The woman at the well (John 4) has become a staple for sermon series, evangelistic talks and pastoral conversations. Here is a woman who, so it is said, was in every way an outsider in her culture: a woman, a Samaritan, an adulterer shunned by her own people, and someone who was looking for happiness in all the wrong places, but who found forgiveness, acceptance and real satisfaction in Jesus.
But is this really what John 4 is about? Is the woman’s sin or satisfaction really the focus of this passage? This elective will challenge some of the popular readings of the Samaritan woman, while also considering more recent feminist readings of John 4. Looking again at this precious chapter of Scripture, we will reconsider what John is saying, and how we should teach and preach about the woman at the well today.
Level: Popular academic.
About Tom
Tom is a lecturer in New Testament and Greek at Moore Theological College. His research interests include the Gospel of John, character studies in the gospels, New Testament and Graeco-Roman literature, and communicative approaches to ancient language learning. He is married to Jess and together, they have three children. They attend St Stephen’s Anglican Church in Newtown. Before serving at college, Tom was an assistant minister at Yagoona and Condell Park Anglican church.
About Talar
Talar Khatchoyan is the children’s and families minister at Naremburn Cammeray Anglican Church. She enjoys seeing new generations of believers mature in the Lord.
