John 4:16-21

This is the part of Jesus’ exchange with the Samaritan woman that makes me wish I could have been a fly on the wall to hear how He said this to her. We have the written account, but words on a page can’t really capture the tone and body language with which Jesus was speaking to her.

Jesus tells her to go and get her husband, to which she replies that she doesn’t have a husband. True—however, she leaves out a few details, which Jesus then fills in so they are both on the same page ?. There is something about the all-knowing nature of God and the various ways He lets us know that He knows everything.

I imagine Jesus’ response to her was matter-of-fact, with a touch of humor—maybe even an all-knowing smile to boot. He lets her know, oh so lovingly, that she is not hiding anything from Him. She had indeed spoken the truth, minus a few key details.

That revelation gets her attention! I can only imagine the look on her face. Her response is telling: first, she surmises that He is a prophet, and then she quickly deflects to change the subject—no point in talking about her situation any further ?.

Yet Jesus’ revelation redirects her from thinking in purely natural terms to considering the spiritual implications of what He is saying. Like I said, now they are on the same page.

In answering her question, He refers to her as “dear woman.” This is not a beat-down session, but rather the heart of the Father lovingly on display, reaching out to reconnect with one of His daughters.

Jesus also gives her a glimpse of what is about to change in the near future. Worship would no longer be tied to a specific location. Jesus is making a way for people to worship from any place, provided they worship in spirit and in truth—more on that tomorrow.