10.       JESUS BREAKS BARRIERS:
                                     SAMARITAN WOMAN BECOMES
                                    THE FIRST EVANGELIST
                                               Jn.  4: 4 - 42

                                                     Soumini Jayan
                                                    Corinne Scott

Introduction: 

    The structure of this Bible study is a little different.  It represents a participatory process and a dialogue between Soumini and Corinne.  The passage in John chapter 4 is a dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, and we continue in a dialogic mode in our interpretation of this narrative, which has several layers of meaning.  Soumini has prepared the basic interpretation of the text, and Corinne looks into the context and several other poss­ible interpreta­tions of the Samaritan woman herself, and of symbols in the text.  Encourage members to participate in the dialogue, as it relates to their contemporary context.

Significance of the Passage:

    The traditional reading of the narrative, which puts empha­sis on the Samaritan woman as a "sinful woman," perhaps a prosti­tute, or at least a sexually loose woman, distracts us from seeing several of its significant features:
      1) this is the longest dia­logue which Jesus has with                         anyone in all four gospels;
    2) Jesus reveals himself as Messiah for the first time to         this woman;
    3) here Jesus crosses boundaries and breaks barriers of        race/ caste, culture/ ethnicity, religion/ faith, and               challenges gender stereotypes.
     4) the Samaritan woman herself emerges as a real person.

Some Puzzling Questions to Ponder and Issues to Pursue:

--Who were the Samaritans?
--Why does Jesus reveal himself as Messiah to this                      woman?
--What is her life like, especially her "five husbands"?
--What is the symbolism of "living water"?
--What is the significance of God as Spirit, and the meaning of    "worship in spirit and in truth"?
--What methods of dialogue and evangelism do we find in this     story?
--How do we see the Samaritan woman --in dialogue with         Jesus? --in comparison to the disciples (27-33)? --in                 comparison to Nicode­mus (Jn 3:1-21)?

Read together John 4:4-42.

Context:

    Jesus and his disciples cross the boundary into Samaria, an area which was considered "out of bounds" to Jews.  Most Jewish travelers would take a long detour to avoid Samaria entirely on their way from Judea to Galilee, since the Samaritans were seen as "enemies," apostates, not to be trusted.  Why?
    At one time Jews and Samaritans were one family under King David, but the family divided over issues whose real meaning has been long lost.  According to the Old Testament (polemical) version found in 2 Kgs. 17:24-41, the issues were two: 1) the Samaritans' inter­marriage with "foreigners," hence "corrupting" the Jewish race, and 2) the Samaritans' worship of other gods (baals) besides Yahweh, whether 5 or 7, hence breaking the first commandment and their covenant relation with Yahweh.  Although Samaritans and Jews worshipped the same God, shared the first five books of the OT as scripture, and both expect­ed the coming of the Messiah, they disagreed about the correct place of worship, Jews claiming Jerusalem and Samaritans insisting on Mount Gerizim­.   Jews thus wanted nothing to do with Samari­tans.

    Jesus, tired from walking a long distance in the hot sun, sits down beside a well, perhaps in the shade of a tree, on the outskirts of the Samaritan town of Sychar (Shechem) "at about noon" (6), longing for a drink of water to quench his thirst. 
    Palestine and Samaria are hot, rocky, dry, barren places, and towns and villages were located only where there was a perennial water source, in this case the well which their common ancestor, Jacob, had built at this site. 
    Even though it is high noon, a woman approaches to draw water -- what is she doing here at this time of day?  We'll address this question later, but without this feature of the story, the dialogue between her and Jesus could not take place!  Had she come with a crowd of other women in the evening, would Jesus and she have been able to have this deep discussion?  Note that the disciples have already left to go into town to buy food, leaving Jesus alone at the well.

