During the night of initiation at Eleusis, the initiates of the Eleusinian mysteries accepted the drink just like Demeter in the Hymn to Demeter. Sin to die on a cross. Well there’s another level to this story, the five husband might refer to the idols/powers the Samaritans have served from the past, and the current man might refer to Rome. I found myself thinking about this a lot recently by the phenomenon in the new China of the ‘mistress-dispellers’, described in a fascinating if long New Yorker article. He doesn’t condemn her lifestyle but meets her deepest heart-needs. Is it possible that these men keep divorcing her because she doesn’t bear them children? Yet another factor in her heartache. So let’s presume, therefore, that she didn’t necessarily want the divorces. Before getting into the general treasure, here are a couple of notices. It’s not at all obvious what he’s up to. the only thing that breaks the marriage covnant is death so they could have all died , and the one the woman was with now she wasnt married to yes it dosent say much about it At Jacob's well Jesus meets a Samaritan woman. a certificate of devorse doesent break the marriage covnant . The Gentile bride had met her seventh husband, her perfect and complete husband, her husband that would bring her rest. They are not … Is it possible that this was refering to a number of people that she had been sexualiy intimate with? Men did not live very long back in those days.I think this because the book of Ruth,she was a widow and was married to a kinsman of her father-in-law,who was Boaz.Samaritan womans sin was living with a man who was not her husband not necessarily the five husbands.If you ask for forgiveness ,Jesus will forgive you,however, you are not suppose to keep sinning again and again.She went back to town and was testifiying that Christ new all things ever she did.Well Every one is entitled to their interpretation, jesus pointed out that the woman at the well was sinning she had had 5 husbands and the one she was with now wasnt her husband .as jesus teaching on marriage is very strict not it be for fornication he says in matthew 19.9 .the word not was changed to exept by erasmus in 1522 giving the option for remmariage . Interestingly enough, 1 Kings 17:30-31 tells us there were five groups that settled there, each worshipping their own pagan gods: The Babylonians worshipped Marduk; the men of Cuth worshipped Nergal; the men of Avva worshipped Nibhaz and Tartak; the men of Sepharvaim worshipped their city gods; and King Hadad worshipped Anath. Being with a man who isn’t her husband is self-explanatory but what’s wrong with her having had five husbands? Circumnavigating Church ‘Inner-Rings’, Q Marks the Spot 146 (December 2020 Treasure Map). The echoes of Rebekkah and Rachel at the well reminds you that wells are places the bride is found for the bridegroom. Even though the Israelites were joined in covenant to the one true God, they intermarried with these foreigners and adopted their worship and practices. That’ll preach! A very cursory glance at some popular commentaries reinforces this. She was both sinner AND sinned against with her many husbands. [Nor, for that matter, would he be so accommodating to the man with whom the woman about to be stoned in John 8 – but that’s another story.]. 2. It had set up its own monarchy and form of worship until Assyria invaded and sent most of its inhabitants into exile. Divorce was relatively easy for men, but practically impossible for women (eg see here). And with his divine insight, he lets her know that he knows: Jesus asks her to go call her husband. I wonder whether both the dissatisfaction and the victim-of-patriarchy narratives both are too modern and not Jewish enough. But it does deepen it. The woman had a difficult marital life: she had 5 husbands, – a fact which she didn’t tell Jesus but He knew anyway, – which represent the five foreign tribes who intermarried with the northern Israelites (Samaritans) introduced five male deities into their religion (cf. She tells him that she does not have one, wherein Jesus tells her that she has had five husbands and that she is not even married to the one she is living with now. Was it just an unimportant detail that she had had “five husbands” – rather than four or six, or any other number – or was this too in the providence of God? Jesus was telling her I am your husband. Only the barest outline of their past is ever related: the Samaritan woman had five husbands [John 4:18], the lame man had been afflicted for thirty-eight years [John 5:5], and the blind man had been blind from birth [John 9:1]. She will need to return to the well tomorrow for more water. He says your right in saying you have no husband . The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. Adultery. jesus went on to talk a lot to her and spend 2 days with the smaritans verse 43 it looks like he was showing him self to the samaritians and telling them he was the messiah . Can you imagine, she had been looking for the real God with all her heart…and there He was standing right in front of her. Five Husbands of the Samaritan Woman, St.Photina. As for your statement…”but I’m usually pretty sceptical of over-allegorised interpretations…” I couldn’t agree more! When He comes He will show us all things. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Samaria, like the woman at the well, had five husbands and was estranged from her true husband. These Five Husbands, KAAM, KARODHH, LOBHH, MOH and HANKAAR are well known to the Sikhs but hardly there is any Sikh of quality. What you have just said is quite true.’ (John 4:17-18). It is midday, and Jesus and his disciples have arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar which is close to the land Jacob gave to Joseph’s descendants. If this is true, the transition from talking about “five husbands” to “true worship” naturally follows. John 4:5-42 (NIV) Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well. Jesus tells her He can give her living water. Interesting thoughts, Steve. Of course, Jesus didn’t hate anyone. If only she hadn’t sought fulfilment in her marriages… she’d have saved so much heartache! OK, that’s the first odd turn in this conversation. Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband. We know she had had five husbands, and the man she had currently was not her husband. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Site by Glass Canvas. And because He is the infinite God He is perfect for every other lost, rejected, poor soul who will tie the knot with Him too. So what confuses me the lady at the well had 5 husbands and was living with the 6 without marrage im confused by this. In John 4:16-18 Jesus tells the Samaritan woman to go and get her husband. Last Sunday the Gospel about Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:5-42) was proclaimed at my parish. Gary Michuta is an apologist, author and speaker and a member of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Livonia. Learn how your comment data is processed. the text doesn’t say she was divorced 5 times, yet i keep hearing some teachers build a lesson including this. When Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman in John 4:17-19, is the passage about her husbands literal, or symbolic of the five different tribes that were settled in her town?. (so here they are talking about husband’s.. and she says, Sir I perceive that You are a prophet. remember moses gave this because only one time because of the hardness of the heart this isnt a new order ,as people were complaining moaning despite how many were lead out of egypt how many enterd into the promised land 7 or eight if i recall A. Treasury of Scripture. Jesus said to her, "You are correct to say that you have no husband. Samaritans and Jews were not on friendly terms and most Jews tried to avoid that route. 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