Dr. Rubel Shelly and the Woman at the well. By
reincarnating her into a carnal person who defended "her church" we
may miss the point that not Even the Only Incarnated God resents
asking for His credentials.
Because Jesus "came out to preach" Jesus HAD TO PASS THROUGH Samaria to meet the Samaritan woman at the well. She
asked for and he gave her His credentials without tears or falsely
accusing her of causing suffering. One who does the will of God will
be persecuted and one who is loved and applauded is probably
disqualified:
For this is
thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief,
suffering wrongfully. 1 Peter 2:19
For what glory is
it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do
well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God. 1 Peter 2:20
For even hereunto
were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an
example, that ye should
follow his steps: 1 Peter 2:21
The modern "hot house" sites on
the web have no trouble teaching their false doctrine and promoting
those who join them. However, they fall into tears and "blacklist"
anyone who questions the theology of the "favorites."
Jesus would disqualify anyone
who teaches anything which cannot be defended. Our only review is to
show that the Samaritan woman didn't "sass God's annointed" by
questioning whether He represented the "right church." To foster an
environment which rejects questioning is to be overcome by human
psychology so that we can no longer grasp the Mind or Spirit of
Christ.
A History of the
Samaritans
During Solomon's life the
musical Levites as "overseers" drove the slaves
to build the temple where the wealth of the "family" was collected.
After Solomon died the northern ten tribes set up their own temple on
Mount Gerizim. When the Assyrians took the land in about 722 B.C. the
capable Isralites were deported and replaced by Nearn Eastern
captives. These were Gentiles and usually polytheists. The remaining
Israelites went "ecumenical" with the pagans. They worshiped Jehovah
but accepted only Genesis - Deuteronomy as canonical. Mount Zion was
rejected and Mount Gerizim was declared to be the place of Deut.
11:29; 14:23.
Their "church"
was a false church and Jesus encountered the woman at the well to
tell us so.
The "Jew's" church was
correct.
Therefore, Jesus didn't get
upset when the Samaritan woman questioned any notion of a ecumenical
church.
Teaching the Apostles the
way of prophets and apostles
Evangelists must go out and
depend upon the land. Furthermore, they must be found going through the areas of the world to preach. Jesus
told His apostles to travel "without purse or bag." (Matt.10:10;
Mk.6:8; Lk.10:4; 22:35-36). This taught them to depend upon Him. Paul
further defined the "wages" of the evangelist as the daily dole of
the soldier or the gleanings of a threshing oxen. The oxen
who does not go
out into the fields
white unto harvest shall not glean.
The Urban Legend About Jesus
and the Samaritan woman at the well.
The widespread myth or urban
legend is that Jesus
encountered the Samaritan woman to close our mouth about discussing where and how we will worship. This
is a defacto denunciation of the freedom to decide that
our beliefs are correct and therefore those
which are diametrically opposed to ours are wrong. The illogical
conclusion, however, is that
"my church is
better than your church because my church does not question your
church."
The fact is that
if "honesty with words" is part of a
"total-life honesty" we can "dig the
wells
deeper" and see that
Jesus defined a right
religion and a wrong religion. However, both were being replaced by a return to a
"patriarchal" system which "leapfrogged" the legalistic Monarchy with
priests, levites and musical worship teams for the uppercrust.
One formulation states that the
Samaritan woman changed
the subject to defend her "church" as the correct one:
"Honesty with
words is only one component of total-life
honesty before the Lord. When Jesus challenged the Samaritan woman he
met at Jacob's well to worship God "in spirit and in truth," that's
what he was asking for from her (John 4:24).
Jesus had asked the woman for a
drink of water and said, "Go, call your husband." She responded that
"I have no husband."
Now, the urban legend
foundation reads:
Jesus said to her,
"You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you
have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.
What you have just said is quite true."
"Sir," the woman said, "I can
see that you are a prophet. Our
fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you
Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem"
(John 4:17-20).
The plot says that Jesus wanted
to talk about life-giving water but she
wanted to compare
churches:
"No!
She wanted to change
the subject from
salvation to church!
That is, she threw out the old Samaritan-Jew debate about the
location and manner
of worship as an
alternative topic to her need for a Savior.
Verse 15 is interposed in my
version:
The woman saith
unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come
hither to draw. John 4:15
Jesus then began to tell her
that her morality was not right because of her serial marriages.
Then, maybe, she wanted to change the
subject from discussing unlawful marriages and divorces rather than
ask for His forgiveness for multiple adultery.
So, in the Living Bible, she
asks for an honest answer to an honest question:
Our fathers
worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the
place where men ought to worship. John 4:20LIV
The line of salvation did not
flow through the Samaritans but through the Jews as the tiny remnant
which would bring forth Messiah:
Jesus saith unto
her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in
this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. John
4:21
Ye worship ye know
not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. John
4:22
But the hour
cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him. John 4:23
The Samaritan Woman: Testing
the Spirits -- an Absolute Responsibility of Honesty.
One doubts that the Samaritan
woman was "into" the "whose church is right debate." One doubts that
she went to "church." Perhaps she was not into
buying a slightly used chariot. She may have understood the right of
every person when--
Jesus as
Spirit through John
demanded:
BELOVED,
believe not every
spirit, but
try the
spirits whether they
are of God: because many
false prophets are gone
out into the world. 1 John 4:1
Hereby know ye the
Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of
God: 1 John 4:2
And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard
that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John
4:3
Later,
The woman saith
unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he
is come, he will tell us
all things. John 4:25
Jesus saith unto
her, I that speak unto thee am he. John 4:26
Lesson:
Don't ever believe anything a
preacher tells you unless
you have determined that he has built upon the Rock because the
"many" of Paul's letters had built upon the sand. The content of the
wineskin may not be "living water" but dead and deadly "new
wine."
We believe that the
nature of the teacher
and his "church"
was vitally important. The Israelites of old could sing, drink,
sacrifice and eat the animals of the poor in Samaria. They could
tolerate whores right in their "family." They celebrated themselves
and allowed the people to hunger and thirst for the Word of God.
The woman was not a
mind reader and had no duty to subscrie to the "salvation" imagined
by the Urban Legend. He might have been recruiting temple prostitutes
for all she knew. And He did not ask her to believe every itenerant
Jew willing to talk to a Samaritan woman.
The Samaritans had gone even
beyond the musical idolatry of Israel and therefore Jesus could
never endorse their "church" in the interest
of "salvation." Those saved are added to the church.
This woman existed as a
"Samaritan" because the Israelites in Samaria had been taken
into captivity and all but the useless died there. The woman may have
heard Amos read and known why she was a "half-breed."
And the
songs of the
temple shall be
howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there
shall be many dead
bodies in every
place; they shall cast them forth with
silence. Amos 8:3
And I will
turn your feasts into
mourning, and all your
songs into lamentation; and I will bring up
sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will
make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a
bitter day. Amos 8:10
If even the Israelites prior to
the Samaritan "ecumenical movement" had invited you to church you
would have been wise to ask: "Is your 'church' faithful to the Word
of God." "Are you going to throw me into 'exhilaration' with wine,
women and song just to get my money?"
Everyone has that freedom in
Christ and the
cannabalism over "church differences" should never intimidate you
into fear of questioning the credentials of a church or its "pastor."
Not even Jesus or
Paul put themselves beyond questioning and criticism. Inexact speach
can still invite questions.
Why? Because in self-pity they will probably
take away "the keys to knowledge" and proof text as violence against personal enemies. Here is how
you can tell whether the performing men and women have
stolen your
water. In Samaria Amos
warned that "their church" was a false church ignoring God's Word and
worshiping themselves through wine, women and music:
Behold, the days
come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing
the words of the
Lord: Amos 8:11
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the
east, they shall run to and fro to seek
the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Amos 8:12
In that day shall
the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
Amos 8:13
They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even
they shall fall,
and never rise up
again. Amos 8:14
I saw the
Lord standing upon the
altar: and he said,
Smite the lintel of the door, that the
pillars may shake: and cut them in the
head, all of them; and I will
slay the last of them with the
sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee
away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. Amos 9:1
It was important to discuss
"churches" because hers
was false based upon rejecting all but the first books of the
Old Testament.
If we subscribe to
the "core gospel" of a few facts about Jesus and reject the rest of
His record through the Apostles then we are the equivalent to the
Samaritans. Therefore, those who use the whole New Testament have the
Samaritan's right to question the peddlers of new wine disguised as
the Water of the Word. This will give us the power to question
everyone without falling into the "whose church is right"
trap.
She may not have heard about
the prophets denouncing the worship under the Monarchy where music replaced the Word.
Church WAS the
subject:
She really wanted to know "by
whose authority do you teach and why should I believe you and trust
you?" Jesus read her mind to prove that He was not part of the lying
clergy in Gerizim. Who
but a fool would accept
the teaching of a Jew who would encounter a Samaritan women without
checking credentials.
Jesus did this to validate
His right to teach something which she did
not know. Her response was not to change the debate to whose ecumenical church should I
attend:
The woman saith
unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. John 4:19
Her question was to meet
His claim as a Jew:
Our fathers
worshipped in this
mountain; and
ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought
to worship. John 4:20
Jesus did not "preach" to her
but dialoged. His
answer fit her honest question needed to make dialog possible. He did
not "dodge and
weave" to navigate her
into His "church."
In order to get her to drink
the Spiritual Words of Jesus He had to get her off the sacred
mountains as the "navel" of the spiritual world:
Jesus saith unto
her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall
neither
in this mountain,
nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:21
The difference in Christianity is that worship is not in time, place or musical (i.e. sacrificial)
offerings.
However, for now and contrary to the Urban
Legend,
Jesus said,
"My 'church' is the
correct place and
therefore your's is not
the correct place:
- Ye worship ye know not what: we know
what we
worship;
- for salvation is
of the
Jews. John 4:22
Ignorant worship is vain worship. Therefore, it
is not a matter of conscience or a claim to be "the one true church."
There is
truth and there
is
falsehood. The
Samaritan "church" was
false and Jesus said
so.
Jesus might say, "So you have
acknowledged that I am a prophet and therefore I have the
authority to tell you that
the "church of the
Samaritans" is not a
true-blue "church."
Those places were to bear
witness to the curse
of both Jew and Samaritan for ignoring God's Word and replacing it
with the musical "play" at Mount Sinai. Now, that is the Biblical
truth and we are not lying.
However, Jesus said that things
are about to change from external temples to internal, personal
temples which have room only for the worshiper and God:
But the hour
cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the
Father in
spirit and in truth:
for the Father
seeketh such to worship
him. John 4:23
God is a Spirit:
and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:24
God is pure or Holy
Spirit, we have a spirit. That "spirit" is the mind, the heart, the
innermost being. That is the only place worship can possible take place with a Spirit God.
No one can get in there with you: just you and God.
Now, "church" as "synagogue" is something else: it is
more "school" than temple and therefore has no rituals of
praise.
The legend
continues:
"That's when Jesus
bored in on the real
issue. "Dear lady,
won't you get past these fascinating diversions so we can talk about your real needs?" he was
asking. "Won't you see that worship is a matter of spirit (i.e., your heart linked to God's heart) and
truth (i.e., your brokenness acknowledged in
total honesty) rather than hill and house?"
Jesus took the questions about
"credential" in an adult way and gave her an honest answer to an
honest question. That was not a facinating diversion but the first
issue which must be established if a stranger knocks on your
door.
The truth is that Jesus didn't
say that "church is the place
to worship but you must worship 'in
spirit' not
with new-wine-like "exhilaration." He said: "Worship is
NOT in time and place." The "place" of the
Synagogue was school and not
"worship center" or "venue for Rock, Rap and CCM." And, there "was no
praise service in the Synagogue."
The Place of Worship has
Changed
"In spirit" does not mean to stroke the tender places of the
body by a team to create body worship. We are told that women like to
talk about "feelings" or "being moved" while men like to talk about
doing things. Mind manipulation therefore only works with women and
some men. Men had rather "dialog." This woman still had her rational
mind.
We believe that Gerizim was an "old place"
and therefore "spirit" is a new
place. "In Spirit" does not mean "inspirited"
and certainly not the enthus-o-mania of Philo or the Madness of Corinth.
Jesus declared the
"place" of prayer to be the "closet" or the secret places of the mind.
There is no other alternative
because "the kingdom of God is within
you."
The Resource of Worship has
Changed
The Law as curse and Canaanite Baalism music was the "resource" of
the Jews and Samaritans but now "the truth" or the Words of Christ or "Spirit" (John 6:63) are the
new resource. Worship is "facilitated" only when we muse
or meditate on God's Word as He
speaks to us.
"Speaking our own words" was the false sabbath of the Jews but now speaking
the Words of Christ or "Spirit" is the way we "preach or teach" one
another and allow (please) the singing and melody (grinding to bits)
to remain in the heart and not allowed to attack the body as a
pagan-like "rape" or rapture or "enthusiasm."
Conclusion:
The urban
legend that Jesus
repudiated the woman at the well and her "changing the subject" from
salvation to "my
church is better thatn your church."
That is reading the mind of
both Jesus and the woman and has the clear motive of violence against those who still question the place,
resources and methods of worship of any church.
The honest
fact is that the Woman
at the Well was not intimidated by the claim of preachers to be
"annointed by God" or selected and trained by the sovereign grace of
God and therefore you must not question any claims.
The honest
fact is that she obeyed
a clear Spiritual principle to test the spirits.
The honest
fact is that Jesus did
not throw a pity party but answered her question with both integrity
and honesty.
Only after you have tested the
spirit or credentials including motive is it Christ-ordained to
accept claims of "salvation."
The Test of the Prophet and
the Way
Jesus demanded and therefore
probably appreciated the Samaritan Woman for having a mind. He said
elsewhere:
Enter ye in at the
strait gate: for wide is
the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matthew 7:13
Because strait is
the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and
few there be that find
it. Matthew 7:14
Beware of false prophets, which
come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves. Matthew 7:15
Ye shall know them
by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:16
Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil
fruit. Matthew 7:17
A good tree cannot
bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good
fruit. Matthew 7:18
Every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 7:19
Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20
Not every one that saith unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works? Matthew 7:22
And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity. Matthew 7:23
The Test of a
Church
The word "church" is a most
deceptive and mind-altering word. The thing Jesus established was
not a temple or "worship center." He
continued the Patriarchal practice that there are no priests and
certainly no Levitical musical worship teams to "excel over" the
slaves.
That tradition throughout the
Old Testament was defined by a word which means "synagogue." The time
and place was for education or edification.
Any "worship time" one gets
cannot, by definition, be in theatrical performance by another:
preacher, priest or clergy musicians.
Again, the Woman at the well
was not "preacher-cowed" but asked for the credentials of
Jesus.
Jesus gave her the credentials
without singing:
- "Don't break my
heart,
- My whiney, piney
heart.
Or of accusing her of a
fascinating diversion.
Neither should we
judge. She asked whose "church" was correct and Jesus told her the
fact: your's is wrong because it is not built upon the whole Word of
God and it is the "church" Amos condemned for making worship "in the
body" and not in the spirit or mind.
The water at the well was
free of
charge but you needed
to take a "bucket" to fill up. The same is true of the Word as Spirit
and Life (Isaiah 55; John 6:63). When you go to the well to get
Spirit or the Water of life you need to have a mental bucket.
The Word had been
taken away from the Samaritans with "new wine" and instrumental music
as the weapons of choice. One can believe that Jesus was commenting
on Amos to prove that He (the Spirit of Christ) had already
disqualified the Samaritan "church" and disbanded it and sent the
people into Assyria and they would never return.
Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord God, that I will send a famine
in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing
the words of the
Lord: Amos 8:11
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the
east, they shall run to and fro to seek
the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Amos 8:12
In that day shall
the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
Amos 8:13
The woman's "Samaria" was a
further blend of paganism and Jesus was there to restore the "water"
taken away by the false teachers of Israel.
Both the Samaritans and a
million Jews would be destroyed because their musical festivals
prevented them from hearing the warning of Jesus. The tiny remnant of
Jews went wandering through the deserts of the world looking for
"spiritual water."
Those who repudiated both
Gerizim and Jerusalem as "time and place" and worshiped in spirit and
in truth because "the kingdom of God is within you" were saved: not a
believer died from hunger and thirst when Jerusalem was
captured.
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