Redeeming the Time Vol. 02.05 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Apri1 4 / May 17 1998

Apri1 4 / May 17, 1998

Vol. 02.04

News and Announcements *

Questions about the Samaritan Woman *

Gleanings from the Fathers *

Answers to Questions about the Samaritan Woman *

Something to Think about *

Fr Seraphim and family will be in Oklahoma Monday, May 18-22 (civil dates). Accordingly, there will be no moleiban service this coming Thursday. They will be back home by Friday evening, May 22. Fr Seraphim will be checking his pages (1 800 557-9789) daily, and a voice message may be given this way. In emergencies, please call the number: 580-369-2917 and ask the park attendants to find the Holland family. We will staying at a campsite (we will leave the campsite number with park attendants) in Turner Falls, Davis, Oklahoma.

We do not say "O Heavenly King" but substitute "Christ is risen..." 3 times, until the Apodosis of Pascha (May 14/27).

After this, until Pentecost, we omit "Christ is risen...". Wherever you see "O Heavenly King..." just skip over to the next prayer.

Ascension Thursday is May 28th (according to the civil calendar). We will have Vigil the evening before and Divine Liturgy Thursday morning at 6 AM. YOU CAN DO IT! Please make plans to attend these services.

Matushka Marina and children will be traveling from June 17 through July 6th. This includes the last two weekends in June and the first Weekend in July. If you sing in the choir, it would be very much appreciated if you planned to be present at the Vigil and Divine Liturgy on those days.

Earl Wilder Sr. (Reader John’s father) had 6 way heart bypass surgery Saturday, May 23. Earl is not Orthodox, but his simple and pious way of life greatly contributed to John’s becoming Orthodox. Please remember Earl Sr. in your prayers, and pray for his full recovery, body, and soul. Reader John is with his father this weekend.

Who was the Samaritan woman? Tell something of her life after meeting Jesus.

Who were the Samaritans? Describe their religion and relationship with the Jews.

"There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." (John 4:7)

At what time of day did Jesus meet the Samaritan woman at the well? Is there anything odd about this time? Why do you think she drew water at that time?

What two revolutionary things did Jesus do by even talking to the Samaritan woman? The proud Pharisees would have judged Him on at least these two accounts.

Water plays a big role in the story of the Samaritan woman. Cite at least 5 other places where water is used to describe or point to our salvation.

In this case, Christ said to her: "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: {14} But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:13-14)

What is the meaning of "water" in this context?

There was a significant prophecy concerning salvation that Jesus made when He spoke to the Samaritan woman. What was it? Approximate when it was understood by the entire church to be fulfilled (or being fulfilled)?

The conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman is actually mystically another conversation between what 2 parties?

Tell the story of the Samaritan woman. Don't look at the bible when you do it. (I won't either!) Where is it found?

Compare and contrast the reaction of the Samaritan woman and townspeople and the townspeople in the region of the Gadarenes when Jesus visited them.

The Sunday of the Samaritan woman is more complicated liturgically because of the multiple commemorations this day. Name them. List how many stichera for each commemoration are sung at "Lord, I have cried", and explain why.

"Sanctify then thy soul, sanctify thy body, by having these ever in thy heart, and on thy tongue. For if foul speech defiles and invites devils, it is clear that spiritual reading sanctifies and draws down the grace of the Spirit."

St. John Chrysostom, HOMILY 32 on the Gospel of St. John, JOHN 4:13, 14

Let us now after this be ashamed, and blush. A woman who had had five husbands, and who was of Samaria, was so eager concerning doctrines, that neither the time of day, nor her having come for another purpose, nor anything else, led her away from inquiring on such matters but we not only do not inquire concerning doctrines, but towards them all our dispositions are careless and indifferent. Therefore everything is neglected. For which of you when in his house takes some Christian book in hand and goes over its contents, and searches the Scriptures? None can say that he does so, but with most we shall find draughts and dice, but books nowhere, except among a few. And even these few have the same dispositions as the many; for they tie up their books, and keep them always put away in cases, and all their care is for the fineness of the parchments, and the beauty of the letters, not for reading them. For they have not bought them to obtain advantage and benefit from them, but take pains about such matters to show their wealth and pride. Such is the excess of vainglory. I do not hear any one glory that he knows the contents, but that he hath a book written in letters of gold. And what gain, tell me, is this? The Scriptures were not given us for this only, that we might have them in books, but that we might engrave them on our hearts.

