The Chosen - A New Perspective On Jesus And The Woman At The Well

HarrisonWoodard.com ^ | 05/16/2022 | Harrison Woodard

[Kandy Atz]

The Chosen – Now Streaming Online

I’ve watched The Chosen, Season 1 & 2 and was quite pleased. The quality is very impressive for a crowd funded production. Unlike Gospel of John, which kept very carefully to the Book, there was plenty of creativity employed. But unlike the debacles of Exodus: Gods and Kings (Moses) and Noah, it does not undermine the story. Instead it supports the narrative. Case in point, the clip below is one of my favorite stories – Jesus and the woman at the well. This story has been butchered and reimagined for centuries. Many have assumed she was a prostitute, or notorious tart – when nothing in Scripture even suggests this. Life was just hard for women in the 1st century. Men died, divorced, and abandoned their wives for a host of reasons. She was a woman who had a very poor self image – no surprise after what she had endured.

She could have watered with the other women, but instead preferred to go alone – feeding her depression even more. She was articulate, and seemingly far more educated than the average woman of her time. She was able to hold her own talking religious differences between Samaritans and Jews with the Son of God! And the kicker, she KNEW the Messiah was coming – she was expecting Him. And KNEW that He would explain everything to them. How many people in the Middle East even knew who the Messiah was, much less were expecting Him? This is why Jesus had a Divine Appointment with this very woman. He HAD to go through Samaria to meet this woman. This kind of faith gets rewarded.

In the Bible, after finding out the identity of Jesus, she runs and gathers the village and they all come to hear Jesus for themselves. And He ends up teaching them for two days. If this woman had a bad reputation, by the reaction of the village to her testimony of Jesus, it sure doesn’t seem like there were any issues. They believed that she had met someone who just perhaps was the Messiah.

The woman’s central claim is that the man told her everything she had ever done. But the Bible does not record any details about the woman except the number of men she had been married to – 5, and was now living with #6. So, in The Chosen, Jesus begins to recall each husband, and a key factor as to why the relationship ended. He only mentions two, as the woman cannot endure a complete review of her life. Jesus made His point. He KNEW everything about her – the good, bad, and ugly, and yet still loved her. She did not need to hide who she was with Him. It likely was the only honest adult interaction she had experienced in life.

This addition, even though not in Scripture, made the scene all the more powerful. Sometimes, Jesus seems distant. But in this moment, you can see Love in action. You can appreciate the Love He has for you – no matter what you might have done or experienced in life. You can be honest, put everything out there KNOWING that you will not be condemned. And that is TRULY Good News.

Link to the Woman at the Well scene, Season 1, Episode 8.

Watch Season 1 & 2 for free: The Chosen

I am not associated with the studio, cast, or crew in any way. I simply appreciate their work thus far.

My earlier Post from Matneywoodard.com on Jesus And The Woman At The Well.

[freepertoo]

The chosen is seeker friendly. It’s okay to deceive people and give them a false view of the Lord, as long as it draws them in, right? We can always tell them the truth later. And having said all of this, and I do believe what I am saying is true. During the 1970s holy Spirit revival in this country I was a very young woman and I saw godspell and was touched. The Lord can use anything, but that does not mean that anything should be advocated. The real Jesus is enough. Why do they feel that they have to manufacture a false picture of him to draw people in? Is not the authentic Lord presenting in scripture good enough, or do we need to make him fallible as we are in order to relate to him? People do not come to Jesus because they need to identify with someone who is as flawed as they are. Quite the opposite. Okay, I’m done! And I really do not mean to offend anyone, but I am very indignant on the Lord’s behalf.

[Kandy Atz]

But your liberal eisegesis is not new.

I never thought I would be accused of producing a "liberal eisegesis" on this forum. Oh my!

Everyone is born with a sin nature. Were her sins more egregious or numerous than anyone else in Sychar? Or the Middle East at the time? If she had such a bad reputation, I used notorious, the village would not have so readily responded to her call. They likely would have grabbed rocks to scare her away if she came near - if she truly was seen as notorious. And if you were a respectable gentleman from Sychar, would you trust that the village tart would know who the Messiah was, much less meet him and talk to him? And would you follow her to meet this mystery man?

