Let's start this morning by simply rereading 4:1-3. These three verses mark a transition in John to a new story:
(4:1) Then, when Jesus knew that the Pharisees heard
that Jesus, many more disciples he is making and baptizing than John--
although Jesus himself was not baptizing,
but his disciples--
(3) he left Judea,
and he departed again for Galilee.
What we are going to start to see in the gospel of John is that Judea is a place of resistance, of ignorance, and of danger. At this point, Jesus has no desire to push things in Judea (his hour is not yet come), and so he makes a decision to return to Galilee. (and that's one of the reasons I think it's helpful to translate "Jews" as "Judeans"-- Judeans live in Judea, and they are the ones who reject Jesus)
But how do you get from Judea, back to Galilee? Verses 4-6a:
(4) Now, it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria.
(5) Then, he comes to a city/town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
(6) Now, there was in that place, Jacob's well.
Why does AJ tell us about Jacob's field, and his well? We tend to pass over little details like this, without thinking about them, or asking why they are included. But these are the kinds of details biblical authors (usually) give out for a reason.
What we are about to read, takes place in the shadows of Jacob's gift of water to his descendants. What is water? Water is life. And Jacob gave life to a lot of people, through the water he offered.
And if someone offers you water, what would you call that? Maybe, you'd call it a kindness, and a sign of favor. Maybe, you'd call it a grace (John 1:16-17).
Our story continues, still in verse 6, with two more pieces of background information (2 more imperfects):
"Then, Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was simply sitting at the well.
The gospel of John works very hard to give us evidence that Jesus is God. But, at the same time, Jesus is also human. The Word became flesh. And AJ here gives us this little note, in support of Jesus' humanity. God doesn't get tired. And, certainly, God never reaches the point where he's so hot, and so tired, that all he can do is sit.
And so, if you ever find yourself wondering, "Is Jesus actually human?", John 4:6 is a good place to turn.
"It was about the sixth hour."
Our story takes place, probably, around noon-- in the heat of the day, and in the brightest part of the day. The last time Jesus interacted with a person-- Nicodemus-- it happened at night, under the cover of darkness. Nicodemus had been scared of the light, because he knew his own deeds would be exposed.
Anyone willing to come to the Light-- to Jesus-- has to be willing to be seen for who they really are.
Let's flip back to John 3:19-21:
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
In verse 7, the story proper starts up (present tenses often mark transitions to new episodes, fwiw). Let's read through verse 9:
(7) A woman of Samaria comes to draw water.
Jesus says to her,
"Give to me to drink."
(8) For his disciples had gone to the city,
in order that food they would buy.
(9) Then, the woman-- the Samaritan one-- says to him,
"How are you, a Judean being, from me to drink you are asking-- a woman of Samaria being?"
For Judeans don't have dealings with Samaritans.
Let's pause here.
The woman is shocked because she, on two accounts, is not someone Jesus "should" be talking to. She is a Samaritan, and she is a woman. Samaritans were viewed as being ritually unclean, and as being outside of God's covenant with Israel. A Samaritan woman would be the kind of person you'd cross the street to avoid, lest she somehow contaminate you. And she's not someone you deliberately start a conversation with. Even if you're super thirsty.
The only parallel I can think of, would be an all-white diner from the 1950's in the U.S. Imagine a black man walking into the restaurant, and asking for a glass of water. Can't do it. The Samaritan woman assumes a Judean man would rather stay thirsty, than talk to her. Or ask her for a favor.
We should also notice how the woman describes Jesus. Who is Jesus? Jesus is a Judean. [This gives body to the prologue, John 1:10: "He came to his own, and his own did not receive him." "Judeans" reject Jesus.]
We've heard Jesus described a lot of ways in John so far. He's the Word, and God, and the Messiah, and Light, and the Lamb of God. We know Jesus is much more than a Judean. And so, at this point in the story, we should hear the woman's words, and know that there's a huge gap between what she knows about who Jesus is, and what we know.
Verse 10:
(10) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"If you had known the gift of God
and who is the one saying to you,
"Give to me to drink,"
you would have asked him,
and he would have give to you water-- the living one.
In verse 10, Jesus takes control of the conversation. From a human perspective, Jesus looks like the needy one. He's tired. All he can do is sit. And he's thirsty.
But there is a higher level of truth at play here. And here, we find AJ's two story story popping up again. If the Samaritan woman knew the higher level of truth, SHE would be the one asking for water. There are two things, that if she knew them, would forever change her life:
(1) God's gift.
