Stephen Tomkins rethinks Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman

This is a Bible story that I have changed my mind about. Sermons and commentaries I came across generally portrayed this woman as sinful, failing to listen to Jesus, failing to understand, and that seemed about right. Now I think it’s rubbish. (I may still be wrong…)

A Samaritan woman walks to the well under the midday sun alone. Does she not care about her reputation any more? Is she not welcome when all the other women of the village go at the cool of daybreak and help each other with the load?…

Stephen Tomkins is Editor of Reform

___

This is an extract from an article published in the March 2023 edition of Reform

Subscribe to Reform