![Angelika Kauffmann - Christus und die Samariterin am Brunnen -1796](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Angelika_Kauffmann_-_Christus_und_die_Samariterin_am_Brunnen_-1796.jpeg)
The Samaritan woman at the well is a figure from the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
.
John 4
John 4 is the fourth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. The major part of this chapter (verses 1-42) recalls Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar. In verses 43-54, he returns t ...
:4–42 relates her conversation with
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
at
Jacob's Well
Jacob's Well ( ar, بِئْر يَعْقُوب, Biʾr Yaʿqūb; gr, Φρέαρ του Ιακώβ, Fréar tou Iakóv; he, באר יעקב, Beʾer Yaʿaqov), also known as Jacob's fountain and Well of Sychar, is a deep well constructed into ...
near the city of
Sychar.
Biblical account
![St Photina](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/St_Photina.jpg)
The woman appears in ; here is John 4:4–26:
This episode takes place before the
return of Jesus to Galilee
The Return of Jesus to Galilee is an episode in the life of Jesus which appears in three of the Canonical Gospels: , and , . It relates the return of Jesus to Galilee upon the imprisonment of John the Baptist.
Gospel of John
According to the G ...
. Some Jews regarded the Samaritans as foreigners and their attitude was often hostile, although they shared most beliefs, while many other Jews accepted Samaritans as either fellow Jews or as Samaritan Israelites. The two communities seem to have drifted apart in the
post-exilic
The Second Temple period in Jewish history lasted approximately 600 years (516 BCE - 70 CE), during which the Second Temple existed. It started with the return to Zion and the construction of the Second Temple, while it ended with the First Jewis ...
period. Both communities share the
Pentateuch
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the sa ...
, although crucially the
Samaritan Pentateuch
The Samaritan Torah ( Samaritan Hebrew: , ''Tōrāʾ''), also called the Samaritan Pentateuch, is a text of the Torah written in the Samaritan script and used as sacred scripture by the Samaritans. It dates back to one of the ancient version ...
locates the holy mountain at
Mount Gerizim
Mount Gerizim (; Samaritan Hebrew: ''ʾĀ̊rgā̊rīzēm''; Hebrew: ''Har Gərīzīm''; ar, جَبَل جَرِزِيم ''Jabal Jarizīm'' or جَبَلُ ٱلطُّورِ ''Jabal at-Ṭūr'') is one of two mountains in the immediate vicinit ...
rather than at
Mount Zion
Mount Zion ( he, הַר צִיּוֹן, ''Har Ṣīyyōn''; ar, جبل صهيون, ''Jabal Sahyoun'') is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City (Jerusalem), Old City. The term Mount Zion has been used in the Hebrew ...
, as this incident acknowledges at John 4:20.
The Gospel of John, like the Gospel of Luke, is favourable to the Samaritans throughout, and, while the Matthaean Gospel quotes Jesus at one early phase in his ministry telling his followers to not at that time evangelize any of the cities of the Samaritans, this restriction had clearly been reversed later by the time of Matthew 28:19. Scholars differ as to whether the Samaritan references in the New Testament are historical. One view is that the historical Jesus had no contact with Samaritans; another is that the accounts go back to Jesus himself. In
Acts 1:8, Jesus promises the apostles that they will be witnesses to the Samaritans.
Interpretations
Scholars have noted that this story appears to be modelled on a standard
betrothal
An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...
'
type scene A type scene is a literary convention employed by a narrator across a set of scenes, or related to scenes (place, action) already familiar to the audience. The similarities with, and differences from, the established type are used to illuminate deve ...
' from Hebrew scripture, particularly that of
Jacob
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. J ...
in Genesis 29. This convention, which would have been familiar to Jewish readers, following on from an earlier scene in which
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
compares his relationship to Jesus with that of the friend of a bridegroom. Jo-Ann A. Brant, for example, concludes that there is "near consensus among literary critics that the scene at Jacob’s well follows conventions of the betrothal type-scene found in Hebrew narrative." Other scholars note significant differences between John 4 and betrothal type-scenes in the Hebrew Bible. For example, Dorothy A. Lee lists several discrepancies between Hebrew betrothal scenes and John 4: “the Samaritan woman is not a young Jewish virgin and no betrothal takes place; the well is not concerned with sexual fertility but is an image of salvation (see Isa. 12:3); Jesus is presented not as a bridegroom but as giver of living water.”
This
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
episode is referred to as "a
paradigm
In science and philosophy, a paradigm () is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitute legitimate contributions to a field.
Etymology
''Paradigm'' comes f ...
for our engagement with truth", in the
Roman Curia book ''
A Christian reflection on the New Age
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...
'', as the dialogue says: "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know" and offers an example of "Jesus Christ the bearer of the water of life".
The passages that comprise
John 4:10–26 are sometimes referred to as the
Water of Life Discourse, which forms a complement to the
Bread of Life Discourse
The Bread of Life Discourse is a portion of the teaching of Jesus which appears in chapter 6 of John's Gospel ( verses 22–59) and was delivered in the synagogue at Capernaum.