(2) Who the one is, who is speaking to her.
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If you knew the gift of God … who it is that is saying to you: For a full development of the argument that the encounter between Jesus and the woman progresses along the axes of vv. 7–15 (“the gift of God”) and vv. 16–26 (“who it is that is saying to you”) see Okure, Johannine Approach 92. (Francis Moloney, The Gospel of John, 121).
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If she understood what God offers, and who He offers it through, she would jump at the chance for "the living water."
What is "living water"?
What we have here is another example in the gospel of John, of ambiguity, and people misunderstanding Jesus' words.
We remember, hopefully, how Nicodemus struggled to understand Jesus back in John 3. Jesus had told Nicodemus he had to be born again/from above, in order to see and enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus heard Jesus say, "be born again," but Jesus meant "be born from above." And Nicodemus found himself unable to reach for the higher level of meaning-- the upper story of truth.
What we have here is the same type of thing. There's some ambiguity here, that requires teasing out. "Living water," heard from the lower, human, earthly level, could mean something like a stream or river. "Living" water is water that moves. It's a river, and not a well. A stream, and not a lake.
But is this what Jesus means? Are we supposed to imagine that Jesus is offering the woman a hidden creek?
Or is there a higher level of truth we are supposed to find ourselves reaching for? What does Jesus mean? And what does the Samaritan woman hear?
Verse 11:
(11) She says to him,
"Lord/sir, neither a bucket do you have,
and the well is deep.
Then, from where do you have the water-- the living one?
The Samaritan woman hears Jesus, in the same way Nicodemus did. All she can do, is grasp at Jesus' words from a lower level of understanding. She thinks Jesus is offering her a river. Which would be amazing, right?
What she knows, is that Jesus doesn't have a bucket. And the well is deep-- the water is a long ways down. It looks like Jesus can't even offer her a cup of water-- let alone a secret source of living water.
And so she asks THE question in the gospel of John. "From where" does Jesus have the living water? WE hear this, as John's readers, and know the answer. Jesus has living water "from above"-- from heaven, from the Father. But the woman, at least at this point, struggles to keep up.
Notice, though, how she addresses Jesus in verse 11. Here, she calls Jesus "Lord," or "sir." She's respectful here. And this respectfulness shows at least a partial openness to Jesus. And it also shows she's making progress-- she's moved from thinking Jesus is simply a Judean, to thinking he is someone you treat with respect.
She continues, verse 12:
(12) You, not greater than our father Jacob, are you, right?, ("not greater..." is focused in Greek)
who gave to us the well,
and he from it drank,
and his sons,
and his livestock?"
Jacob, as ancestors go, was a great father. He gave his people water, that enabled life. And this water was a gift, that blessed lots and lots of people, over thousands of years. He from it drank, and his sons, and his livestock-- and the entire Samaritan town.
And so she asks this question, assuming the answer is "no." There's no way Jesus is greater than Jacob, right? There's no way Jesus could offer a grace that's better, and blesses more people, than Jacob, right?
She's skeptical.
But let's turn back to John 1:43-47 (ESV):
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
(See also, Psalm 32:2: " Blessed is the man who Yahweh doesn't consider to him guilt, and there isn't in his spirit, deceit.")
The woman is skeptical, but we've already seen that skepticism doesn't have to be a deal-breaker. You can come to Jesus, doubting, skeptical. You can come to Jesus, being honest about how you really feel about him (and Christianity). Just don't hide it-- be open about it ("in whom there is no deceit"). And be open to the possibility that you're wrong.
Lots of people have heard just enough about Jesus, and Christianity, to think this is all a crock. They think Jesus doesn't offer anything better than what they already have. If you know people like this, understand that this skepticism is not a big deal. It shouldn't discourage you. What you should looks for, is whether or not they are at least a little open-minded.
So the Samaritan woman is skeptical. But even though she's skeptical, she still does pretty well. She has come to Jesus, without deceit. She's at least a little open-minded. And she's making baby steps of faith. At this point, she sounds more like Nathaniel, than Nicodemus.
Verse 13:
(13) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.
Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,
will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,
but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.
The woman had asked Jesus a question. "You aren't greater than our father Jacob, right?"
And Jesus, rather than simply answering that question, forces the woman to make that decision herself. Jesus tells her, if you drink from the water Jesus gives, you won't ever be thirsty again. Drink from his water, and it will fundamentally change something inside of you. You'll have a well of water springing up inside of you, to eternal life. That's a pretty sweet deal. And all you have to do is ask?
