“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” — Mark Twain
Don’t Believe Everything You Hear
Sometimes I think I’m a bit too gullible. I’ve often believed things I’ve heard for years without investigating whether or not they’re true. This is especially onerous when it comes to Scripture. For instance, for years I have “gone to church” before I understood that WE ARE the church, or enjoyed the worship service on Sunday without realizing that my life is called to be an act of worship (Rom.12:1).
This gullibility came home hard when I finally read a different rendition of the story about the Samaritan woman Jesus encountered at the well (John 4:1-42). Perhaps every reader has heard it preached that the woman at the well was a notorious sinner who had five husbands and was currently shacking up with guy #6. I, too, swallowed that interpretation without once practicing the discipline of the Bereans, who doubted Paul until they studied the Scriptures for themselves (Acts 17:11).
With that in mind, let us look at this familiar story and consider that perhaps this woman is not wicked or even a harlot, but a prophet.
Although most preachers seem to assume Jesus was talking with a sinful woman, two items make me doubt her “wickedness.” One, if she were truly a wicked woman, why would she be allowed to draw water from a well everyone in town, including her, held as sacred? Two, because of our cultural heritage, we assume she had divorced five times. But since there was almost no divorce in those days, her husbands more than likely died. Deut. 25:5 requires that widow’s brother-in-law marry her if she were childless in order to guarantee an heir. Because of this, Boaz could not marry Ruth until Elimelech declined to fulfill his obligation as a relative (Ruth 4). The previous husbands could have died and the sixth had taken her into his household, perhaps guarding her from other chaperoning relatives, and has not yet married her. In those days, a couple who was betrothed was considered married, just as Joseph and Mary were. Furthermore, the tragedy of five husbands dying would be an indication that God is calling her into service as a prophetess.
Believing she has encountered the Messiah, the Samaritan woman leaves Jesus to return to her city to tell others who do not know about Jesus. Furthermore, take notice of how she phrased her encounter with Jesus. She didn’t say, “I have found the Christ,” but, “Could he possibly be the Messiah?” (John 4:29 NLT). Prophets will not abrogate another person’s need to search for the truth themselves. This approach bears fruit because they tell her, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
Finally, why would an entire town believe the words of a sinful woman regarding the Messiah? How does an openly sinful woman get the attention of a whole community? However, if she was already recognized as a prophetess, we can easily understand why they would investigate her invitation to see “a man who told me everything I ever did” (John 4:29).
There are other indications of her prophetic calling, but you get the picture. And keep in mind that if we can do this with this story, it may be possible to challenge other long-held beliefs and presumptions, traditions and practices. I’ve been guilty in the past of swallowing everything fed to me from the pulpit, because that is the way of an infant. But now that I’ve learned to feed myself, I find it amazing the variety of tastes the Word has to offer.
Thinking Out Loud 
I know this posts in not exactly on the same subject, but I hope you’ll answer the following questions to help me (and other atheists) understand the believer’s views a bit clearer…
http://potomac9499.wordpress.com/2008/12/31/6-hopefully-semi-quick-questions-for-theists/
Thanks in advance!
I’d be honored to answer any questions you have.
Amen, may we feast on Him! Happy New Year Brother in Christ.
What an interesting perspective! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You always make me think. 🙂
Heresy! Heresy! It’s all Heresy! NOPE! JUST KIDDING! IT”S ALL GOOD!
Jim,
First thank you for the “thumb” thought. It produced a wonderful God Spot. Hope you don’t mind me sharing http://37stories.wordpress.com .
Then, the rethink on the woman at the well is wonderful. I am blown away every time the Spirit visits and provides new insight. The Word never goes stale. It always drives us to Him.
Revelation always demands action. So, the question becomes what will the application of knowledge be in the revelation of the “woman at the well?”
Application: Be careful when judging a person based on the first story you hear.
Jim,
Although this has nothing to do with the blog, I have a question. What is your take on a “believer” who goes through life following after Christ and then something happens that dramatically draws that person even closer. Maybe one could describe it as a “great awakening” for lack a better term? There is a profound difference between experiencing God before and after the event. Any thoughts?
On a side bar: I’m a “once saved. always saved” kinda guy. The “great awakening” is experiencial and I am trying to get my arms around it.
I think if a person has a tremendous “experience” with God, resulting in a deepening love, devotion, dedication and appreciation for what He has done for them, then I wish it happened more often. We call our commitment to God a relationship. As such, it should have the same vicissitudes as any other relationship. Naturally, the immutability of God remains the same; only we are changed. And why not?
Remember, Archie, you asked this question of an ordained Pentecostal minister. I believe in a definite experience of a filling with the Holy Spirit as repeatedly happened in Acts. Life with God is not just faith, commitment, obedience and the hope of eternity. It IS experiential, in that it is real, knowable, touchable and yes, even measurable. Hence the parables about producing 30, 60, and 100%.
Regarding the “once save always saved remark.” I’m not proponent of this line of thought. “Experiencing” God and His commitment to our free will eliminates that probability for me. That, and the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:23-34).
Anyway, those are my thoughts. Thanks for asking, and I look forward to a continuing and stimulating dialogue.
Oh no! A Pentecostal minister! At this juncture, I am to take my Bible and run! Sorry, another example of my odd sense of humor. We all tend to take life a little too serious when it comes to religion. I really don’t care who or what credentials one has. I am all about truth. Being Pentecostal does give me a point of reference. Thx. 🙂
Off to church. Chat more later.
A Pentecostal minister who used to be a monk who was saved in a Baptist church, no less! I call myself a Bapticostalic. I don’t want to leave out any particular tradition or denominational influence in fear of offending someone (You can tell from my writing how afraid I am of offending people…).
I think a major problem is that we are programed to believe what ever we are thought by the preachers and teachers at are church. We need to learn to start studying GOD’s word for ourselves. We don’t need a pastor to feed us. We have grown lazy and so dependent on the teachings of others not knowing that many are feeding us poisonous lies.
Not all teachings are “poisonous.” I doubt many pastors or teachers have taken the time to look further into Scripture, but many have. Furthermore, numerous people in church are still infants in the faith and need to have a pastor feed them until they are old enough to feed themselves.
This story of the Samaritan woman has always fascinated me. I’d felt there is more than that which “meets the eye” for this one (as with every other story). This was a very new look at the same “old” story. Thanks for sharing this Jim.