Description

Photina the Samaritan Woman

SAMARIA

The Samaritans of Jesus’ day were a people more despised than a gentile. They were considered a mongrel, mixed race of people, dating back more than seven centuries. Not only was their blood mixed, but their religious traditions were adulterated as well. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Hence, it was a remarkable thing when the Lord’s disciples came up over the hill and saw their Lord talking with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, near the present day city of Nablus. The Rabbis of the day would not so much as walk on Samaritan soil, let alone speak with a Samaritan or partake of their food and drink. And yet here was Jesus not only talking to a Samaritan, but a woman no less. Most Rabbis would not condescend to teach religion one-on-one to a woman, but here was Jesus teaching her and bearing witness to her that he was the Messiah. Even the woman was astounded that Jesus would speak to her and ask for a drink of water. This was not just any woman, as evidenced by what came out of their conversation.

To this woman accustomed to the daily drudgery of walking to the well, drawing her water and returning, Jesus offered living water. “Whosoever drinketh of the water which I shall give him shall never thirst,” Jesus promised, “but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

“Sir,” she said, “Give me of this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:15).

Jesus then told her to go and call her husband, to which the woman responded that she had no husband.

“Thou hast well said,” Jesus replied, “For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly” (John 4:18).

Evidently, this woman had been married five times and divorced each time for unfaithfulness, and was presently living in sin with another man. She was a Samaritan, a woman, and an evidently an adulteress, shamed and unworthy even among her own people, and yet, none of that mattered to the Master. Her soul was precious enough that he took time for her, taught her, and converted her, and she became His witness. Tradition holds to this day that her name was Photina and that she died a martyr for Christ in Rome.

This story is one of the most human in the New Testament because it teaches that Jesus cares for his sheep individually, especially the lost ones.

Scriptures: John 4