I’ve been reading through John’s gospel in my current New Testament reading plan. This year, instead of reading the entire Bible, I’ve chosen the MacArthur Reading Plan, a slow, methodical walk through the New Testament. I speak all about this reading plan, and a few other ones in my post Choosing a Bible Reading Plan: Where to Begin. I state that to say that I have spent a number of days reading through the first few chapters of John’s gospel, and what sticks out to me the most, is how those who have an experience with Christ that leads to true conversion, often seem to be moved to radical evangelism. I handle the evangelism of the first disciples in my post Come and See: Evangelism Born from Encounter.
This is also true for the story that we’ll cover today, the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. What I also noticed were a few tips to consider to improve all of our evangelism, whether apologetic or otherwise.
The aforementioned story is found in John 4 and composes the majority of the chapter, beginning at the onset and ending at verse 45.
In this story, Jesus purposefully travels through Samaria as He is leaving Judea for Galilee. Jesus, weak from His journey, meets a woman at the well and asks her for a drink. She then responds with surprise, and asks why he’s talking to her.
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) (John 4:7-9)
Now, for the brevity and focus of this post, I won’t go into the prejudices of the Jews against the Samaritans, or how Jesus completely ignored those prejudices to deliver the gospel. Suffice it to say, there was a deep-seated social tension there that Christ would not allow to hinder His message. That, and when in verses 3-4, John states that Christ “had to pass through Samaria,” he most likely means because of the will of the Father, because passing through Samaria was not the usual route of the Jews unless they were in haste. Due to their social prejudices, the Jews would usually take the longer route bypassing the area completely. Seeing as we are told in verse 40 that Christ stayed there two days, He was definitely not in haste.
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:10-14)
To the woman’s question, Christ responds with words that have been the focal point of numerous sermons. He tells her about the “living water” that He gives that prevents further thirst and gives eternal life. What I would like to focus in on is the latter half of the conversation, and the woman’s response.
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” (John 4:15-18, ESV)
After, the woman requests the water that Christ offers, He abruptly switches the subject. I have read this story a number of times, but only recently did the change of subject strike me as peculiar. They’re talking about living water, and she seems ready to believe, but believe what? What’s clear from the context, is that she is still thinking of natural water. Christ’s change in context seems to be an attempt to shift the conversation to clarify his metaphor.
Ensure that You’re Speaking the Same Language
Our first tip is found within this context, and it’s to ensure that you’re speaking the same language. Often in evangelism, but especially in apologetic interactions with those from Cultic-Christian backgrounds, those engaged will use the same language, but will have vastly different definitions. For example, Orthodox Christianity believes Jesus to be the eternally existent second person of the Trinity, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Oneness Pentecostals believe that Jesus is a manifestation of the Father in a human, while Jehovah’s witnesses believe Him to be the first creation of the Father, and Mormons believe Jesus to be the literal spirit-brother of Satan.
One will often have to take the time to define terms to be able to have a clear and profitable interaction. This is what Jesus does in our example. He begins speaking in metaphor, masterfully using His surroundings as a bridge to the gospel: the well. The water was the reason that He was there as He was resting from His journey, and the reason she met Him there. When it became evident that she was missing the metaphor, He switched His strategy.
Getting back to the story, the woman answers the question truthfully, well sort of. As Christ will highlight, she currently isn’t married. What she neglects to mention is her very complicated marital past, and why would anyone expect her to? She just met Him. What she didn’t expect was for Christ to fill in the gaps of her slight omission, Which brings us to our next tip.
There is a Time for Boldness
At times, in both evangelism and apologetics, you will have to boldly share the truth. Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying. This does not give you a free pass to be a jerk. You will never win anyone to Christ coming from a place of pride or moral superiority, or by losing your temper and lashing out. 1 Peter 3:15 makes clear that our defense should be seasoned with gentleness and respect. For a more thorough handling of that text, please see my post Apologetics: A Biblical Mandate for a Compassionate Defense on the subject.
Still, there are times when we need to boldly proclaim a truth whether that is giving someone the truth of their situation, or exposing the error in one’s belief system or worldview. Although the truth can be harsh at times, it truly is the most loving thing to give someone who is in error, and is necessary at times to clear the space for an earnest gospel presentation. Again, we see Christ doing this in His interaction with the woman.
What is incredibly interesting to me is the woman’s reaction to Christ exposing her complex love life. Maybe it says something about Christ’s tact in this situation, or her shock at his intimate knowledge of the particulars of her life, but she doesn’t get offended, she makes a true statement about one of the roles that Christ fulfilled. In verse 19, she says “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.” And then proceeds to ask a question about worship.
Now, the particulars of the question are outside of the scope of our conversation today, but it was central to not only the worship practice of her community, but was also one of the roots of tension between the two peoples. (See John 4:19-24 for the conversation, and for the context, see 2 Kings 17:24-41)
Their conversation ends with Christ declaring to her that He’s the Messiah, and lets take a look at what happens.
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. (John 4:25–30, ESV. Emphasis mine)
From this excerpt we can make note of two points. First she, like the first disciples, was moved to radical evangelism after her interaction with Jesus. The first thing she did was leave and tell anyone that would listen about who she’d found.
Second, she uses the same invitation as Philip to Nathaniel. She simply invites anyone that would listen to “Come, see.” Note the response, her zealous evangelism had the whole town coming to meet Jesus. Our testimony is an often under-utilized tool of our evangelism. I handle that topic as well in my post Your Testimony is Enough: The Often Underutilized Tool of the Apologist.
Takeaways
1. Ensure that you’re speaking the same language.
2. Speak boldly when necessary, but always full of grace, compassion, and respect.
3. Use your testimony, its the one thing that people cannot deny. No one can refute what Christ has done in your life.