Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., “If You Knew the Gift of God,” Lovely in Eyes Not His, p. 26-31
Elizabeth Canham, “A School for the Lord’s Service,” Weavings (January/February 1994), p. 18-19
John Dominic Crossan, The Essential Jesus, p. 179
The Essential Jesus
Scene shows, at top left, Jesus seated and facing to right with a long opened scroll between his hands and, at bottom right, a woman with shortened tunic drawing water from a well to left. She has the bucket over the well in her right hand, and water is splashing from the well to the left and right beneath the bucket. The Samaritan woman’s water from the well in John 4 symbolizes Jesus’ teaching from the scroll.
Dan Damon, “Eat This Bread and Never Hunger,” Faith Will Sing, #6
“Eat This Bread and Never Hunger”
Verna J. Dozier, Equipping the Saints, p. 20-26
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 34, 47
Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, p. 35
The Present Future
Let’s return for a moment to Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well in John 4. How did Jesus set this up? What Jesus did was to ask for the disciples to drop him off at the well while thy went on into town to pick up something to eat. Jesus knew that everyone in that town would eventually come to see him. It just so happened that the woman was his first visitor, coming in the daytime to avoid the rush hour (for reasons to do with the social stigma associated with her lifestyle).
Virginia Stem Owens, “Breaking the Cultural Barrier,” Looking for Jesus, p. 116-124
John Shea, “A Story of a Rejected Heart Accepted,” An Experience Named Spirit, p. 174-179
Franz Wright, “Dawn Moon Over Calvary,” F/poems
Dawn Moon Over Calvary
The prostitute who loved Jesus so much, and the woman ashamed in the act of adultery, and the girl whose brother he had brought back from the dead, and the stranger to whom he had spoken at the well, the one who had not heard of him, unable to lower her eyes in his presence, so startled had she been to hear a male stranger’s voice addressing her personally, asking if she would not like a drink from the water that would quench her thirst forever: so lonely and desolate had they been in the first days of the life they would have to live without him; what a relief it was to find each other at the place of his tomb, just as it was beginning to get light out. … All the while Jesus, unnoticed, or mistaken for the gardener, had been waiting for her.
“Dramatic Reading in Four Parts”
Dramatic Reading in Four Parts
1 Matthew 28:19
5-42 Genesis 24:10-67
5 Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32
9 Genesis 43:32; Ezra 4:1-5; Nehemiah 4:1-2
10-14 Ezekiel 47:1-12
10 Genesis 26:19; Isaiah 12:3; Revelation 22:17
13-14 John 6:26-27
14 Isaiah 12:3
15 John 6:34
23 John 14:17
29 Mark 5:23
32 Isaiah 33:15-16; Matthew 4:4, 5:11
34 Exodus 16:4
39-42 Acts 10:44-48
5-19 Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 40
5-7 Hai-In Lee, “Like the Samaritan Woman by the Well,” Divine Inspiration, p. 191
5-7 Jaroslav Pelikan, The Illustrated Jesus through the Centuries, p. 211
5-7 Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), “The Samaritan Woman,” Divine Inspiration, p. 190
7-15 Pinchas Sadeh, “A Journey through the Land of Israel,” Puschart Prize III, p. 114
“A Journey through the Land of Israel”
Each [Jacob and Moses] encounters on arrival a maiden by a well, and for each this confirms that he is on the right path. True femininity, that which stands astride living water is a source of confirmation. Until her man comes, the maiden must stand and wait. She cannot drink from the well whose waters flow under the bare souls of her feet until Jacob rolls the stone from its mouth or Moses drives away the bad shepherds. (Gen. 29:1-12; Ex. 2:16-17)
7-10 Imaging the Word, Vol. 2, p. 156-159
10-15 Denise Levertov, “The Fountain,” The Jacob’s Ladder, p. 57
“The Fountain”
Don’t say, don’t say there is no water
to solace the dryness at our hearts.
I have seen
the fountain springing out of the rock wall
and you drinking there. And I too
before your eyes
found footholds and climbed
to drink the cool water.
…
Don’t say, don’t say there is no water.
That fountain is there among its scalloped
green and gray stones,
it is still and always there
with its quiet song and strange power
to spring in us,
up and out through the rock.
13-15 Richard Wilbur, “Hamlen Brook,” New and Collected Poems, p. 41
“Hamlen Brook”
14 Carla De Sola, The Spirit Moves, p. 126
19-24 Frederick Buechner, “The Breath of Life,” The Magnificent Defeat, p. 110-115
23-24 Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love, p. 43
35-38 J. Heinrich Arnold, “Introduction,” Discipleship, p. xix
1 Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” 13 Jesus said to her, “Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27 Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, “What do you wish?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the city and were coming to him.