Dialogic structure of the narrative:

--Jesus takes the initiative, asking for water, to answer his        human, physical, bodily need -- thirst. (7)
--The woman is surprised that Jesus would ask her for water.  She  recogniz­es the boundaries between them -- of race, caste,­ culture, religion, and of gender; and she wonders why Jesus     doesn't. (9)
--Jesus moves the conversation step by step to a deeper,            spiritu­al level of understanding and relationship between them.
--The woman is actively engaged, as subject -- asking               questions from her side.  She has a very practical bent of mind.
--The woman asks questions of Jesus first about water -- not    understanding Jesus' symbolic meaning -- then about her           beliefs and doubts, about history, her ances­tors, and about the  future. 
--As the story reaches it climax, she wants to know about the   coming of the Messiah. 
--Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah whom both groups have long expec­ted­. (26)
--Now the dynamics between the characters in the story change: the disciples return and are "astonished" to find Jesus   speak­ing with a woman in public. (27)
--The woman runs back to witness to her people, and call them to meet Jesus; the people start out. (28-30)
--The disciples don't understand what Jesus says about the  distinc­tions between physical and spiritual food, harvest and     reaping. (31-38)
--Jesus teaches the Samaritans whom the woman called, and many  believe he is the Savior of the world. (39-41)

The Samaritan woman comes to draw water to satisfy physical thirst. (7)
--Water is necessary for survival.  It is the source and symbol  of life.  Water removes physical uncleanness, and purifies         ritual and spiritual uncleanness. 
--The woman comes alone to draw water in the mid-day heat,  carrying her water jug, and meets Jesus there.
--Jesus who can satisfy spiritual thirst, asks the woman for water to quench his physical thirst.
--Jesus tells her he has living water, which satisfies spiritual   as well as physical thirst.

The Samaritan woman's life is kept secret. (39)
--Women normally go to fetch water in the mornings and evenings, congregating at the village well, and exchanging news and gossip as they collect water.  
--But this woman goes at noon, perhaps because she doesn't want to face the other women.  She keeps a distance from the others, not wanting to expose herself and her relation­ships to the prying eyes and sharp remarks of her neigh­bors.  But in a village or town neighborhood, can anything be kept secret?

The Samaritan woman is knowledgeable both about her religion and the religion of the Jews. (20-25)
--She knows her ancestral tradition and history, life style, religion and worship practices.  She respects and values them, and tries to clarify with Jesus the validity of the Samaritan beliefs as over against the Jewish traditions.  In this she shows intelligence, open mindedness, sincerity, and theo­logical knowl­edge too.

Jesus breaks barriers.
--In asking the Samaritan woman for water, and engaging her in dialogue about her life and religious faith, Jesus has broken down barriers of race/caste, religion, and gender, as we have said, above.  Even the simple act of asking a Samaritan woman for water challenges all three of these barriers, as we know so well in Indian soci­ety.  The disciples are "astonished" to find Jesus, their Rabbi or Jewish religious teacher, engaged in serious conversation with a woman in public, a hated Samaritan at that.

Jesus accepts the woman as she is. (16-18)
--From the text it seems that Jesus already knows the woman's background.  Thus when he asks her to bring her husband, he knows what her answer will be, that she has had five husbands, and is now living with another man.  Yet he does not judge her at all, but rather accepts her as she is.  He does not make any moral judgment against her, but commends her for telling the truth.  His acceptance of her makes her feel free to open her life and her questions of faith before him.
--Jesus wants us, too, to go to God as we are, without putting any cover on our life.

Jesus transforms this ordinary woman into an evangelist.
--She may have been a woman not respected by her society because of her life style.  Jesus reveals her past to her and changes her mind to receive the truth -- about her own life and about her reli­gious faith.  This experience of confrontation with Jesus is transforming for her.  She recognizes him first as a prophet.  But in the next stage of the dialogue, Jesus tells her that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the fulfillment of the hopes of her people, who now becomes her personal Lord.
--Her joy over being accepted by Jesus sends her back to the town, to share the good news with her neighbors, and call them to come and see.
--This act of witnessing is one of the marks of discipleship.  She is a true disciple and a model for others.

The woman rejected by society is accepted by God.
--We do not know exactly what her neighbors thought of her "before" and "after."  However, we do know that there are many who have been ignored and rejected by the church and society, out of our prejudice and our moral self- righteousness.  It is the duty of the church to be open and accepting, to search for these people and bring them back to God, OR as the story shows, the opposite may be true -- "these people" may bring US back to God -- IF we are open!!

