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Interpreters suggest we read this story of the Samaritan woman at the well in two parts: John 4: 7-15, about the woman’s practical errand and her private encounter with Jesus; and verses 16-30, about the implications of this encounter for the mission of the gospel and for John’s readers, including ourselves.
In John 4:7-15 Jesus encounters the woman and asks for a favor. It may be significant that the cup of water he requests is the basis for Jesus’ recognition of those who are “blessed of my Father” according to Matthew (see 10:42 and 25:34-35).
John’s Gospel is very interested in symbols such as water, food, and blood. It is the symbolic meaning of this encounter that dominates the second part of the story. The woman had come to the well seeking water to drink; she became interested in what Jesus had to say so that she would not have to continue to come to the well every day. Although Jesus initially asks her for a cup of water, he actually wishes to give her the gift of life-giving water. It is as if John forgets or simply drops the…
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