31 Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has any one brought him food?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. 36 He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
4:1 ως ουν εγνω ο κυριος οτι ηκουσαν οι φαρισαιοι οτι ιησους πλειονας μαθητας ποιει και βαπτιζει η ιωαννης 4:2 καιτοιγε ιησους αυτος ουκ εβαπτιζεν αλλ οι μαθηται αυτου 4:3 αφηκεν την ιουδαιαν και απηλθεν εις την γαλιλαιαν 4:4 εδει δε αυτον διερχεσθαι δια της σαμαρειας 4:5 ερχεται ουν εις πολιν της σαμαρειας λεγομενην συχαρ πλησιον του χωριου ο εδωκεν ιακωβ ιωσηφ τω υιω αυτου 4:6 ην δε εκει πηγη του ιακωβ ο ουν ιησους κεκοπιακως εκ της οδοιποριας εκαθεζετο ουτως επι τη πηγη ωρα ην ωσει εκτη
4:7 ερχεται γυνη εκ της σαμαρειας αντλησαι υδωρ λεγει αυτη ο ιησους δος μοι πιειν 4:8 οι γαρ μαθηται αυτου απεληλυθεισαν εις την πολιν ινα τροφας αγορασωσιν 4:9 λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις 4:10 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτη ει ηδεις την δωρεαν του θεου και τις εστιν ο λεγων σοι δος μοι πιειν συ αν ητησας αυτον και εδωκεν αν σοι υδωρ ζων 4:11 λεγει αυτω η γυνη κυριε ουτε αντλημα εχεις και το φρεαρ εστιν βαθυ ποθεν ουν εχεις το υδωρ το ζων 4:12 μη συ μειζων ει του πατρος ημων ιακωβ ος εδωκεν ημιν το φρεαρ και αυτος εξ αυτου επιεν και οι υιοι αυτου και τα θρεμματα αυτου 4:13 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτη πας ο πινων εκ του υδατος τουτου διψησει παλιν 4:14 ος δ αν πιη εκ του υδατος ου εγω δωσω αυτω ου μη διψηση εις τον αιωνα αλλα το υδωρ ο δωσω αυτω γενησεται εν αυτω πηγη υδατος αλλομενου εις ζωην αιωνιον 4:15 λεγει προς αυτον η γυνη κυριε δος μοι τουτο το υδωρ ινα μη διψω μηδε ερχομαι ενθαδε αντλειν
4:16 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους υπαγε φωνησον τον ανδρα σου και ελθε ενθαδε 4:17 απεκριθη η γυνη και ειπεν ουκ εχω ανδρα λεγει αυτη ο ιησους καλως ειπας οτι ανδρα ουκ εχω 4:18 πεντε γαρ ανδρας εσχες και νυν ον εχεις ουκ εστιν σου ανηρ τουτο αληθες ειρηκας 4:19 λεγει αυτω η γυνη κυριε θεωρω οτι προφητης ει συ 4:20 οι πατερες ημων εν τω ορει τουτω προσεκυνησαν και υμεις λεγετε οτι εν ιεροσολυμοις εστιν ο τοπος οπου δει προσκυνειν 4:21 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους γυναι πιστευσον μοι οτι ερχεται ωρα οτε ουτε εν τω ορει τουτω ουτε εν ιεροσολυμοις προσκυνησετε τω πατρι 4:22 υμεις προσκυνειτε ο ουκ οιδατε ημεις προσκυνουμεν ο οιδαμεν οτι η σωτηρια εκ των ιουδαιων εστιν 4:23 αλλ ερχεται ωρα και νυν εστιν οτε οι αληθινοι προσκυνηται προσκυνησουσιν τω πατρι εν πνευματι και αληθεια και γαρ ο πατηρ τοιουτους ζητει τους προσκυνουντας αυτον 4:24 πνευμα ο θεος και τους προσκυνουντας αυτον εν πνευματι και αληθεια δει προσκυνειν 4:25 λεγει αυτω η γυνη οιδα οτι μεσιας ερχεται ο λεγομενος χριστος οταν ελθη εκεινος αναγγελει ημιν παντα 4:26 λεγει αυτη ο ιησους εγω ειμι ο λαλων σοι
4:27 και επι τουτω ηλθον οι μαθηται αυτου και εθαυμασαν οτι μετα γυναικος ελαλει ουδεις μεντοι ειπεν τι ζητεις η τι λαλεις μετ αυτης 4:28 αφηκεν ουν την υδριαν αυτης η γυνη και απηλθεν εις την πολιν και λεγει τοις ανθρωποις 4:29 δευτε ιδετε ανθρωπον ος ειπεν μοι παντα οσα εποιησα μητι ουτος εστιν ο χριστος 4:30 εξηλθον εκ της πολεως και ηρχοντο προς αυτον