The Samaritan woman breaks barriers.
--She came to draw water secretly, or at least alone, avoiding her neighbors.  After meeting Jesus, she goes publicly to the town, and declares the gospel.  Her joy in meeting the Messiah transforms her, so that she leaves her old life and tasks (sym­bolized in her abandoned water jug), and courageously proclaims her personal witness to her neighbors.  She does not think what her neighbors will say, or care about her reputation or lack of it.

The whole town is brought to Christ by a woman's testimony.
--It is clear that she is a persuasive witness, since a large crowd of her neighbors comes to Jesus, because of her testimony.  --But as wit­ness, she does not remain at the center, but rather points them to Christ.  They remark, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world." (41)
--Our lives should be an open book to others, who can read from our life experience the love of Jesus and concern for others.  Are we only preachers of the Gospel, or disciples and witnesses to Christ through our lives?

Breaking barriers in the church and society.
--Jews treated Samaritans as enemies, but Jesus loves all people, irrespective of race, caste, culture or creed.  Jesus expects his followers to do God's will by loving other people as God has loved us. 
--In first century Palestine, women were treated as inferior in the home and society.  But Jesus lifts up women to equal status both through his words and deeds, recognizing them as persons of worth, never talking down to them or putting them in a second class position. 

Case Study: Pandita Ramabai ( 1858-1922)
    An Indian Christian woman, born a Brahmin in the middle of the last century, challenged stereotypes about women and broke barriers in order to liberate and empower women.  Many may know about Pandita Rama­bai Saras­wati as a Christian social reformer, particularly in the cause of child widows.  But you may not know what role this story from John's Gospel of Jesus and the Samaritan woman played in her life. 
    Ramabai's life story is fascinating: born into an orthodox Brahmin family, her father believed that women could learn the sacred language Sanskrit, so defied the pandits of his day by first teaching his wife, and then she their chil­dren, includ­ing Rama­bai.  He further infuriated his fellow Brahmins by refusing to arrange Ramabai's marriage before puberty, so that she could study.  When Ramabai was 16 years old, her parents and sister died during a severe famine, and she and her brother continued as wander­ing Hindu mendicant story tellers, finally arriving in Calcutta in 1878.
    There she was acclaimed as a great Sanskrit scholar, the only woman to be conferred with the title "Pandita" and recog­nized as "Saraswati," the goddess of learning, by the pandits of Calcutta.  Her brother died soon after, she married a Shudra caste lawyer friend of her brother, gave birth to a daughter, Manorama, her husband died 18 months later, and she returned to her native Maharashtra.
    Through reading the sacred Hindu texts, Ramabai experienced a spiri­tual crisis as she realized that "all texts were agreed that women of high and low caste, as a class, were bad, very bad, worse than demons, as unholy as untruth; and that they could not get moksha (salvation) as men."
    In Poo­na, Ramabai became involved in the Hindu reform move­ment and decided to establish a school for high caste Hindu child widows, whose miserable lives she had seen first hand, she went to England to study in 1883, an extraordinarily bold independent action for a Brahmin widow in those days.  In England, she stayed with the Anglican Sisters at Wantage. 
    Ramabai was so impressed by the work of the sisters with so-called fallen women, and the Christian spirit of mercy and service which motivated them, that she asked what it was that made Christians care for "fallen" women.  When they read and explained to her the story of Christ meeting the Samaritan woman, as she writes in A Testimony,
I had never read or heard anything like this in the reli­gious books of the Hindus; I realized, after reading the 4th chapter of St. John's Gospel, that Christ was truly the Divine Savior He claimed to be, and no one but He could transform and uplift the downtrodden womanhood of India ...
     Thus my heart was drawn to the religion of Christ...
Ramabai was baptized in the Church of England soon thereaf­ter, in the year 1883. 
    On her return to India she established Sharada Sadan, a school for Brahmin child widows.  On land 30 kms. from Poona, she established Mukti Mission, where she took in up to 3000 women and children from all castes, many of them orphans and victims of devastating famines which swept central India.
    At Mukti Mission, Ramabai pioneered in developing innova­tive education, train­ing programs, and a wide variety of cottage industries to enable women and girls to become self-reliant after leaving Mukti.  She was an extremely able manager and administrator, among her many other gifts and talents.
    She continued to engage with various national and interna­tional leaders in vigorous debates through the press and in correspondence, and to partici­pate in various ways in issues which were close to her heart, mostly related to women: female education, Hindu reform, the national indepen­dence move­ment.      Ramabai was also one of the leaders of a great revival movement which spread out from Mukti Mission to many churches in India in the first decade of the 20th century.
    Her last accomplishment before her death in 1922, was to translate the full Bible into simple colloquial Marathi, her mother tongue, from the original Hebrew and Greek.  She asked God for just 10 more days to finish reading the proofs before she died!
    While Ramabai's significant pioneering work as the first inde­pendent woman reformer and her writings have recently under­gone fresh study by several Indian feminist historians, it is important for us as Christian women to look again at the life, work, writings, and concerns of Pandita Ramabai, with fresh eyes. Pandita Ramabai is one who boldly broke barriers and crossed many bound­aries in her lifetime -- of caste, religion, nationality, gender -- to find her own "mukti" (salvation) and to make it possible for others and to accept those in need.  She recognized the poten­tial and gifts of women, and helped them to actual­ize them.  For many, she became the role model of faithful witness and disciple­ship.