The original name of the Samaritan woman is not known, but the church knows her as Photini (Svetlana in Russian), "Equal to the Apostles". She was baptized after the resurrection, and in a continuation of her zealous apostolic ministry begun on the day she met the Lord, preached in many areas, including Carthage and Smyrna in Asia Minor, where she was martyred. She had 5 daughters and two sons, all of whom became martyrs. She is commemorated February 28th, and, of course, on the fifth Sunday of Pascha.

(Bishop Nikolaj Velimirovic, The Prologue from Ochrid / Ohridski Prolog)

By the well of Jacob, O holy one, /

thou didst find the Water /

of eternal and blessed life; /

and having partaken /

thereof, O wise Photina, /

thou wentest forth proclaiming Christ, the Anointed One.

(Megalynarion for St. Photina, according to the Byzantine usage. Call us up at 972 529-2754 and ask for Genevieve or Fr Seraphim if you want to hear the melody!)

The simplest description of the Samaritans is that they were people who followed some of the divinely revealed Jewish religion, and added to it various kinds of false teachings. They were considered to be an unclean people by the Jews, partly because of the history between the Jews and Samaritans, and partly because the Samaritans were not pure in the faith.

"Who were these Samaritans? After Jeroboam divided the kingdom, Samaria became the capital of the Kingdom of Israel which consisted of ten tribes of Israel. Through succeeding generations, the people became increasingly idolatrous and corrupt. In 722 BC God allowed Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, to capture them and take the people away into captivity. He repopulated the land with Assyrians. Because these new inhabitants were ravaged by wild beasts, they assumed that they had offended the god of the land. So a captive priest was sent to teach ‘how they should fear the Lord.’ Thus, along with their

own gods, they also feared God and were instructed from the Pentateuch.

"Generations later, as Judah returned from captivity and began to rebuild the temple, the Samaritans wanted to help. Their help was refused. That further inflamed longfelt animosities. A man named Manasseh, of priestly lineage in Judah, married a Samaritan and was expelled by Nehemiah about 432 BC He went to Samaria and became high priest of a temple built on Mt. Gerizim and there the Samaritans offered sacrifices of the Law. In their nationalistic zeal they claimed that both their temple and their copy of the Law were greater than those at Jerusalem. On the other hand, Jewish animosity was so entrenched that a traveler went around Samaria on his journey from Judaea to Galilee. "

(http://www.freedomsring.org/fta/chap12.html - I DO NOT recommend the theology there, but the description is helpful)

Jesus met the Samaritan woman, St. Photina, at the well at 12:00 noon, the sixth hour, as the scriptures attest: "Jesus ... being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour." (John 4:6)

The woman was getting water at this time because of her shame. She "wore a scarlet letter on her forehead", and in order to avoid the gossip and cruelty of others, came to the well in the heat of the day, rather in the morning, when others would get their water.

Jews normally have no dealings with Samaritans, as the woman herself attested. It was also unusual for a man to speak with any woman in public at that time.

Water is an important part of the story in:

The crossing of the Red Sea (of course)

The teaching of Christ to Nicodemus, when he came to Him by night

The healing of the paralytic at the sheep's pool

The Great Flood

The changing of water into wine.

When Jesus spoke of giving water to the women at the well, He was telling her about the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"SCRIPTURE calls the grace of the Spirit sometimes ‘Fire,’ sometimes ‘Water,’ showing that these names are not descriptive of its essence, but of its operation; for the Spirit, being Invisible and Simple, cannot be made up of different substances. Now the one John declares, speaking thus, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with Fire" (Matthew 3:11): the other, Christ, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." (John 7:38) "But this," saith John, "spake He of the Spirit, which they should receive." So also conversing with the woman, He calleth the Spirit water; for, "Whosoever shall drink of the water which I shall give him, shall never thirst.""

