WWW Chat Bible Commentary
User-Posted Comments on John 4:18
You know, you make a good point, zcostilla. I digress.
You know, come to think of it, Jesus was probably making a point about spiritual and physical marriage in this narrative.
She was used as an example by God of the adultery and the marriage of the Northern lands to five husbands, and they did not know God living in sin in a defacto relationship in Samaria. The woman at the well is a powerful allegory and also a lesson on marriage.
Which brings us to your point:
Regarding her personal life, this sequence appears to show firstly, the woman had been married five times under the law and each one was recognized as a legitimate marriage by Messiah. She was currently living with a man but that arrangement was not recognized to be a marriage by Messiah. Thus Messiah produced doctrine in this way. He recognized multiple marriages as there is no indication that this woman had been widowed five times. Indeed the law allows remarriage as we see above. Secondly, Christ ruled here on de facto marriage, pronouncing it as no legitimate marriage.
Just some more thoughts on your very good observation :)
- cody927 (4/3/2017 4:47:08 PM)
@ cody97 if your point is true, then why did she personalize it in Verse 29?
- zcostilla (4/3/2017 8:23:21 AM)
In this verse, most people believe Jesus to be telling the Samaritan woman at the well personal details about her love life and that she has had five literal husbands. He is not referring to this woman having gone through five separate men. He is referring to the 'husbands' of Samaria. When Israel was carried off into captivity around 722 BC, the Assyrians settled foreign peoples in the land that brought their own pagan gods. compare 2 Kings 17:24-34, esp. v. 30 which emphasizes the five nations brought into Palestine. Thus, Samaria committed adultery with five husbands or gods. No wonder the poor woman 'worshipped she knew not what' (John 4:22).
- cody927 (4/2/2017 3:40:34 PM) [qBible.com]
You know, come to think of it, Jesus was probably making a point about spiritual and physical marriage in this narrative.
She was used as an example by God of the adultery and the marriage of the Northern lands to five husbands, and they did not know God living in sin in a defacto relationship in Samaria. The woman at the well is a powerful allegory and also a lesson on marriage.
Which brings us to your point:
Regarding her personal life, this sequence appears to show firstly, the woman had been married five times under the law and each one was recognized as a legitimate marriage by Messiah. She was currently living with a man but that arrangement was not recognized to be a marriage by Messiah. Thus Messiah produced doctrine in this way. He recognized multiple marriages as there is no indication that this woman had been widowed five times. Indeed the law allows remarriage as we see above. Secondly, Christ ruled here on de facto marriage, pronouncing it as no legitimate marriage.
Just some more thoughts on your very good observation :)
- cody927 (4/3/2017 4:47:08 PM)
@ cody97 if your point is true, then why did she personalize it in Verse 29?
- zcostilla (4/3/2017 8:23:21 AM)
In this verse, most people believe Jesus to be telling the Samaritan woman at the well personal details about her love life and that she has had five literal husbands. He is not referring to this woman having gone through five separate men. He is referring to the 'husbands' of Samaria. When Israel was carried off into captivity around 722 BC, the Assyrians settled foreign peoples in the land that brought their own pagan gods. compare 2 Kings 17:24-34, esp. v. 30 which emphasizes the five nations brought into Palestine. Thus, Samaria committed adultery with five husbands or gods. No wonder the poor woman 'worshipped she knew not what' (John 4:22).
- cody927 (4/2/2017 3:40:34 PM) [qBible.com]
Expand Comments for John 4:18.