To sum up thus far:
    Crossing boundaries and breaking barriers is not easy, not for Jesus nor for the Samaritan woman, not for the disciples, not for Pandita Ramabai, and not for us.  But in following Jesus across the boundaries in our lives and in the world, we meet persons we might miss otherwise!  And in those encounters, God's transform­ing Spirit  -- of new life, of grace and hope, of truth -- is present in the midst of us.

Re-Imagining the Samaritan Woman:
    Because we have been so conditioned by the traditional interpretations in sermons and commentar­ies on John 4 of the Samaritan woman as a sexually promiscu­ous and thus sinful woman, we find it hard to even imagine a different way of looking at her.  But let's try!  We begin by looking at the text more carefully, asking some serious questions regarding two topics usually highlighted,  1) her marital status, and 2) her visit to the well at noon.
    Using the hermeneutics of suspicion introduced in Part I of this book, we try here to open up some critical/imaginative questions re: the text, its social and literary context, and especially the classic male-biased interpretations of this story, for clues.

The Samaritan Woman's Marital Status:
    There are several issues, questions, and different options which have been raised by scholars:

1.  Though Jesus replies that the woman has had five husbands, the text does not say that she has been divorced five times.
Given the prevalence of disease, dangers, and lack of medical treatment, it is possible that her husbands may have died.  She might have been trapped in a series of marriages to brothers, in the Levirate custom, as was Tamar in Gen. 38.

2.  Re: divorce, under first century Jewish law, only men could divorce their wives, not the other way around.  We know from questions posed to Jesus by Pharisees, that it was a man's right to divorce, but the issue was on what grounds (see Mk. 10:1-12, Mt. 5:31-32 and 19:19:1-12).  There were hotly contested positions taken by liberals and conservatives on the grounds for divorce according to Deuteronomic law which allowed a man to divorce his wife "if he finds in her indecency in anything."  The “liberals” argued that a husband could divorce his wife "even if she burns his soup."
    So perhaps she might have been divorced or deserted five times, through no fault of her own.  In our patriarchal society of India, we have no trouble speculating on possible "causes" familiar in our context -- was she unable to bear children? sons? did she hold her head high and speak back to her husband rather than being submissive? did her husband find a younger woman? or want more dowry or property, the 1st century equivalent of a TV and a scooter?

3.  Given the very disturbed socio-economic and political conditions under Roman occupation (see Appendix 1 for details), a woman living on her own would have been in considerable danger.  She would have been forced to accept some male liaison for her own protection and security, however insecure such a relationship may have been. 
    Thus, she is better described as the sinned against, rather than as a sinful woman.

