My article (slightly longer than usual) on the Samaritan Woman has been getting a lot of attention lately from our readers judging from my blog reports. So, I decided to post this video to create even more.
Once you watch this video that recasts the woman from sinner to saint (or at least a God-fearing Samaritan woman), please, read my article “Reconsidering Samaritan Woman” here.
Most of the people I know in their heart of hearts are not comfortable with the traditional reconstruction preached regularly in church. So, how would our perspective change if we knew more about Israelite Samaritans, their life, theology, religion and culture?
Let me explain my thoughts some more:
A word in Hebr,2 says:Hebrews 2:7 Thou madest him (the human being) a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: {lower…: or, while inferior to}
Now we know that human beings, men and women where made lower than the angels. Satan is an angel, the prince of darkness, the ruler of the fallen angels. He was already there, when Adam and Eve where created. Eve created from a rib of the man, must be lower than the man, who him is declared to be made lower than the angels.
Now how the woman, as even lower than the man, and of course also lower than the angels, how could she have resisted to the influence of a superiour angel, if even Adam was made inferiour to the angels?
Was it right to think that the woman is more guilty, or blameworthy? (English is not my mothertongue and maybe I do not always choose the right words).
The word of God gives us so much to think about!
Praise the Lord!
The first influence of Satan was on a woman, to have the deadly influence on the man.
Now Jesus does the opposite. He speaks to a woman, he knows she had 5 men and is related to a sixth that probably is married to another woman. Jesus knows it all, but he does not say one word about sin! She becomes to be the first human beeing to get the salvation and she also is the first missionary and she brings the whole city to Jesus.
So this is what it is about:
The woman was always considered as more guilty than the man. It was a curse or a bane when it was said to Eve:
Genesis 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. {to thy…: or, subject to thy husband}
Now Jesus shows justice about this matter. He ist the end of all curse and bane!
But he shows also, that still the salvation for the woman comes through a man, through HIM.
The main bane or curse to Adam and Eve was that humans and all other creatures since then where mortal.
The end of the bane through death, grave and ressurrection of Jesus Christ is now deathlessness, immortality.
This is the water of live JESUS CHRIST, the word of God.
Good morning Dr. Eli,
Please let me know where I can find the scripture of Samuel holding up Jesus in the Temple and blessing God. The only one that I know of is Luke 2:25-35 where Simeon blessed God for His answer to His promise. God told him that he would see the Messiah before he died. Thanks for your help and have a blessed day. Shalom
I meant Semeon of course 🙂
Dr Eli,
Thank you for helping keep me right on track.
Bonnie
🙂
Jesus is our savior . No matter our nationality.
Believe in him and give him our heart he will give us a new life.
Leo, how this remark connect with the Samaritan woman. Please, be more clear and expend your idea. Respectfully, Dr. Eli
I always found it interesting that this was the first person to whom Jesus identified himself as the Messiah. This woman had a very different idea of who the Messiah was, compared to the Jewish population: not a warrior king like David who would rise up against the Romans, but the prophet who would explain everything as mentioned in Deuteronomy, the one who would speak God’s own words to the people.
Interesting that he easily revealed himself as the Messiah in this circumstance, when he did not in others.
Yes, it is interesting. Well… I am not sure that Samaritan idea was in this regard different from “Jewish” simply because there was not and there is still not “THE” Jewish idea about the Messiah :-). For example I think that Samuel in Jerusalem Temple (when holding Jesus up and blessing God) had a Jewish idea about the Messiah. Isn’t that also right?
I read your blog on the Samaritan woman last night with interest. She was and is no different than anyone today or thought out the ages. She came with a deep hunger in her spirit that could not be filled with water from a well. She found Jesus at the well waiting for her to arrive. He knew she was coming and of her deepest need. She was one of his “divine appointments” arranged by God that day. Today there are a great number of people who would in no way purchase, pick up a Bible or attend a church but they can and do watch how we live our lives. Believers are this generations living testaments in which God uses us to reach others for Him. I have always told my students to be careful how they live their lives as they may be the only Bible others will ever read.
Thanks, Bonnie for your comment. What and where are you teaching? (your mentioned your students).
Dr. Eli
Good morning Dr. Eli,
You have asked me where I teach. I teach at the Hope Mission located at Main St. Baptist Church, Saint John, NB Canada (this is in eastern Canada by the Bay of Fundy which flows out into the Atlantic Ocean). I am the Coordinator of Special Projects and just about anything falls under my umbrella as well work with the various ministries of my church. I have been teaching in one form or another for close to 40 years, I started young, and love it. We are a bit unconventional, no class room setting, just small groups. I love these people and love being with them. They are God’s gift to me. I have also taught in Europe and Africa when my professional life took me to those places. When my mother was living she used to say, “What is wrong with you. You love to travel, meet new people and work in different cultures”. The family of God knows no color, ethnic or any other differences imposed by man. My family and friends say that I have a world view and I believe they are right. Blessings to you. Shalom
Impressive! Keep the good work. By the way I am persuaded that we all have a worldview. Someone put it well that aworldview is like a tuches (bottom part in Yiddish) 🙂 it is under-everything you are and it follows you everywhere you go 🙂 Eli