If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, "Give Me a drink," you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but who ever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."

- John 4:1-15

In yesterday's reading, we were told that Jesus was with His disciples, as they baptized in Judea. John the Baptist was also baptizing with his disciples. John's disciples had a dispute with some of the leadership from the temple about purification. But John's disciples came to him and told him that Jesus and His disciples were baptizing, "and all are coming to Him!" John the Baptist was most likely at the height of his ministry and popularity among the people at the time -- but his message to his disciples was about the importance of Jesus. He said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." He also spoke of Jesus' divinity: "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. Once again, we see Jesus traveling in John's Gospel. This time, it is because He has become aware that the Pharisees will now bring Him under scrutiny as they previously have done to John the Baptist. John's popularity was widespread -- but now Jesus' is beginning to eclipse John's. We know, also, that John will be arrested and put into prison. Jesus returns to Galilee to continue His ministry.

But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. This is quite interesting, as a passage that shows us Jesus on His journey. We don't often think of John's Gospel as the one that describes for us the events of Jesus' ministry in a sort of historical vein. But here, He's in the midst of a journey, on His way elsewhere. It is high noon, and we can presume the sun is hot; we are told that He is wearied from travel. Jacob's well takes us back to the events of the Patriarchs of the Old Testament, the promises of God through the history of the people, Israel. But we are not in the territory of Israel, but among the Samaritans. My study bible says, "The Old Testament does not mention Jacob's well, but Jacob did own property in the area. Wells and springs are significant in Scripture because of their rarity in desert life. In the Old Testament they often symbolize the life given by God, especially a life of blessedness." Wells, of course, are important to the people of the Near East -- and they do play a great role throughout the early books of the Old Testament.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Here we note that Jesus is the one who initiates this conversation, and throughout it He takes the initiative. According to my study bible, "The Samaritans were a mixed race and traditional enemies of the Jews. Although they worshiped the God of Israel and were awaiting a redeemer, they accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch) as their Scriptures. They had built their own temple on Mt. Gerizim, which the Jews destroyed in 128 B.C." Jesus' behavior is so remarkable that she must ask Him about it.

Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." We have to note once again that Jesus takes this extraordinary initiative. It is He who wishes to speak to her of even holy things, the tremendous gift of living water. In a conventional sense, this phrase "living water" denotes flowing water that is fresh -- as from a spring. Of course, Jesus has a deeper meaning in mind, and is drawing her into a new understanding of a completely different subject. He is also revealing Himself. We also note that Jesus is in some way chastising her for her response -- if she knew who He was, and the gift of God, she would be the one asking Him. Again, we are given a hint of the power of meeting and recognition in the reality of faith. But He is also drawing her more deeply into the conversation. Jesus' personable engagement with her also hints back to biblical stories that emphasize the importance of hospitality -- we may be entertaining angels unawares (as did the Patriarch Abraham). And even greater than angels.

The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" As elsewhere in the reporting of such an encounter of Jesus with a non-Jewish woman, she responds in a challenging way; their talk is rather feisty. "Are you greater than our father Jacob?" How can He get what He's claiming? Her questions also reflect her predictable misunderstanding of His words -- which He will go on to correct and enlighten.

Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but who ever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Jesus' words draw her in further, tempting her with something mysterious and tremendously promising! Of course, we who read or hear the Gospel know what He's talking about. We understand His promise of everlasting life, and we've just read John the Baptist's words in yesterday's reading, that Jesus offers everlasting life. "Living water" also reflects the meanings of baptism, the subject of the previous reading, in which both John the Baptist's and Jesus' disciples were baptizing around Judea. We recall also the first sign of the gospel of John: the water turned to wine at the wedding in Cana. Most powerfully, Jesus is revealing Himself in His true identity, the characteristic of His saving mission in the world.

The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." This sounds like a good deal! She, indeed, would love some of this living water, that will save her labor and thirst!

To our ears, this scene can seem like a modern-day advertising campaign! Jesus is making promises that really do sound too good to be true. But what we note most powerfully is that it is He who is taking the initiative here. He does something extraordinarily out of character for a Jewish man of His time, so much so that she remarks upon it. But even more powerfully, 2,000 years later, we have to remark on the picture of the Savior introducing Himself to her, initiating this conversation about holy things, the great gift He has come to offer to the world. Why her? Why here? Note that the action takes place outside of the hearing of His disciples, in a private conversation with her (at least as it starts here). A tired and thirsty Jesus chastises this Samaritan woman about the water that she is missing out on. This is not a conversation with one of His disciples, but rather an initiation -- a challenge. We get a glimpse of the personal, and personable, Jesus. It's a very human Jesus, who not only thirsts and is tired from travel, but shows an engagement with this woman, a lively conversation, one in which He doesn't hesitate to challenge and to invite her into something much, much deeper than anything she's been invited to in her life. What do we make of it? Can we assume He knows her, in her heart? We shall see in the next readings. But John also offers us another understanding of how we are drawn into relationship and understanding with Christ. We don't have to start with a full knowledge -- we just have to be willing to be engaged. Jesus shows us the beginning of the struggle with faith -- and here we have an illumination about the setting of Jacob's well. It was Jacob who wrestled all night for God's blessing, and was hence renamed "Israel" because of his struggle with God. And so, here are the seeds of our faith, our understanding of relationship to God. We are engaged, and we must be willing to engage back. God knows us, but also waits for our response, a depth of our desire. When you struggle with your faith, remember that the One who loves you and knows you simply awaits your engagement, and perhaps a good challenge! Such a response may show our own passion and capacity for faith, as we seek to go deeper and receive the gift of living water.