4.  A totally different interpretation of the text, which has been put forward by a wide variety of New Testament scholars, is that the "five husbands" disclosure is another example of Jesus' symbolic discourse, referring to the five foreign "nations" with whom the Samaritans intermarried and/or the deities (baals) whom they worshipped alongside Yahweh. (2 Kgs.17: 24-41) 
    The woman's response to Jesus, "I see that you are a prophet" (19), is followed by her question about the proper place of worship, the central dispute between Samaritans and Jews, the logical next question to pose to a prophet.

5.  The important point to remember is that Jesus makes no moral judgment about her relations with five husbands, and the woman's response, to recognize Jesus as a prophet, for knowing about her life and/or worship, leads to her deeper level of understanding in the dialogue between them. 

Visit to the Well at Noon:
    The woman's visit to the well at noon is always used to substantiate the interpretation of her as a bad character, a fallen woman (in Ramabai's expression): that she comes to draw water at this odd time in order to avoid her neighbors, who shun her as sinful.  This too needs to be critically re-examined.

1.  We have already noted in the context section that only an odd-time setting of the story (though not necessarily at noon), with the disciples also absent from the scene, provides the possibility for Jesus and the woman to meet one-on-one, and engage in a lengthy uninterrupted discussion, leading to Jesus' revelation as Messiah and her faith response.
2.  There is a symbolic meaning to the timing of noon, in the gospel writer's purpose: noon is when the sun is brightest, representing the light of understanding and faith which this woman comes to epitomize.  In this dialogue, the Samaritan woman is contrasted with Nicodemus, the Pharisee, in the previous chapter, and with the disciples in this story.  But this leads us to turn to the symbolic structure of this narrative.

John's Gospel as Symbolic Narrative:
    While we cannot enter into a discussion of the whole of John's gospel as symbolic narrative, this story of the Samaritan woman is rich with symbols, and follows a well planned structure.  It is constructed around the images of water, sacred place, and food/harvest.  Jesus' dialogue with the woman leads progressively to her faith response, and through her witness, to the faith confession of her neighbors.  The themes of mission, discipleship as faithful witness, and the relationship between water, Spirit, and Jesus' Christological revelation are closely linked together. The well, with its abundant supply of water, holds the narrative together as a literary unit.   Jesus, who offers the gift of living water, is himself the living water.  His position remains fixed throughout the narrative, at the water source, the well, while the rest of the characters come and go.  The woman leaves behind her water jug, as she becomes a witness to new life.  Finally, the villagers come and believe through their meeting with Jesus, that he is the Savior of the world.

Re-read the text, looking at these and other symbols and thinking about their meaning.  Compare the understanding of the woman with the lack of understanding of the disciples.
    To recognize the symbolic structure and meaning of this narrative, we must also look at how the gospel writer has constructed the story of the Samaritan woman to play off against the story of Nicodemus, the Pharisee, in the previous chapter.  Read John 3:1-21.
    While Nicodemus is the male, orthodox Jewish teacher and theologian, with name, status, and respectability, this female, heterodox Samaritan, is anonymous, without name or status, one of a people hated by the Jews (and by John's audience).  In spite of his learning and religious status, Nicodemus fails to comprehend Jesus' demands. By contrast, the woman is open and receptive to Jesus.  Nicodemus comes voluntarily to Jesus in the dark of night (symbolizing unbelief), but makes no faith decision. The Samaritan woman meets Jesus involuntarily, at the brightest time of day--noon, comes to understand who Jesus is, and makes a faith commitment.  Nicodemus makes no impact on his fellow Pharisees, while she brings her entire village to a faith decision and discipleship of Jesus.

