Two encounters with Jesus
Ian Paul compares and contrasts two encounters with Jesus: that of Nicodemus (John 3) and of the Samaritan Woman (John 4):
| John 3 | John 4 | |
| Who is involved? | A respectable named Jewish man | An outcast unnamed Samaritan woman |
| Who initiates the encounter? | The person themselves | Jesus |
| When does the meeting occur? | In the evening | In the broad daylight |
| What is the literal significance of this? | In a hot climate, it would be natural to meet to discuss things in the evening—and Nicodemus might have been wanting to keep the meeting secret or at least discreet. | In a hot climate, you would normally collect water in the morning or the evening. Only someone avoiding the company of others would come in the heat of the day |
| What is the symbolic significance of the timing? | Despite his learning and high office, and even meeting the ‘light of the world’, Nicodemus is still dwelling in the shadows of understanding | Despite being marginal in her social context and evasive in her conversation, the woman comes to see things as clear as daylight in recognising who Jesus is |
| Who asks the questions? | The discussion is led by Nicodemus’ implied question in his opening statement, and is given movement by his two subsequent questions | Almost every turn in this conversation is led by Jesus’ questions or his challenging statements |
| What is the nature of the conversation? | It focuses on theological ideas and questions | It focuses mostly on practical questions of thirst, worship and relationships |
| What is the immediate result of the encounter? | The conversation disappears into what seems to be John’s own reflection, and the narrative is never concluded. Nicodemus remains in his shadowy understanding | The woman comes to a startling realisation about both Jesus and herself |
| What is the longer term result of the encounter? | Nicodemus is mentioned on two further occasions, both of which refer back to this encounter. In John 7.50, he tentatively questions the opposition to Jesus, but by John 19.39 he accompanies the women to Jesus’ grave | The woman is a model witness (a key theme in John) in that she goes back to those in her village who had shunned her, tells her story, and invites them to come and meet Jesus too |
Ian Paul concludes:
‘The contrasts here forbid us from offer any kind of formula for how and why people come to faith, and illustrate the diversity of situations and issues that are involved.’