Topical Bible: All Christians should be As Missionaries: Woman of Samaria

Bible > Topical > All Christians should be As Missionaries

◄ All Christians should be As Missionaries: Woman of Samaria ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The encounter between Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, as recorded in John 4:1-42, serves as a profound illustration of the missionary calling for all Christians. This narrative not only highlights the transformative power of Christ's message but also underscores the role of every believer in spreading the Gospel, regardless of social or cultural barriers.

Context and Background

The account takes place as Jesus travels from Judea to Galilee, choosing to pass through Samaria—a region often avoided by Jews due to longstanding ethnic and religious animosities. Jesus' decision to engage with a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in Sychar is significant, as it breaks with the social norms of His time. The Samaritans were considered heretical by the Jews, and interactions between Jewish men and Samaritan women were particularly frowned upon.

The Encounter

In John 4:7-9, Jesus initiates the conversation by asking the woman for a drink, to which she responds with surprise: "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" . This simple request opens the door to a deeper spiritual dialogue. Jesus offers her "living water," symbolizing the eternal life and spiritual satisfaction found in Him (John 4:10-14).

As the conversation progresses, Jesus reveals His knowledge of her personal life, acknowledging her five previous husbands and current relationship (John 4:16-18). This revelation leads the woman to recognize Jesus as a prophet and eventually as the Messiah (John 4:19, 25-26).

The Woman as a Missionary

The transformation in the Samaritan woman is immediate and profound. Leaving her water jar behind, she returns to her town and proclaims, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4:29). Her testimony, though simple, is compelling and effective. The townspeople are drawn to Jesus, and many believe in Him because of her words (John 4:39).

Implications for Christians

The account of the Woman of Samaria exemplifies the missionary call for all Christians. Her encounter with Jesus demonstrates that the Gospel transcends cultural and social boundaries. Despite her past and societal status, she becomes an effective witness for Christ, illustrating that God can use anyone to spread His message.

This narrative encourages believers to engage with those who may be marginalized or different from themselves, following Jesus' example of love and inclusivity. It also highlights the power of personal testimony in evangelism. The woman's simple yet sincere proclamation leads many to faith, showing that one does not need extensive theological training to share the Gospel effectively.

Conclusion

The Woman of Samaria's account is a powerful reminder that all Christians are called to be missionaries in their own contexts. Her willingness to share her encounter with Christ serves as an enduring model for believers to follow, emphasizing the importance of personal testimony and the universal reach of the Gospel.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 4:29
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Gospel in Samaria
... All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. ... The unselfish labor
of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 11 the gospel in.htm

The Power of Little Things.
... If we are true Christians we should all be missionaries. ... Let Christians speak kindly
to these boys and girls ... their souls; they will remember it all their lives ...
/.../moody/to the work to the work/chapter vi the power of.htm

Christian Cemeteries.
... probable, because it implies that Christians, Eusebius included ... the municipality
of Rome should be obliged ... there are four representations, all reproduced from ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter vii christian cemeteries.htm

a Canticle of Love
... I should like to accomplish the most heroic deeds"the ... at the thought of the frightful
tortures Christians are to ... Anti-Christ, and I long to undergo them all. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/therese/story of a soul/chapter xi - a canticle.htm

At the Foot of the Bamboos
... are found deficient in this respect they should be recalled ... Christians in our beloved
land hardly know what it is to ... literary class, he must give up all hope of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/v at the foot of.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... when used symbolically and applied to Christians, is to ... those to a heavy fine who
should in any ... the Scriptures to be translated into nearly all known languages ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

The History of Simon Magus.
... the grace of God, from which he should have never ... But all these wrought that one
and the self same ... The first Christians were, for the most part, unlearned; and ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture x the history of.htm

Witnessing Better than Knowing the Future
... thing that so many missionaries should die; but, sir," he added ... death-beds; I have
seen many Christians just about ... Our religion is not all of the future; it is ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 39 1893/witnessing better than knowing the.htm

Acts XVI
... their having been scourged and imprisoned should follow them ... their heads," and the
Judge of all the earth ... The incidents justifies Christians in making use of ...
/.../mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts xvi.htm

Close of the Colonial Era --The German Churches --The Beginnings ...
... So he concluded that each sort of Christians would be better ... Nearly all the remainder,
about eighty per cent. ... that which we would not that others should do to ...
/.../bacon/a history of american christianity/chapter xii close of the.htm