John 4:7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and JESUS asked her for a drink. HE was alone at the time as HIS disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised that a Jew would ask a “despised Samaritan” for anything---usually they wouldn’t even speak to them!—and she remarked about this to JESUS. HE replied: “If you only knew what a wonderful gift GOD has for you, and who I am, you would ask ME for some living water. [Living Bible Translation]
Definition: “Jew” – (Heb. Yehudi) In its narrowest interpretation, a “Jew” means someone from the tribe of Judah (Heb. Yehudah). [From Rabbi Shlom Chein]
Samaritans and the Jews
To understand why the woman in John 4:7 had such a strong reaction to JESUS asking her for a drink of water, it helps to understand a little about the history of the hostility between the Jews to the Samaritans. This hostility probably existed at least 800 years before this woman met JESUS.
The Hostility
After the death of King Solomon (around 931 B.C.), the twelve tribes of Israel, which had been united under King David and King Solomon, divided into two kingdoms—a Northern kingdom and a Southern Kingdom. Ten tribes made up the Northern Kingdom and two tribes (the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah) made up the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom became known as “Israel” and the Southern Kingdom became known as “Judah.” The “Israelites” to the North formed their capital in the city of Samaria and the “Judeans” from the South kept their capital Jerusalem. Each Kingdom had its own king.
During later years, when the Assyrians conquered Samaria and deported the people to Assyria, the Samaritans intermarried with people outside their race and religion. This resulted in the Samaritans practicing a “blended religion,” since they adopted some of the religious beliefs of the people with whom they intermarried. This also resulted in the Jews (the people from Judah) thinking of the Samaritan as not being pure in race or religion. When the people of the Southern Kingdom (after their return from exile in Babylon) returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple, one of the Samaritan leaders, Sanballat, was told that he could not take part in the rebuilding. Sanballat became angry. This and the fact that men who married foreign women could not serve as priests in the Jerusalem temple (Nehemiah 13:28) purportedly led to the Samaritans building their own temple of worship in Samaria. The fact that the Samaritans did not accept Jerusalem as the one true place of worship increased the friction between the Samaritans and the Jews even more. Over the years the animosity worsened.
JESUS and the Samaritan Woman
By the time of JESUS, the general bitterness between Jews and Samaritans had grown to open hatred. Not only was the Samaritan woman surprised that Jesus would ask her for anything, but even the disciples were surprised that HE was talking “with her.” See, John 4:27. However, during her brief encounter, the Samaritan woman came to accept JESUS as “THE MESSIAH” (i.e., THE SAVIOR). Although the Samaritan woman came to draw liquid water, she was at the right place at the right time to meet someone who could give her something far better---living water (i.e. eternal life).
Drinking Water
Up to 60% of the body’s weight is water:
According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.
According to Howard Perlman, water serves a number of vital functions:
- It is a vital nutrient to the life of every cell (acting as a building material);
- It regulates our internal body temperature through sweating and respiration;
- It helps transport the proteins, carbohydrates that our body uses as good??? through the bloodstream;
- It helps to flush waste out our of the body through urination and stool;
- It acts as a shock absorber for the brain, the spinal cord and for fetuses;
- It helps form saliva, which is necessary for digestion;
- It lubricates the joints.
https://water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html
Our bodies continuously lose water. We lose water from breathing, sweating, skin evaporation, urine and stool. So it is important to replace the large amount of water the body loses every day. This is particularly important to replace water on hot days or in warmer climates, during strenuous exercise, in high altitudes and in older adults, whose sense of thirst may not be as sharp. If you do not get a sufficient amount of fluid, you risk dehydration, which can lead to other health risks.
How much water you should drink may vary with your circumstances and needs. According to the Mayo Clinic in “Water: How much should you drink every day?” some of the factors that may influence your need for water include:
- Exercise. If you do any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to cover the fluid loss. It's important to drink water before, during and after a workout. If exercise is intense and lasts more than an hour, a sports drink can replace minerals in your blood (electrolytes) lost through sweat.
- Environment. Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional fluid intake. Dehydration also can occur at high altitudes.
- Overall health. Your body loses fluids when you have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Drink more water or follow a doctor's recommendation to drink oral rehydration solutions. Other conditions that might require increased fluid intake include bladder infections and urinary tract stones.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. The Office on Women's Health recommends that pregnant women drink about 10 cups (2.4 liters) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume about 13 cups (3.1 liters) of fluids a day.
[Emphasis added.] Mayo Clinic also notes that in addition to drinking water, some foods and some beverages (e.g. milk, juice herbal tea, and many fruits and vegetable) can also help a person meet their fluid needs. If you have concerns, your doctor or a registered dietician can help you determine your water needs.
See: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
Drink “For Life”
There is a popular Jewish toast—“L’Chaim”—which means “To Life!” According to John 4: 7 accepting GOD’s “living water” has everlasting consequences.
Today, let us drink physical water “to live,” but let us pray for GOD’s spiritual “living water,” for life and everlasting life.
Enjoy the day, eat and drink wisely, pray and BE BLESSED!
