November 4, 2012 AD
Perfected Jews
The story of
"The Samaritan Woman"
The Parable of
The Samaritan Woman
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink. or his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats. Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans. Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. ...
You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for "salvation is of the Jews". BUT the hour cometh, and now is, when the true adorers shall adore the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh such to adore him. God is a spirit; and they that adore him, must adore him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith to him: I know that the Messias cometh (who is called Christ). Therefore, when he is come, he will tell us all things.
[26] Jesus saith to her: I am he, who am speaking with thee.
--John 4:22-26
"Salvation is of the Jews...but"
In one of those off-misused phrases, the phrase "Salvation is of the Jews" is one often used as a bludgeon on any Christian who does not genuflect to any and all Jesus-denying, unbelieving Jews.
But as in many of Christ's teachings, there is often more than meets the eyes.
First off, the Samaritan woman represented an imperfect worship of God.
Much as our current unbelieving Jews represent an imperfect worship of God, devoid of Christ.
Second, this woman worshipoing Judaism imperfectly, was reviled by the "real" Jews of the day as a poor mixture of Assyrian and Jewish worship. The non-Jewish Assyrians had conquered northern Israel, intermarrying with them and corrupting their religion.
Something for Christians to consider when Christians are condemned as intolerant by Jews for condemning the imperfect unbelieving Jews.
But what Jesus is telling this almost-Jewish woman, is that his own "real deal" Jewish people are not perfect worshipers of God either, since they have not had the Word of Christ revealed to them yet, and they would not be perfected themselves until they adored Christ as spirit and as truth.
The woman knows that the Messiah is near and unlike many of Christ's own Jewish contemporaries, believes that the Messiah will deliver the truth.
She was not wrong, as Christ does deliver the truth of God.
When the Samaritan woman realizes she has met the Messiah, she instantly becomes a Christian and testifies to her Samaritan brethren that Christ is the Messiah.
Christ is telling this Samaritan woman that many Jews will not be true adorers of God and that the time has now arrived for believers to be adorers of God in both spirit and truth.
Salvation is only obtained through Christ -- who is of the Jews.
This Samaritan woman learns that the Jews of the Old Testament have become the Christians of the New Testament.
Christ evangelized this woman to Christianity, and set the example for all Christians to follow when he delivers Christians the charge in the Great Commission to go forth to all nations baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Christ has told this semi-Jewish lady that the "real" Jews are under new management and he is the Messiah who is the new management.
From now on, Christ is the light and the path for salvation, when he tells the "real" Jews.
Behold, your house [of Israel] shall be left to you, desolate. For I say to you, you shall not see me henceforth till you say: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
--Matthew 23:38-39
SOURCE:
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible
Article located at:
http://www.thechristiansolution.com/doc2012/556_SamaritanWoman.html