Conclusion:
    The Samaritan woman functions as a representative of the "other," a "race" despised by the Jews as "outcastes;" a sex with whom meetings with Jewish males are forbidden as dangerous and polluting.  Jesus intentionally challenges these barriers, and breaks them down in this narrative.  Speaking and interacting with her in a profound interpersonal and theological dialogue, in a public place, Jesus concludes with the revelation of himself as the Messiah.  Her faith response and persuasive witness to her people leads to their public confession, "this is truly the Savior of the world."  She is thus the first evangelist, and a model of true discipleship.  The faith is universal, available to all.
    Her witness challenges the narrow self-righteous prejudices of the disciples (and of John's audience), who define their faith community on the basis of narrow ethnic/racial, legalistic, moralistic, and gender lines. 
    We too are part of the gospel writer's contemporary audience, and this challenge is addressed to us as well.

Questions for Discussion:

1.    In your time and place, what are the lines of separation,     mistrust, and intolerance between groups -- based on     caste, race, sex, class, language, denominational or     personal loyalties, historical grievances, theology     (fundamentalists vs. radicals), any other?  Does Jesus     challenge these cleavages? 
2.    In light of the points raised to challenge the (mis)-    understanding of the woman as sinful because of having     five husbands, why do you think Jesus introduced this     topic into his dialogue with her?
3.    The Samaritan woman is intelligent, self-confident,     criti­cal -- ready and willing to relate to a stranger, to     listen seriously to what he has to say, and to engage     him in deep dialogue, then to change her life, based on     this one encounter. 

    Do we value these characteristics?  in males? females?     in our sons? our daughters? 
4.    The woman's experience of meeting Jesus transformed     her life: she leaves her water jug behind, to begin a new     vocation.
    Share any life transforming experiences you have had,     which have set you in another direction, vocationally or     otherwise.
5.    Name other examples of women in the NT who     witness, preach, evangelize, become disciples. 
    How do the male biases and structures of the church in     our time stand in women's way?  How can they be     challenged and transformed?
6.    What do you think it means to worship in spirit and in     truth?  

Recommendations for Further Action:
    Jesus expects us to follow him as his disciples in our present family, church, and social situations.  Here are a few sugges­tions for ways to follow him.  Discuss and make plans appropri­ate to your situation.

1. To accept within the church fellowship everyone, regardless      of their caste, creed, culture or background.
2. To give as much recognition to the poor and needy as we do     to the rich educated members of the church.
3. To encourage women's potential for leadership, and affirm        their contribution, in the church and in society.
4. To be in solidarity with those around us who are oppressed      and discriminated against, including those of other faiths.
5. To find out about any groups or organizations working with     those "rejected" by society, e.g. HIV/AIDS infected persons,    alcoholics, drug addicts, abused women, prosti­tutes, and          work with them as a volun­teer.

Endnotes:

1.    Bruce Metzger & Michael Coogan, eds.  The Oxford     Companion to the Bible,  NY: Oxford University Press,     1993, p. 672.
2.    Carol Newsom & Sharon Ringe, eds., The Women’s
    Bible Commentary, Louisville: Westminster/John Knox,     1992,  p. 295.
3.    Pandita Ramabai,  A Testimony,  Kedgaon: Mukti     Press, p. 19.
4.    Ibid.,  p. 26.
5.    J.T. Seamands, Pioneers of the Younger Churches,     "Pandita Ramabai of India."  Nashville: Abingdon,     1967,  p. 111.
6.    The significant work done by Uma Chakravarti, Meera     Kosambi, and Gail Omvedt in particular, is     recommended.  See bibliography for details.
7.    It is helpful to use a good comentary, if possible one     prepared by feminist scholars.  The Women’s Bible     Commentary, edited by Carol Newsom and Sharon     Ring, is a standard work.
8.    Newsom  & Ringe, eds., The Women’s Bible     Commentary, p. 296.
9.    New Jerome Bible Commentary,  re: Mt. 5:31 doesn’t     use quite such colorful language, “even if she spoiled a     dish for him,” but the sense is the same.
10.    Dorothy Lee,  The Symbolic Narratives of the Fourth     Gospel,  Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press,  1994,      pp. 75-76, n. 5, lists many sources.  Lee feels that this     interpretation “has serious problems” and does not     agree with it, however.
11.    Lee,  Symbolic Narratives,  pp. 64-65.
12.    Ibid.,  p. 67.
13.    Ibid.,  pp. 65-66.


BIBLIOGRAPHY


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