The title "Bread of Life" ( grc, ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς, ''art ...
.
Roger Baxter
Roger Baxter (1784–1827) was an English Jesuit, a Catholic missionary in the United States, and Prefect of Studies at Georgetown College.
Life
Baxter was a native of Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, in Lancashire and studied at Stonyhurst Col ...
in his ''Meditations'' comments on this passage saying:
Consider the excellence of this living water, which is Divine grace, and which Christ promises to His faithful servants. " He that shall drink of the water that I will give him, shall not thirst forever." It quenches, therefore, forever, the thirst of the soul, and satisfies it. The soul then no longer thirsts after earthly waters, that is, the pleasures of this world. It becomes a fountain of all good to the soul, ever flowing and giving merit to our actions. " It springs up to everlasting life" (John iv. 14), elevating our thoughts to heaven and heavenly joys, of which it is a pledge. Say, therefore, with the Samaritan woman, " Give me this water, that I may not thirst."
Veneration
In
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or "canonical") ...
and
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
traditions, she is venerated as a saint with the name
Photine (), meaning "luminous
ne.
In Eastern Christian tradition, the woman's name at the time of her meeting Jesus is unknown, though she was later baptized "Photine". She is celebrated as a saint of renown. As further recounted in and , she was quick to spread the news of her meeting with Jesus, and through this many came to believe in him. Her continuing witness is said to have brought so many to the Christian faith that she is described as "
equal to the apostles
Equal-to-apostles or equal-to-the-apostles (; la, aequalis apostolis; ar, معادل الرسل, ''muʿādil ar-rusul''; ka, მოციქულთასწორი, tr; ro, întocmai cu Apostolii; russian: равноапостольный, ...
". Eventually, having drawn the attention of
Emperor Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unti ...
, she was brought before him to answer for her faith, suffering many tortures and dying a martyr after being thrown down a dry well. She is remembered on the Sunday four weeks after
Pascha
Pascha (or other similar spellings) may refer to:
* Passover, the Aramaic spelling of the Hebrew word ''Pesach''
**Pesach seder,_the_festive_meal_beginning_the_14th_and_ending_on_the_15th_of_Nisan
*Easter.html" ;"title="san in the Hebrew c ..., t ...
, which is known as "the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman".
In
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
Oaxaca de Juárez (), also Oaxaca City or simply Oaxaca (Valley Zapotec: ''Ndua''), is the capital and largest city of the eponymous Mexican state Oaxaca. It is the municipal seat for the surrounding Municipality of Oaxaca. It is in the Centro ...
, Mexico, a celebration of the Samaritan woman takes place on the fourth Friday of
Lent
Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...
. The custom of the day involves churches, schools, and businesses giving away fruit drinks to passers-by.
Photini, The Samaritan Woman is
honored with a
Lesser Feast on the
liturgical calendar
The liturgical year, also called the church year, Christian year or kalendar, consists of the cycle of liturgical seasons in Christian churches that determines when feast days, including celebrations of saints, are to be observed, and which ...
of the
Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The Episcopal Church, based in the United States with additional dioceses elsewhere, is a member church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is divided into nine provinces. The presiding bishop o ...
on
February 26
Events Pre-1600
*747 BC – According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events.
* 364 – Valentinian I is p ...
.
Cultural references
In visual art
Augustins - Jésus et la Samaritaine - Gervais Drouet - RA 516.jpg, ''Samaritan woman at the well'' 1651 by Gervais Drouet
File:Franceschini, Giacomo - Gesù e la Samaritana al pozzo.jpg, ''Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well'', by Giacomo Franceschini
Giacomo Franceschini (1672–1745) (also called Jacopo Franceschini) was an Italian painter.
He was the son and scholar of Marc Antonio Franceschini, was born at Bologna in 1672. He painted historical pictures in the style of his father, and the ...
File:Christ-and-the-Samaritan-woman-24042008.jpg, ''Christ and the Samaritan Woman'', by Stefano Erardi
Stefano Erardi (1630–1716) was a Maltese painter whose works may be found in many churches around the Maltese Islands. His style has been described as either late Mannerist or Baroque.
Biography
Erardi was born in Valletta in 1630 to Sebasti ...
File:Jan Joest von Kalkar - Christus und die Samariterin am Jakobsbrunnen.jpg, ''Christ and the Samaritan Woman'', by Jan Joest van Kalkar
Jan Joest, also known as Jan Joest van Kalkar or Jan Joest van Calcar (between 1450 and 1460 – 1519), was a Dutch painter from either Kalkar or Wesel (both now in Germany), known for his religious paintings.
Biography
Jan Joest was pra ...
File:Guercino - Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well - WGA10946.jpg, ''Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well'', by Guercino
Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as Guercino, or il Guercino , was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vig ...
File:Josef von Hempel - Christus und die Samariterin.jpg, ''Christ and the Samaritan Woman'', by Josef von Hempel
File:Lucas Cranach d.Ä. - Christus und die Samariterin (Leipzig).jpg, ''Christ and the Samaritan Woman'', by Lucas Cranach the Elder
Lucas Cranach the Elder (german: Lucas Cranach der Ältere ; – 16 October 1553) was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He was court painter to the Electors of Saxony for most of his career, and is know ...