So is Jesus greater than Jacob? Jesus doesn't simply say "yes." Instead, he lets the woman make that decision for herself. If you believe Jesus' words, and know who he is, and what he offers, then the answer is easy-- Jesus is a thousand times greater.
But this is only true if you decide that Jesus is trustworthy-- if you can somehow overcome your skepticism, and reach for the higher level/story of truth.
Now, what exactly does Jesus mean here, concretely? What is the water that Jesus offers? Our chapter began, in John 4:1, by talking about Jesus and water:
(4:1) Then, when Jesus knew that the Pharisees heard
that Jesus, many more disciples he is making and baptizing than John--
although Jesus himself was not baptizing,
but his disciples--
(3) he left Judea,
and he departed again for Galilee.
I assume--and I don't expect people to agree with me here-- that the living water that Jesus offers to people who understand (1) who Jesus is, and (2) God's gift, is baptism.
If I'm right-- and some/most of you won't think I am-- that raises a question:
How could baptism become a well of water springing up inside of people, to give them eternal life (John 17:3 style)?
We've already gotten our answer in John 1:29-34 (ESV, b/c lazy):
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[i] of God.”
When Jesus baptizes with water, he baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And it's the Holy Spirit who becomes a source of life welling up inside of us, that gives us eternal life.
So also John 3:5:
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
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And so we can answer the question without cheating ahead, if we work at it a little. But the same answer is found in John 7:38-39:
Now, on the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood,
and he cried out, saying,
"If anyone is thirsty, he must come to me,
and he must drink.
The one giving allegiance to me,
just as the Scripture said,
"Rivers of living water will flow out of his body."
Now, this he said concerning the Spirit,
who the ones giving allegiance to him were about to receive.
For the Spirit was not yet [given].
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"The water Jesus will give will touch the depths of the human spirit, resolving its desires and questions once and for all." (Moloney, The Gospel of John, 123).
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Let's reread verses 13-14:
(13) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.
Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,
will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,
but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.
All humans long for something more in their life. We know there is "something" out there, that will give us fulfillment and satisfaction. And we pursue that the best we can-- we want happiness, peace, prosperity. We want contentment.
Where do we find these things? Maybe, we try to find these things through family, or work, or hobbies, or big life experiences. But, inevitably, we find that these things leave us hollow. They aren't enough. We find ourselves still thirsty for something more. And we get frustrated with the things and people in our life, when they can't meet that need.
The answer to all human longing, is the Holy Spirit. It's through the Spirit that we enter into the divine life-- that we come to know Jesus, and the Father, and live ("abide") in close relationship with them (John 17:3).
How do we receive Holy Spirit? You have to come to Jesus, and seek the water he gives.
In verse 15, we find the woman's response:
(15) The woman says to him,
"Lord/sir, give to me this water,
in order that I shall not thirst,
nor come here to draw [water]."
The Samaritan woman here totally stalls out in her growth. She wants the water Jesus offers, but why? It's a lot of work getting water from the well. Life would be better, and easier, if she wasn't ever thirsty.
And who does she think Jesus is? She addresses him the same way-- "Lord/sir."
There's no progress.
And so we find ourselves wondering, is the woman going to end up more like Nicodemus, than Nathaniel? Is she just flat out unable to reach the higher level of truth?
We will get our answer next week.
I want to close this week by talking to two different groups of people.
(1) To non-Christians:
Some of you here today are maybe like the Samaritan woman. You have come this far, but you have doubts, and you're skeptical. You're not at all convinced that Jesus is that great. You're not sure he can really offer you, what he said he can. Or maybe you just aren't ready to commit to Jesus, for whatever reason.
Why are you here? Maybe, your spouse, or parents, or kids, dragged you here. Or, maybe, you are just open enough to Christianity, to suspect that the truth is actually here. Maybe, you're just beginning your journey of faith toward Jesus.
If this is you, we are glad you are here. It's okay to have questions, and be a little skeptical, and cautious. I would just encourage you-- be like the Samaritan woman. Come as close to Jesus as you dare. Take baby steps toward him, and see if the truth is there. And when you do all of this, be honest about where you're at. Be like Nathaniel, and the woman, "in whom there is no deceit."
You can hide how you really feel, and think, and we maybe won't be able to tell the difference. You will probably fool us. But part of being genuinely open, means being honest about where you're at. Don't hide.
The question you should wrestle with, is whether or not Jesus is trustworthy and reliable. What Jesus claims, is that he is the fulfillment of all human desire.
If you're not a Christian, you are unhappy. Discontent. You are hollow. You maybe hope that the solution to that hollowness is found in some new toy. Or a spouse, or kids. Or a better job. But those things won't make you happy for very long. They don't really fill the hole.
Jesus says, if you want a life of abundance, of joy, and contentment, you need to go to him. Come to Jesus. Give your allegiance to him (through baptism; cf. 1 Peter 3:18 NIV). Do this, and God will richly bless you. You'll experience life, as God meant for you to have it.
So as you come closer to Jesus, think about what he offers. Make a decision about whether not Jesus is telling the truth.
My hope is that the day will come when you see Jesus for who he really is, and see what he offers-- and you will jump at it. Come to Jesus, give your allegiance to him, and ask him for the living water.
(2) To Christians:
The second group I want to address, is the Christians here. Some of you are maybe bothered by my invitation to non-Christians. You think I'm doing it wrong. You think I'm promising too much. Maybe, you're bothered because you assume an invitation to Jesus, should basically be about what happens after you die, and not about life now.
Let's reread John 4:13-14:
(13) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.
Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,
will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,
but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.
If you have come to Jesus, and given your allegiance to him, and been baptized by Jesus' disciples, you have been born from above. You have entered into God's kingdom.
And you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you.
All of these things were part of God's gift to you, given to you through Jesus.
And the way that this is supposed to work, is that this is supposed to completely change your life. You know God; you know God's son (John 17:3). Your life, is now an abundant life (John 10:10).
You are supposed to find yourself content, because what God has given you, is more than enough.
Are you content? Is God's gift enough?
Or do you find yourself still hollow? Still thirsty?
The truth is that many Christians don't talk, or act, like they have a very abundant life. They are unhappy. They complain about everything. They act like happiness, and contentment, are found through the same things that non-Christians focus on-- toys, pleasure, work, family.
Why is that?
I'm guessing that for many of you, the invitation to give your allegiance to Jesus was offered so that you could go to heaven when you die. You think that's "eternal life."
You maybe don't realize how much God wants to bless you now, already, here.
You maybe don't realize how good the Holy Spirit can be to you. The Holy Spirit is a source of life, welling up inside of us, that flows throughout our entire bodies, and into others.
Learn to be open to the Holy Spirit. To walk in step with the Spirit. To sow to please the Spirit. To be led by the Spirit. To be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Do this, and you will be amazed at how good God's gift is to people. Jesus was telling the truth-- what he offers, is truly amazing.
Let's remember this morning what God has given us through Jesus, and let us be thankful for it. Let us understand the kindness and favor (=grace) God has shown us, and thank Him.
Surely, God has been good to his people (Psalm 73:1).
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And in the original context of John, we should hear this as another reinforcement of the superiority of what Jesus gives, over what Jacob/Moses offers. Jesus offers a greater grace, in place of the grace Moses gave (John 1:17). And we are missing out on NOTHING, by giving our allegiance to Jesus-- even if it's gotten us kicked out of the synagogue (John 12:42-43; John 16:1-2). Jesus IS greater than Jacob, and offers a greater gift. His water is better.
Translation:
(4:1) Then, when Jesus knew that the Pharisees heard
that Jesus, many more disciples he is making and baptizing than John--
although Jesus himself was not baptizing,
but his disciples--
(3) he left Judea,
and he departed again for Galilee.
(4) Now, it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria.
(5) Then, he comes to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
(6) Now, there was Jacob's well.
Then, Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was simply sitting at the well.
It was about the sixth hour.
(7) A woman of Samaria comes to draw water.
Jesus says to her,
"Give to me to drink."
(8) For his disciples had gone to the city,
in order that food they would buy.
(9) Then, the woman-- the Samaritan one-- says to him,
"How are you, a Judean being, from me to drink you are asking-- a woman of Samaria being?"
For Judeans don't have dealings with Samaritans.
(10) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"If you had known the gift of God
and who is the one speaking to you,
"Give to me to drink,"
you would have asked him,
and he would have give to you water of life (/=moving/living water).
(11) She says to him,
"Lord/sir, neither a bucket do you have,
and the well is deep.
Then, from where do you have the water of life (/=moving/living water)?
(12) You, not greater than our father Jacob, are you, right?,
who gave to us the well,
and he from it drank,
and his sons,
and his livestock?"
(13) Jesus answered,
and he said to her,
"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.
Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,
will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,
but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.
(15) The woman says to him,
"Lord/sir, give to me this water,
in order that I shall not thirst,
nor come here to draw [water]."