4:31 εν δε τω μεταξυ ηρωτων αυτον οι μαθηται λεγοντες ραββι φαγε 4:32 ο δε ειπεν αυτοις εγω βρωσιν εχω φαγειν ην υμεις ουκ οιδατε 4:33 ελεγον ουν οι μαθηται προς αλληλους μη τις ηνεγκεν αυτω φαγειν 4:34 λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους εμον βρωμα εστιν ινα ποιω το θελημα του πεμψαντος με και τελειωσω αυτου το εργον 4:35 ουχ υμεις λεγετε οτι ετι τετραμηνος εστιν και ο θερισμος ερχεται ιδου λεγω υμιν επαρατε τους οφθαλμους υμων και θεασασθε τας χωρας οτι λευκαι εισιν προς θερισμον ηδη 4:36 και ο θεριζων μισθον λαμβανει και συναγει καρπον εις ζωην αιωνιον ινα και ο σπειρων ομου χαιρη και ο θεριζων 4:37 εν γαρ τουτω ο λογος εστιν βαληθινος οτι αλλος εστιν ο σπειρων και αλλος ο θεριζων 4:38 εγω απεστειλα υμας θεριζειν ο ουχ υμεις κεκοπιακατε αλλοι κεκοπιακασιν και υμεις εις τον κοπον αυτων εισεληλυθατε
4:39 εκ δε της πολεως εκεινης πολλοι επιστευσαν εις αυτον των σαμαρειτων δια τον λογον της γυναικος μαρτυρουσης οτι ειπεν μοι παντα οσα εποιησα 4:40 ως ουν ηλθον προς αυτον οι σαμαρειται ηρωτων αυτον μειναι παρ αυτοις και εμεινεν εκει δυο ημερας 4:41 και πολλω πλειους επιστευσαν δια τον λογον αυτου 4:42 τη τε γυναικι ελεγον οτι ουκετι δια την σην λαλιαν πιστευομεν αυτοι γαρ ακηκοαμεν και οιδαμεν οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο σωτηρ του κοσμου ο χριστος
John Dominic Crossan, “Distant Boy Cured,” The Historical Jesus, p. 326-328
Virginia Stem Owens, “Sick unto Death,” Looking for Jesus, p. 49-54
Robert Atwan, “Good Friday, 1993: Heading East,” Divine Inspiration, p. 134
44 Matthew 15:37; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24
45 John 2:23
46 John 2:1-11
43 After the two days he departed to Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they too had gone to the feast.
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Jesus therefore said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was living. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to mend, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live”; and he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
4:43 μετα δε τας δυο ημερας εξηλθεν εκειθεν και απηλθεν εις την γαλιλαιαν 4:44 αυτος γαρ ο ιησους εμαρτυρησεν οτι προφητης εν τη ιδια πατριδι τιμην ουκ εχει 4:45 οτε ουν ηλθεν εις την γαλιλαιαν εδεξαντο αυτον οι γαλιλαιοι παντα εωρακοτες α εποιησεν εν ιεροσολυμοις εν τη εορτη και αυτοι γαρ ηλθον εις την εορτην
4:46 ηλθεν ουν παλιν ο ιησους εις την κανα της γαλιλαιας οπου εποιησεν το υδωρ οινον και ην τις βασιλικος ου ο υιος ησθενει εν καπερναουμ 4:47 ουτος ακουσας οτι ιησους ηκει εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν απηλθεν προς αυτον και ηρωτα αυτον ινα καταβη και ιασηται αυτου τον υιον εμελλεν γαρ αποθνησκειν 4:48 ειπεν ουν ο ιησους προς αυτον εαν μη σημεια και τερατα ιδητε ου μη πιστευσητε 4:49 λεγει προς αυτον ο βασιλικος κυριε καταβηθι πριν αποθανειν το παιδιον μου 4:50 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους πορευου ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν ο ανθρωπος τω λογω ω ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους και επορευετο 4:51 ηδη δε αυτου καταβαινοντος οι δουλοι αυτου απηντησαν αυτω και απηγγειλαν λεγοντες οτι ο παις σου ζη 4:52 επυθετο ουν παρ αυτων την ωραν εν η κομψοτερον εσχεν και ειπον αυτω οτι χθες ωραν εβδομην αφηκεν αυτον ο πυρετος 4:53 εγνω ουν ο πατηρ οτι εν εκεινη τη ωρα εν η ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους οτι ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν αυτος και η οικια αυτου ολη 4:54 τουτο παλιν δευτερον σημειον εποιησεν ο ιησους ελθων εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν