Article 2014-07 - Missionary Aspects in the Gospel - John (3)
What happened during Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman? First Jesus overcame the cultural and the gender barrier (Samaritan/Jew; man/woman). Then He created an opening by arousing the woman’s curiosity. Carefully she brings up the issue of His identity ‘Are you greater than our father Jacob…?’ – a question He answers only later by skillfully using the revelation the woman already had of when the Messiah is coming. The next barrier Jesus tackles is the social dilemma of the woman when He said to her ‘go, call your husband’. He saw her honesty in that she did not try to hide the ugly facts. The woman, ashamed now, quickly hides behind the next barrier, a religious one. Jesus draws her out from there as well, not ‘respecting her religious feelings’ and by plainly stating that ‘we Jews are right and you Samaritans are wrong because salvation comes from the Jews’. So much for inter-faith dialogue…