Would such a horrible woman have an exchange like this with Jesus:

24 God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality). 25 The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah is coming, He Who is called the Christ (the Anointed One); and when He arrives, He will tell us everything we need to know and make it clear to us. 26 Jesus said to her, I Who now speak with you am He. John 4:24–26 AMP

That type of Revelation was reserved for a select few folks. Why was she different? Why did Jesus HAVE to go to Samaria, if not to meet this woman and through her, all of Sychar? This woman was loaded for bear. She debated religion, where and how to worship, and expressed faith in a coming Messiah. And Jesus revealed himself to her! Hardly sounds like a "notorious" woman to me. Lost - as we all are before Christ, but notorious? Jesus came to save the world - we all understand that. But He deals with individuals, and everyone is different. Their banter in John 4 is very different from many others. In fact, its more similar to the discussion in John 3 with Nicodemus than most other interactions. And yet she seems more knowledgeable on spiritual matters than even Nicodemus! And I wonder why so many overlook, or simply dismiss this fact?

Nothing in the text suggests why there were five marriages - are we simply to assume they were all the woman's fault, especially in a society where men dominated women. This seems to be religion's default position. The entire chapter just does not support that. At best, we simply do not know.

Forget all the commentaries you have read, the religious nonsense, and read John 4 like its a newspaper account. Its amazing how much has been added over the centuries. And how much is simply overlooked. Heck, I was reading Henry's commentary on John 4 the other day. He goes on about how so very poor Jesus was. The next paragraph he is sending the Disciples into Sychar to BUY food for everyone! Even distinguished theologians can miss it.

4 It was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. 5 And in doing so, He arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the tract of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 And Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired as He was from His journey, sat down [to rest] by the well. It was then about the sixth hour (about noon). 7 Presently, when a woman of Samaria came along to draw water, Jesus said to her, Give Me a drink— 8 For His disciples had gone off into the town to buy food— John 4:4-8 AMP

Nothing in the text suggests that she was there at that time to avoid other women. Nothing suggests that she came there that same time every day. It does suggest that Jesus altered his journey to be at the well just when this woman arrived. Nothing suggests that she had a bad relationship with anyone in Sychar, except "maybe" her previous husbands. All that has been reimagined into the story through the years. They are possibilities, nothing more. Just like it is possible she preferred to be alone. Shame or guilt can drive you away from folks into depression and solitude, just as easily as the self-righteous can chase you there.

And note the banter after Jesus supposedly "called her out".

15 The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water, so that I may never get thirsty nor have to come [continually all the way] here to draw. 16 At this, Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come back here. 17 The woman answered, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You have spoken truly in saying, I have no husband. 18 For you have had five husbands, and the man you are now living with is not your husband. In this you have spoken truly. 19 The woman said to Him, Sir, I see and understand that You are a prophet. 20 Our forefathers worshiped on this mountain, but you [Jews] say that Jerusalem is the place where it is necessary and proper to worship. 21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither [merely] in this mountain nor [merely] in Jerusalem. John 4:15-21

Was this woman offended, or have a clear change of heart from this? She continues the discussion on religion without missing a beat. There was no emotional response to Jesus recognizing and confirming her marriage history. In fact Jesus commends her answer. Her response is that she notes she is contending with a prophet, and wants answers to her religious questions. And Jesus provides answers to everything she asks, including confirming that the Messiah is here, right now in her presence. I propose of everything said, THAT REVELATION just might be what motivated her most to evangelize Sychar. Maybe she was known around town as the woman always talking about religion, or the coming Messiah?

Dismiss this encounter and you miss out on Jesus at his best. There is a lot of Revelation here for Believers who are hungry for the Truth.

[Kandy Atz]

5 Jesus looked up then, and seeing that a vast multitude was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, Where are we to buy bread, so that all these people may eat? 6 But He said this to prove (test) him, for He well knew what He was about to do. John 6:5-6 AMP

For your consideration - The HS dropped this in my mind when I read your post.

Thanks for reading my post. I appreciate your responses.

[freepertoo]

In that Biblical case, Jesus knew what He was going to do already, but was testing Phillip’s faith (with a smile, I like to imagine!). In the sermon on the mount segment in The Chosen Jesus was corrected by Matthew, and Jesus decided Matthew was right and He was wrong. The Chosen’s error is trying to turn the Lion of Judah into one of the fellas. He is no different from his own disciples. In fact, they re often smarter.