St John Chrysostom, HOMILY 32, JOHN 4:13,14

"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. {22} Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. {23} 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. {24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:21-24)

These words constitute in part a prophecy. All peoples would come to know Christ, the One who spoke it, including the as-yet- unevangelized Gentiles. The church understood fully concerning the salvation of the Gentiles after the Holy Apostles Peter's vision, and the ministry of St. Paul.

"Think not, He saith, that this is a prophecy of such a kind as shall be accomplished after a long time, the fulfillment is already at hand and at your very doors, "when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth." In saying "true," He excludeth Jews as well as Samaritans; for although the Jews be better than the Samaritans, yet are they far inferior to those that shall come, as inferior as is the type to the reality. But He speaketh of the Church, that she is the "true" worship, and such as is meet for God."

St John Chrysostom, HOMILY 32, JOHN 4:13, 14

The conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman is mystically that of Christ and the soul. We know this because the fathers have written about this subject, and the mind of the church has believed it. It is very important to read the scriptures according to the mind of the church, in the context of the services especially, and in the writings of the fathers, so that important mystical meanings may be understood, and to insure that we do not make up our own false interpretations.

The story of the Samaritan woman, St. Photina, is easy to remember, not only because it is so powerful and beautiful, but also because it is elegantly recounted many times in the holy services. The services teach and reinforce divine truths like no other occupation.

The story is found only in St John's gospel. Jesus and His disciples were passing through Samaria, when He arrived at Jacob's well, having sent His disciples into town to get food. It was about the sixth hour (noon). He met there a woman who was there to draw water, at this peculiar hour, when the sun is so intense. He asked her for water, and this began a subtle and nuanced conversation between them. This conversation is a type of the conversation between God and the soul, or the conversion of the soul from earthly, carnal and sinful ways of thinking to thinking of heavenly things. At length, He asked her to call her husband, to which the sinful woman replied, "I have no husband." Then Jesus showed His omniscience by uncovering her sinful way of life, and her 5 previous husbands, and finished the opening of this woman's heart to truth. Just after the apostles arrived from town and marveled that He was speaking so freely with this newly converted Samaritan woman, she left her waterpot, (which showed her zeal and acceptance of Christ's words, and the leaving off of earthly things which all who imbibe DEEPLY of the living water will naturally do), and ran to tell her townspeople of the Christ. While she was gone, Christ instructed His disciples about doing the will of God. When the townspeople arrived, upon investigating, they begged Him to stay a while and teach them, which He did.

Doxasticon (Glory of the Stichera) of Vespers of Friday of the Samaritan Woman

The Samaritan woman reacted with great humility when her sinful life was uncovered, and with her spiritual eyes saw the truth behind Jesus' words, that is, that He is the Messiah. She cared nothing for carnal things once she was convinced that Jesus was indeed the Christ. Because she had a good heart, full of love for her people, she hastened to do the work of an apostle, and preached to her town the good news. The Samaritans received the news with joy and begged Jesus to stay a while. Their hearts were open to the truth, and they were willing to be taught.

The black hearted people of the Gadarenes also felt the power of the God-man when one from among their midst was healed of his demons, but reacted with fear and disgust. They wanted Jesus to leave their coasts, perhaps partially because they did not want their sinful commerce to be discovered by the Jewish authorities (they traded in pigs, an unclean animal according to Jewish law), and certainly because their conscience was pricked, and they did not want to repent and learn. The reaction of the Gadarene townspeople ranks as one of the greatest tragedies chronicled in all of history. God walked among them, and healed one of their number. Surely they could have believed that the meek God-man would heal them of their infirmities too, just as the Samaritan woman, one with a "scarlet letter" on her forehead, believed. They did not only hear about the power of God, but they saw it with their own eyes. Instead of becoming evangelists for the good news, they became like those who said later "his blood be on us and our children", and like dogs, returned to their own vomit.