File:Carl Heinrich Bloch - Woman at the Well.jpg, ''Woman at the Well'' by Carl Heinrich Bloch
Carl Heinrich Bloch (23 May 1834 – 22 February 1890) was a Danish artist.
Biography
He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, and studied there at the Royal Danish Academy of Art (''Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi'') under Wilhelm Marstran ...
In music
* ''
Jesus Met the Woman at the Well "Jesus Met the Woman at the Well" is a traditional gospel song. It relates the story of the meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, found in the Gospel of John at 4:4-26.
One of the earliest recordings, by The Pilgrim Travelers (1950), c ...
'', a
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
song dating from 1949 or before (earliest known recording by
The Fairfield Four
The Fairfield Four is an American gospel group that has existed for over 100 years, starting as a trio in the Fairfield Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee, in 1921. They were designated as National Heritage Fellows in 1989 by the National End ...
)
*''
Lift Him Up That's All
"Lift Him Up That's All" is a gospel blues song recorded in 1927 by Washington Phillips. It is a solo performance, with Phillips' vocals and zither.
Description
The verses tell the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, found i ...
'', a gospel song dating from 1927 or before (earliest known recording by
Washington Phillips
George Washington "Wash" Phillips (January 11, 1880 – September 20, 1954) was an American gospel music, gospel and gospel blues singer and instrumentalist. The exact nature of the instrument or instruments he played is uncertain, being identi ...
)
* ''The Woman of Samaria'', a sacred
cantata
A cantata (; ; literally "sung", past participle feminine singular of the Italian verb ''cantare'', "to sing") is a vocal composition with an instrumental accompaniment, typically in several movements, often involving a choir.
The meaning of ...
of 1867 by the English
classical composer
William Sterndale Bennett
Sir William Sterndale Bennett (13 April 18161 February 1875) was an English composer, pianist, conductor and music educator. At the age of ten Bennett was admitted to the London Royal Academy of Music (RAM), where he remained for ten years. B ...
* ''
The Maid and the Palmer
"The Maid and the Palmer" (alternate versions are known as "The Maid of Coldingham" and "The Well Below The Valley"; original title in Percy "Lillumwham") (Roud 2335, Child ballad 21) is an English language medieval murder ballad with supernatural ...
'' also known as ''The Well Below The Valley'' (
Roud
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of around 250,000 references to nearly 25,000 songs collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world. It is compiled by Steve Roud (born 1949), a former librarian in the London ...
2335,
Child ballad
The Child Ballads are 305 traditional ballads from England and Scotland, and their American variants, anthologized by Francis James Child during the second half of the 19th century. Their lyrics and Child's studies of them were published as '' ...
21)
* "Woman at the Well", by Olivia Lane
* “Jesus gave me Water”, 1951 by
The Soul Stirrers
The Soul Stirrers were an American gospel music group, whose career spans over eighty years. The group was a pioneer in the development of the quartet style of gospel, and a major influence on soul, doo wop, and Motown, some of the secular musi ...
In film and television
The Samaritan woman is played by Vanessa DeSilvio in the multi-season show on the life of Christ,
The Chosen
Chosen or The Chosen may refer to:
The chosen ones
*Chosen people, people who believe they have been chosen by a higher power to do a certain thing including
**Jews as the chosen people
Books
* ''The Chosen'' (Potok novel), a 1967 novel by Chaim ...
.
Her meeting with Jesus concludes the first season. In the beginning of season 2, she is seen again, eagerly telling everyone around her about Jesus.
See also
*
Asian feminist theology
Asian feminist theology is a Christian feminist theology developed to be especially relevant to women in Asia and women of Asian descent. Inspired by both liberation theology and Christian feminism, it aims to contextualize them to the condit ...
*
Domnina (daughter of Nero)
*
Jesus' interactions with women
Jesus' interactions with women are an important element in the theological debate about Christianity and women. Women are prominent in the story of Christ Jesus. He was born of a woman, had numerous interactions with women, and was seen first by ...
*
List of names for the biblical nameless
This list provides names given in history and traditions for people who appear to be unnamed in the Bible.
Hebrew Bible Serpent of Genesis
Revelation 12 identifies the serpent with Satan, unlike the pseudepigraphical-apocryphal Apocalypse of M ...
*
Parable of the Good Samaritan
The parable of the Good Samaritan is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. It is about a traveler (implicitly understood to be Jewish) who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. First, a Jewish priest and then a ...
*
Living Water
References
Notes
Citations
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
External links
Photine of Samariaat orthodoxwiki.org
*
{{Authority control
1st-century Christian martyrs
Ancient Samaritan people
Christian saints from the New Testament
Converts to Christianity
Followers of Jesus
Gospel episodes
Gospel of John
Water and religion
Women in the New Testament
John 4
Water wells in Israel
Unnamed people of the Bible
Anglican saints