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Jesus and the Woman With Five Husbands
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recognize her sin and her Saviour. Jesus said to her, “Go, call thy
husband, and come hither.” She answered, “I have no husband.” But
the Saviour continued, “Thou hast well said, I have no husband: for
thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy
husband: in that saidst thou truly.”
The listener trembled. A mysterious hand was turning the pages
of her life history. Who was He that could read the secrets of her
life? There came to her thoughts of eternity, of the future judgment,
when all that is now hidden shall be revealed.
She tried to evade all mention of a subject so unwelcome. “Sir, I
perceive that Thou art a prophet.” Then, hoping to silence conviction,
she turned to points of religious controversy.
Patiently Jesus watched for the opportunity of again bringing the
truth home to her heart. “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,”
she said, “and Ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men
ought to worship.” Just in sight was Mount Gerizim, a subject of
contention between Jews and Samaritans. For many generations
the latter people were intermingled with idolaters, whose religion
gradually contaminated their own.
When the temple at Jerusalem was rebuilt in the days of Ezra,
the Samaritans wished to join the Jews in its erection. This was
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refused, and bitter animosity sprang up between the two peoples.
The Samaritans built a rival temple on Mount Gerizim. But their
temple was destroyed by enemies, and they seemed to be under
a curse; yet they would not acknowledge the temple at Jerusalem
as the house of God, nor admit that the religion of the Jews was
superior.
In answer to the woman, Jesus said, “Believe Me, the hour
cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem,
worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what
we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.” Now Jesus sought to break
down the prejudice of this Samaritan against the Jews. Great truths
of redemption had been committed to the Jews, and from among
them the Messiah was to appear.
Jesus desired to lift the thoughts of His hearer above controversy.
“The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall wor-
ship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such