Woman at the Well - Part 2

Jesus continues,

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

So what exactly is this gift? Some might answer “salvation” and others “the Holy Spirit” and others might call it “grace” but it is in effect the same gift: that we who are blind are given sight; that we who are captive are set free.

“...and who it is that asks you for a drink...”

I believe that Jesus is implying that the woman was capable of knowing the gift He speaks of, and of recognizing the one who would bring it. He is, in effect, saying, “You could have recognized me, but you didn’t.”

“...you would have asked him...”

In reality, she really would have asked. In fact, she does a few moments later.

“...and he would have given you living water.”

In Jeremiah 2:13, God calls Himself a spring of living water. If the woman had studied scripture, she would likely have recognized Jesus at this point.

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”

She is struggling, now, to find a context in which Jesus’ words could make sense. There is no physical evidence to support his claims. But something within her causes her to search for another explanation. Perhaps He is greater than He appears...