samaria on a route the Jews went far out of their way to avoid. The text says he “had to.” He had to because he had to show the religious men their fault. He had to because he had to show the Samaritans salvation. He cared equally about both the religious men in their error and the irreligious woman in hers. He proved both in one act.
To prove the level of hatred for the woman with whom Jesus chose to speak, the text says this:
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” ~John 4:27
No one asked these questions. Despite their surprise, no one wanted to know? There is a reason for that. They likely did not want to be asked to do the same. Even Jesus’ own disciples were tainted by the social norms of their day. They knew it was social homicide to speak with Samaritans or honor them as brothers and, gasp, sisters. They were not willing to risk their own reputation to honor people God had chosen. They were afraid, prideful, and unyielding to those whom God had deemed clean.
Jesus is not like erring, religious men. He does not avoid difficult and uncomfortable situations. In fact, he makes it a point to meet the very people who instigate them. He does it in order to show prideful men the hatred they have in their hearts for others and to show humble outcasts the love he has in his heart for even them. He does both at the very same time.
Even Jesus’ disciples feared following his lead and example in talking to this outcast woman. Not only was she part of a social group they avoided, she was a she and not a he. The contempt they had for her was doubly great. Jesus shone a light on the contempt they had for her in order to show them the wickedness in their own hearts.
That is why Jesus “had to” go through Samaria when everyone knew you were supposed to take the long way around and avoid them – avoid her- at all costs! He had to expose the attitudes that had a continual internal dialogue that repeated words like this: “What if someone sees? What will people think? She is a dog! We cannot be friends. We are enemies. I’m so good and she’s so bad and what if someone thinks I like her? What if someone thinks I like her more than I should? What if I do like her more than I should? How will I cover up my sin? How will I regain my good reputation? She will ruin me! She is out to get me! She is bad! I am good! Stay away, wicked wench! You are not worthy of my words or my water! God does not call people like you to serve him! Let me just keep pretending you don’t exist so I can feel good about my own righteousness, good reputation, and religious position!”
The Jews were wrong about Jesus. Their power-hungry hearts were desperately jealous. They were wrong about the Samaritans. They were wrong about women. The Jews were no different than any other human group on earth. They just thought they were because they were used to getting special treatment; preference; respect; seats of honor. They were, after all, the children of a long line of self-righteous, spoiled brats. They were just as desperately needy and sinful as any Samaritan in Samaria. Therefore, Jesus pulls the curtain back on their dark thoughts and actions not by telling them, but by doing the very things they were not willing to do. He shows them their sin by doing the right they refused to do.
And the woman preached the gospel by her testimony. The Samaritans were saved despite all the religious efforts to avoid the likes of these unworthy people whom they esteemed themselves so much better than.
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. ~John 4:39-41
To that end I ask, are things really any different today? If you think things have changed, try being a former adulteress with something to offer in a patriarchal church in 2017. Nevertheless, despite the odds, Jesus used an adulteress to save a town full of outcast rejects. If anything gives me hope at all, it is that.
Be careful who you purposefully avoid. Be careful who you hold contempt for in your heart. Jesus might call you out on your hypocrisy and pride by using that very person to start a revival among those you consider most unworthy; those you personally despise. What will you do when God’s church is full of people you have spent your whole life avoiding and despising? You have two choices:
1.Crucify him
2.Love them
Kyrie elesion
Everyday Encounters With the Creator 