Samaritans In The Crucible

In the Bible, the hatred between Samaritan and Jews had a long history. Around 400 B.C., one Passover, the Samaritans polluted the temple by scattering parts of dead bodies all over the temple grounds in Jerusalem. Some time later, Jews attacked and destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mt. Gerizim. The hatred, the antagonism was bitter and sometimes deadly. In Jesus’ time, Samaritan woman was considered being in a state of religious uncleanness.

“Will your give me a drink?” This request was radical and countercultural. With this request, Jesus takes an initiative to reach her, to love her, to build a bridge between the Jews and the Samaritan with dignity and respect. His position is not the position of “giver, or fixer of the world problems.”

With suspicion about the request, she asks, “How can you, a Jewish man ask me a Samaritan woman for a drink?” And then Jesus replies, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is asking you for a drink, you could have asked him, and he would have give you living water.” Through this answer, we see Jesus’ real concern. His request is not so much that he needs a drink, rather he would like to give her a drink. Jesus answers to her questions, accepting her as she is, as well as challenging her theologically, morally and spiritually. The longer this conversation goes on, the more it draws the woman in. Jesus says, “ If you knew the gift of God...” “Everyone who drinks this water will thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water that I give will never thirst.” She replies, “Give me some of this water, so I won’t have to keep coming out here to get water.” Jesus worked hard to get the conversation to this point. In the further conversation, Jesus challenges the woman in many ways by accepting her as daughter of God, at the same time challenging her own life

Will you tell me your story? That helped him to open his heart. There is an Egyptian saying, “If you drink water from the Nile you are destined to the land again.” Yes, for the last two years we have used and drank water from the Nile, we will return to the Cairo to teach in the seminary and to meet with the people in Egypt, believing that once they experience of drinking the Living Water freely given, they are destined to return to the place where they experienced of drinking the Living Water. Once they “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8), once they hear God’s invitation, “Come, all of you who thirst, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk, without money and without cost!” (Isaiah