Returning to Galilee from Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples pass through Samaria. They stop at a well in Sychar. Jesus asks a woman there for water and in the conversation that follows, he explains that he offers fresh, "living" water.
John 4: 10-12, The Gift of God
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
Jesus describes himself as "the gift of God." The image of Jesus as God's gift for mankind is a theme throughout the book.
The woman first thinks that Jesus claims to have found a spring of fresh water. She reacts to his statement by recalling the importance of this well to Jacob. But Jesus is pursuing a metaphor. The "fresh" water he offers will satisfy one's thirst forever.
John 4: 13-15, Eternal fresh water
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
The woman's response still ignores the metaphor; her response it too literal. It is not clear what she thinks here, but is intrigued by Jesus' statements. And, in the hot noon sun, she would be very happy to have eternal fresh water.
John 4: 16, Clarification
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
Jesus suddenly appears to change the subject, asking to speak with the woman's husband. Although appearing out of the blue, his request is culturally reasonable, as he has been talking privately to this woman, alone, for a little bit now, and there might be confusion over his intentions.
This relatively simple request leads immediately to a conversation about transparency and (I think) openness to God. We will look at that next time.
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