The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-02-08
International
School
Lesson

1908 John ", l-s2
Jesus and The Woman Of ssmaria
l Jesus was transferring the scene Of His
ministry from Judea TO GaIiiee: but while
In transit. quietly placed the ieaven
OF His gospel In the very heart OF populous
samaris- He had spent eight months IN
around Jerusalem. but the appoach OF win
ter. and that worse winter Of Pharisacial
hostility. bade Him find more congeniai
locality, He ignored the prsiudice q the
Jews and gave His disciples an object
lesson by going though samaria
After four days journsys--at midday.
Jesus. wearied. sat thus upon the well,
thus" not upon z throne. Or sh.sr .,,, q
upon the ground, His side against the stone
parapet OF the well. His arm upon the its
top. and His head supported by His hand.
See In this the reality Of our saviors
woman approaches. she comes. per-
haps. ct this unusual hour because her
character made It Impossible for her to
cone e me seasons sxss when sns pal ven
She lowers her large eaythen vessel by the
cord which she has brousht for the pur-
pose. . hundred feet 10 the cool. crystal
water. just as she lifts the dripping jar
drink. Jesus put Himself under obligation
to her at the very start BY His request
He took her good win for granted. com
plImsnt was implied We dsspiss not MIN
what magic In kindnessi This ebtnse
and sinful woman. used only 70 epithet and
hIow--gentle politeuess transmutea hsF IN
70 SSais pupil S sns sas
aecene and gArb betray Him. A Jew--but
where Is the racial prejudiceY She vaguely
recognizes the moral superiority OF the Fer
son before her. and y prepared 1or the
In Hts next remark.
Poetry il. In large measure. the assoeia-
tion OF superior ideas with common objects
II that be 90. Jesus was and Ideal poet
He takes the commonast Of objects, water
and the common OF experiences the
quenehing OF thirs With this naturai tluio,
to portray the most uncommon experiences
OF the human soul. The woman sees the
enigma She ia set a-wondsring, and that
Tor her was : crest gain for 'wsndsF
provoiS6s progress"
While she stIll loosely holds 70 the ~.
eral. and talks Of the depth % the wen
ard the lack Of the drawing appliances.
she yet skirts the edge Of the SAVIOR
spiritual rneaning, ana knows IN her neaIt
that he who talks with her y greater
than tie patriarch fwhom she siained@ -
q proesnitor) who bestowed upon his des.
cendaats the great boon Of this szceilsnt
we'll
jesus lets In new ray Of light upon
mind from which the mists have already
begun 70 iift when He contrasts natures
water with the living water. water for
only the briefest possible period siakes
thirst The path to sss .h sou ny. ., cos
is the transpianting Of perennial fcun-
tain in the very soui--a fountain whose
tall let psnetratea even to the Immortal
life above.
Ia enamorod OF this gift" 90 wondorousiy
describad She asks for 4. but N terms
which reveal the fact that the huska o.
RE heayient duty Of her life is this fire.
duent two-mile Journey from city 20 weltI
and back the laborious drawing with the
erudest possible appliances; the carrying
S,et ~ Ged win set her free from all this
toll and yet keep her from thirst, OF course
asn wants H. At the Same time she has .
dawhing consciousness that the gift means
IKE 4 skilIfuI sugeon. kind but firm.
Jesus inserts the cleaning laaest
OF His question. The htdeous met
dents OF an adulterous carer are Aeia
nrssAnea Of Ouaniscience. The exact end
r.Inute details OF her unsavory life are
noted. yet such mercy and Gentleness =
The thing il done. not u sncn
- n,,i q mine enemy7" but rather. Sit.
i nreeeiya Thou art . Prophet
scared conscience is softened. eontes- 1
.ion Is made, and tears o. penisence Hcw;;1 ,
.isrs ~ the saviors teaching she knows
raj the water Of which He spoke - TOT
NE washing Of regeneration--the gitt -
new heart to which the Spirit pears wiz
m the 10y OF her new life she propounds
, nraeticaI question to the Divine Teacher 3
morn 1t was her happy fortune 20 meet
hat day, Where shall , sns wors nv ma
nst received? On Geriztm-to wnich sne
,ointed as she understanding 70 her
,ereditary instruction. or IN Jerusaieh, .
rom which he had just Gomez In answer
= ri. question. Jesus unfoids that basal
principle OF Christianity. that All the eartn
3 holy. and no one spot more holy than
mother that the item OF topography IN re- I
sgion Is henceforth erased: and, further, (
mai henceforth, to q spirit-God spirit
Iacrifiees only shall be made CISCO IL III a
Rom. xiii ~ - {
The woman. her cloudsd mind now )
thoroughly illuminated, looked up, and
,aorinxly exclaimed, your teaching 70 just
NE that which we might expect from the
,Fessiah Himseif!" The Savior accepts hert
owing challenge; and IN despisea sameEir. Q
Iis first categorical declaration Of Messiah
hip. 8
The Teachers Lantern.
The Samaritan woman may well re-
PRESENT that elias who probably would new y
n come 10 Jesus Of their own accord -
Sicodemus sctands for the seeking and TN
luirtng class. Some seem thoroughly un.
pIritual; they have eyes and ears. but new c
r use them In religious matters. They are
ikely to die In the treadmul Of the daily
asks which concern what we shall eat and
rink and wear. How 10 get them above
he nut, co that they may see the new
,eaven and the new earth--that is the
problem. They will not ccome TO Us. We
must go to them. We must make an OPP q
,ortunity 10 speak TO them Of religion. '
Two classes. but one gospel for bothI 1
Not one gospel for Nicodemus and another
ar the Samaritan woman. Jesus gives the
anne testimony to the ignorant Sohiamatic
md sinner as to the sanetified PhariAee.
rhe terminus is the same. but the approaches I
ire necessarily different. However. It Is 9
IN omen question whether this latter scene I
loeS not portray the ideal method % soul
aving See how Jesus takes the c9mmon- I
81 incident and makes II a starting-point; |
low He leads on gently by carefully franz ,
d questions and statements He does not !
ROW impatient with inveteTate ohtusense- :
lesa He is not diverted from the end in
iiew By desultory questions. He is gentility
tself, but allows OF no evasion. He helps
he woman first to see herself then 70 see
1im--hersslf q sinner. Himself a Savior. q
En- route Jesus would pass BY olbeon. and 4
would be reminded Of Saul: Bethel, and :
would think % Jacob and his angsl-erows-
a ladder. and Siloh, the resting place Of =
he tabarnacIa The general Appearance OF
he country surrounding sychar Il uneharg- b
"A niuea Iasua' day ThA Whaatffalda - ana n