(a) How did Jesus describe himself to the Samaritan woman in St. John's Gospel?
(b) In what two ways does the teaching apply to Christians?
Explanation
(a) Jesus met a woman at Jacob's well and asked her to give him water to drink. The woman was surprised that Jesus, a Jew would ask for water from a Samaritan. Jesus said if she knew the gift of God and who asked her for water, she would have asked him for a living water. The woman wondered how Jesus could give her water without even a vessel for drawing it out of the well. She questioned whether Jesus was greater than their father Jacob who dug the well. Jesus said every one who drank of that water would thirst again, but whoever would drink of the water he gave would never thirst, for the water he gave would become a spring of living water, leading to eternal life. The woman then asked for the living water so that she might no longer take the pains to come to the well to draw.
(b) Application of the.teaching to christians include: (i) Living water means the word of God. (ii) It is for all mankind - Jews and Gentiles. (iii) The living water through Jesus leads to eternal life.