Twelve Extraordinary Women: The Samaritan Woman

Here's ehart's post on The Samaritan Woman.

John's main theme throughout his entire gospel was that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God.

In verses 25 and 26 of chapter 4, Jesus reveals not only His love and compassion towards people of any status, but He explicitly stated to this particular woman, who was a social outcast, that He was indeed the Messiah.

John 4:4 states that Jesus "needed to go through Samaria." Perhaps John was hinting at Jesus' spiritual necessity in meeting the Samaritan woman.

Samaria was the name give to the capital of the northern kingdom when the nation of Israel split. Therefore, the Samaritans were a people that resulted from the descendants of the few remaining Israelites after the Assyrians took control of the northern kingdom and the pagan Assyrians. The Samaritans built their culture around a religion that blended bits and pieces of Judaism and paganism. The apostate northern kingdom with their false priesthood, blended with the pagan rituals, made Samaritans very far from the true worship of God. The Jews had an intense dislike for anything Samaritan.

The Samaritans woman openly admitted to Jesus that she had no husband. Jesus promptly pointed out (John 4:17, 18) "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had 5 husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband."

The woman started to sense that Jesus was a prophet. Later, she was to declare, "He told me all that I ever did."

At the very moment that Jesus reveals to the woman at the well His messiahship, the apostles return from their trip to fetch food. Had they arrived earlier during the conversation, the woman would not have been fully informed as to Jesus' identity. Had they arrived later, they would not have heard His declaration. Jesus' divine control is clearly shown in this situation.

Many Samaritans came to see Jesus upon hearing the woman's report. Here was a woman drawing water at Jacob's well at a time when no one else was likely to appear. This clearly shows the status of this woman as being less than desirable. Yet as soon as Jesus reveals Himself as the Messiah, she immediately left the well to tell the townspeople, who she previously had been avoiding, of her experience.

Through divine grace this one lowly Samaritan woman not only became a believer of Christ, but literally led others to Him.

What a fine tribute to Almighty God!