In the Bible, whenever an Israelite goes to a foreign country and meets a woman at a well, the woman usually ends up marrying the man or his master. That’s what happens with Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, Moses and Zipporah: meet, draw water, run and tell, eat, become engaged.
So what’s going on in John 4 when Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at a well? The encounter has all the elements of a good betrothal scene—except, of course, the engagement.
Or does it? Maybe there is a betrothal happening here. John the Baptist has just called Jesus the Bridegroom (John 3:29), and the woman may be a stand-in not only for Samaritans, but all Gentile believers. Jesus’ kinfolk certainly wouldn’t approve of his engagement to a foreigner. But praise God he’s not as interested in pleasing his brothers and sisters as in pleasing his Father.
(c) Copyright 2007, A. Milton Stanley
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
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5 comments:
Thanks for saying so, Gord. All the best to you, too.
I ought to add that I read about the well-betrothal motif in Robert Alter's book, The Art of Biblical Narrative. Alter's book is full of insights on these kinds of motifs in the OT.
Reading that last line, I immediately thought of Matthew 12 - "Stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said 'Here are my mother and my brothers.'"
I guess posting under my gmail account is confusing.
Well, son, it was confusing for about three seconds as I wondered if I had written it. But I'm glad you've left a comment. I'm still cogitating on the implications of John 4; thanks for providing another clue. Peace.
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