I wrote this a couple months ago while attending my fall classes.
Of all the encounters of our Lord in relation to humans, I have always adored the woman at the well. Not for the simple fact that Christ is COMPLETELY going against the social barriers of the time, but also what the irresistible love of our Savior did to this woman. I’ve heard this preached in a couple ways. One way was being portrayed as a harlot who couldn’t stay with only one man. Another was how she was looking for love in all the wrong places.
I’ve not written much because I have been diving head first in college. But as I was doing my studies I came across something in my Synoptic Class (the study of similar events in Matthew, Mark, and Luke contrasted with John). Below is an excerpt from my class book ‘Four Portraits One Jesus’.
“The rabbi’s debated literal grounds for divorce. The conservative school of Shammai allowed a man to divorce his wife only for unfaithfulness, while the more liberal school Hillel accepted almost ANY reason, including a meal. Rabbi Akiva is cited as saying that divorce was allowed if the man “found another fairer than she”.”
Make a long story short, divorce in first century Judaism seemed to be an easy and normal thing which I believe is why Jesus reacted so strongly pertaining to marriage.
See where I am going with this???
I truly believe we aren’t seeing an encounter with a prostitute or an adulterer. What we are seeing is a woman, whose heart had been ripped out and stomped on for selfish reasons, be met by the fires of God’s love.
Immediately she was captivated
It was electric
When she felt as if she had no worth or dignity He would meet her right in the middle of it all and elevate her to someone worthy of love. From her ashes, beauty would burst forth like a tsunami cleansing her heart from shame and ridicule. She had found her identity (beloved) and the power of her testimony.
Where others judged, God judged her worthy of love. Let us be reminded of this when we see others…
In Christ
John
Wandering Ragamuffin 