The 3 commemorations on the Sunday of the Samaritan woman are:

1. The Resurrection (always commemorated on Sunday, except on Great Feasts of the Lord).
2. Mid Pentecost (which was celebrated the preceding Wednesday. The church is still in the "after" feast period).
3. The Samaritan woman.

When there are two other commemorations on a Sunday, it is almost always the case that there are four stichera sung from the Sunday Octoechos for the resurrection in the tone of the week, and three each for the other two people or events commemorated at "Lord, I have cried". There are always 10 stichera at "Lord, I have cried" for Vespers on Saturday night.

Tell the story of the healing of the man born blind from birth. Where does this story appear? When is it read in church?

Why was the man born blind? The scripture mentions two possibilities.

What is the tradition concerning the "eyes" of the man born blind?

Many of Christ's healings recounted in the Scriptures consist of TWO healings, sometimes in a different order. What are these, in general terms? Describe these two healings of the blind man, in the order they occurred. Give at least one other example of a "double healing".

Why were the Jews upset about the healing of the blind man? What were the stated reason, and what were the real reasons?

QUESTION 6

The complete healing of the blind man is a marvelous example of synergy, the cooperation of man with God's will. One may justly conjecture that his complete healing would not have been affected if not for his own praiseworthy actions. Explain. Hint - describe and comment on the actions of the blind man from the time he was told to wash in the pool of Siloam until his second encounter with Christ. You should be able to describe at least two important actions of his, which were absolutely necessary to affect his complete healing.

The healing of the blind man shows in a striking way that God gradually illumines a soul. This event was recorded for our benefit, and, together with many other events and recountings, helps us to see the diverse manner in which Christ heals and illumines a soul, and also serves as an instruction to us, who are also being gradually illumined, more or less according to our reaction to God's grace.

The illumination of the soul has been a constant theme since Pascha. Describe at lease three other examples of this most important action of the grace of God, which the church has recently contemplated. What may these recountings teach you?

The trip of the blind man to the pool of Siloam cannot be overlooked, as it is very instructive to us. For what is this trip a model? Describe the trip, and don't be laconic! We must understand the difficulty of this trip, if we are to benefit by it.

Jesus said to His disciples, after they asked him about the blind man: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4)

What is the meaning?

Describe another washing in the Old Testament (this one, being 7 washings) that also effected a healing.

What significance does the event of the Ascension of Jesus Christ have for the Christian? The Orthodox should understand why they celebrate a feast, and its inner meaning.

There is an important account of the ascension that is not in the gospels. Where is it? The story involves angels. How? Describe how a cloud was involved.

In the gospel reading for Liturgy on the Ascension, two gifts are mentioned by Christ. One is given and one is promised. What are they? Comment on their importance and meaning for a Christian.

From what mountain did Christ ascend? How will this mountain be involved in another, cataclysmic event?

There is a significant occurrence in the Ascension story that can only be understood in the context of the church, and the absolute need for apostolic succession of bishops and priests. This occurrence, properly understood, should cause everyone who trusts his own interpretation of the bible outside of the context of a

visible, authoritative and dogmatic church to flee from his false, individual understanding and seek out the church. What is this occurrence? Comment on it, and try to specify other scriptures that point out or support this critical Christian teaching.

What commemoration is the day before Ascension? Explain.

QUESTION 7

How long is the feast of the Ascension?

What, in general terms, is the Typicon for the services of the Ascension? List all the books needed to serve the services completely. Where may one obtain the main texts for the Ascension in English?

Detail the differences between the services of the Ascension and those of a "regular" Sunday.

Detail the differences between the services of the Ascension and those of a "regular" weekday.

"Redeeming the Time" is an almost weekly Journal of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Dallas Texas. Distribute this text if you wish, but only if attribution and all contact information are included. I would appreciate being contacted if any large scale use of this text is desired. All unsigned or unattributed portions © 1998 Fr Seraphim Holland. All rights reserved

Email: seraphim@orthodox.net