A Woman with Questions
“Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth.” (John 4:23 MSG)
The Woman at the Well. She is a familiar New Testament character. Jesus met her by a well on his way to Galilee. He, a Jew, asked her, a Samaritan, for a drink of water. He offered her “living water,” knew about her five husbands, and amazed all of the friends she brought back to meet him.
Through sermons and Bible studies, I’ve learned a few things about this woman. Being a Samaritan and a woman makes her less-than. The five husbands shine a spotlight on her loose morals. She asks Jesus questions, a bold move for this Samaritan woman with a reputation.
When I read her story in John 4 through this lens, her questions sound a little sassy. I always thought she tried to distract Jesus from her shame with all of her spiritual chatter.
- “How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (John 4:9 MSG)
- “How are you going to get this ‘living water’?” (John 4:11 MSG)
- “Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?” (John 4:20 MSG)
What if, instead of trying to juke Jesus, she is truly curious about spiritual things? What if she finally found a Rabbi who would entertain all her big questions, so she let them flow freely? When we see her as inquisitive instead of a sinner, John 4 takes on a different tone. Instead of a sassy woman, we see a serious student eager to know the truth.
Erin Moon< calls the woman at the well “The Patron Saint of Asking Questions.” I imagine she was the daughter who asked her mom how yeast works, why the sky is blue, and who decided girls couldn’t grow up to be Rabbis. Her curiosity continued into adulthood. She had big questions about race, worship, prophets, and the Messiah. I love Jesus’s response.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.” (John 4:23 MSG, emphasis added)
The pursuit of truth. This must be refreshing for a woman with a lot of questions in a world where questions are discouraged. Jesus’ response to the woman with questions is encouragement. He tells her the Father is looking for people who are just themselves, questions and all. He doesn’t label her nationality, her gender, or her social standing. He engages with her and answers her questions.
This is a woman with a lot of questions. I, too, am a woman with a lot of questions. What I wouldn’t give to have a Rabbi, a prophet, the Messiah, to entertain all my big questions.
I grew up in a “the Bible says it, and that settles it” culture. The pastor spoke, the people listened: one-way communication. Asking questions about wrath, justice, hell, eternity, gender roles, and inerrancy indicated a lack of faith in God, the Scriptures, and church leadership. Over the past few years, I finally started asking my questions and looking for answers. It can be unsettling, but it very much feels like worship.
Do you have questions? Maybe you have questions about creation, floods, and dinosaurs. You may have questions about a loving God and his judgment. Do you have faith-shaking questions you dare not speak aloud?
Father, you are a great mystery, and we have questions. Some of our questions are hard, and we fear the answers may break us. You are patient and kind. You welcome us as we are, questions and all. Help us as we pursue truth. Guide us through your Spirit, your Word, and our fellow seekers. Amen.
Scripture for Reflection
“Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: ‘He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!’ They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, ‘We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!’” (John 4:39-24 MSG)
“Nicodemus asked, ‘What do you mean by this? How does this happen?’” (John 3:9 MSG)
Reach for More
Both Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) and the woman at the well asked Jesus their questions. While it is not possible to sit by a well and ask Jesus our questions, we can sit in prayer and read his teachings in the Gospels. Write down a few of your questions. Begin prayerfully reading the Gospels with these questions in mind. What answers do you find? Consider sharing your questions with a trusted spiritual advisor or friend.
is a small town girl who married a small town man. They have three children. In the quiet minutes of her day, you will find her at the keyboard or curled up with a book–always with coffee. Kelly believes we are created for community and loves to find ways to connect with other women who are walking in the shadow of the cross. She blogs at mrsdisciple.com.
Photograph © Ifrah Akhter, used with permission
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