The Story of the Samaritan Woman
In the Old Testament, the word “water” is a symbol that represents the satisfaction of mankind’s greatest need. The Psalmist says He (God) leads me beside still waters (Psalm 23:2b). The emphasis is on the peacefulness of these waters. Isaiah says, “Therefore, with joy, you will draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, He talked to her about the “living water.” However, she thought only of her physical thirst and the water which was in Jacob’s well.
4:14 – (Jesus said) …whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. Jesus said, …He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water… he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive… (John 7:38-39).
4:15 – The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water, so that I don’t get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw (John 4:15). It is obvious the Samaritan woman didn’t understand the hidden meaning of Jesus’s words.
In the Bible, “living water” is comparable to “living bread.” Jesus says I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh (John 6:51).
The gift of God is Jesus Christ. This spiritual gift, like real bread (John 6:32), brings eternal satisfaction. Merrill F. Unger says, “the believer may claim rest and refreshment” (Merrill F. Unger). The Holy Spirit is the other “counselor” who dwells within the life of the believer (read John 14:16-17).
-All the Scripture passages are taken from the World English Version (WEB)-
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