The Samaritan Woman: A Paradoxical Meeting

What is a Paradox

Paradox: a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true

Examples:

Save money by spending it.

If I know one thing, it's that I know nothing.

This is the beginning of the end.

Deep down, you're really shallow.

In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the title character states, "I must be cruel to be kind."

In this case, Hamlet is speaking about how he plans to slay Claudius in order to avenge his father's death. His mother is now married to Claudius, so, of course, this will be a tragedy for her. However, he does not want his mother to be the lover of his father's murderer (unbeknownst to her) any longer. He believes the murder will be for her own good.

Christianity is loaded with paradoxes...

When I am weak then I am strong

Conquered death by death

First will be last and the last will be first

My strength is made perfect in weakness

He died so that He may give life

The more we challenge ourselves to understand and internalize these paradoxes our faith matures

Now lets look together at the meeting between the Samaritan Woman and Jesus

The paradoxical meeting

Jesus is leaving Judea to Galilee but stops by Samaria at Jacobs well.

John 4:6–7 NASB95

6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

Whats the paradox...

How can the ‘bread of life’ be weary…How can God be weak

How can the ‘living water’ say “Give me a drink”

Seeing the paradox is one part but the question is Why does He take upon Himself hunger and thirst.

St. Ambros of Milan

New Testament IVa: John 1–10 Divine Majesty in the Feelings of Our Human Nature

Even in the very affections of our human nature we behold the divine majesty. Jesus is wearied with his journey, that he may refresh the weary. He desires to drink when about to give spiritual drink to the thirsty; he was hungry, when about to supply the food of salvation to the hungry.

The Lord received to Himself the weakness of humanity so that He may give humanity what it was lacking

New Testament IVa: John 1–10 Like a Hunter, Jesus Comes to the Watering Hole

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: Our Lord came to the spring of water like a hunter. He asked for water in order to give water, with water as a pretext. He sought something to drink, like a thirsty person, so that the way could be opened for him to quench thirst. He asked from her in order to teach her, and she in turn would ask from him.

The Paradox of the well

What is the paradox of the well that the woman is coming to…you drink but are never quenched

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

New Testament IVa: John 1–10 Pleasures of the World Never Satisfy Our Thirst

What does he mean when he says, “Whoever shall drink of this water shall thirst again”? It is true both for this water and what the water signified

Drinking from this water will never satisfy....in fact it will make you more thirsty

New Testament IVa: John 1–10 Pleasures of the World Never Satisfy Our Thirst

Consider lust, then, as the vessel and pleasure as the water from the depth of the well. When one has gotten into the pleasure of this world, whether it be food or drink, a bath, a show, an affair, is there any way he or she will not thirst again?

In Contrast to the metaphorical well (what the physical well represented), Jesus offers the her a source of water that cannot be physically consumed but has the ability to quench.

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

New Testament IVa: John 1–10 The Fire and Water of the Spirit

In the same way that he calls the Spirit by the name of “fire,” alluding to the rousing and warming property of grace and its power of destroying sins, he calls it “water” in order to highlight the cleansing it does and the great refreshment it provides those minds that receive it. For it makes the willing soul like a kind of garden, thick with all kinds of fruitful and productive trees, allowing it neither to feel despondency nor the plots of Satan.

St. John paints a picture of fullness and not being in need to go elsewhere

The Present Paradox

In this story the Lord freed the Samaritan Woman from one well only to tie her to another, Himself.

Without a well, we can neither be filled or fill others, which are still the two greatest commands of all Christians.

In order to remain quenched and fulfilled we must return daily to Christ. The KEY DIFFERENCE is that we will never feel the need to change wells again.

The Scholar Origen Living Water as Daily Renewal

Therefore, unless you come daily to the wells, unless you daily draw water, not only will you not be able to give a drink to others, but you yourself also will suffer “a thirst for the Word of God” (Amos 8:11)