Jesus meets a woman at a well and asks her for water. Then, when she expresses surprise at a Jew asking her for water, he offers her living water. When he tells her to get her husband, she explains that she cannot and he confirms she has spoken the truth. She has in fact had five husbands and is now living with someone who is not her husband.
We assume at this point that Jesus is pointing out her promiscuity. However,whilst this is possible, it’s not definitely the case.
It is possible that rather than her marrying and divorcing repeatedly that she has been widowed. The marriages could even be leverite marriages where her brothers in law have stepped in. Though note from the account of Judah and Tamar that people were still likely in such a scenario to assume the failing was with her.
It is also possible sadly that she had been passed around by sinful men who saw her as property, divorcing at will. In such a case, Jesus’ position would be clear that she was not the guilty party. However, her current relationship would be sinful.
Regardless of her moral culpability, the attitude of society around her would be to consider her in some way defiled. This makes Jesus willingness to be seen talking to her astounding.
Now, whether or not she was morally at fault, in sin, in relation to the 5 marriages, God’s word is clear that she, like you and me was a sinner, she still needed to be right with God. She would need Jesus to die for her sin.
But allowing for the possibility that she was not in sin in the specific case reminds us of something important. Jesus came to deal with our sin by bringing forgiveness but he also came to deal with the consequences of sin where we need the be healed and cleansed, where the pain, hurt and damage of this world, self inflicted and from others causes us to cry out in spiritual thirst.
Faithroots 
The setting, we are told, is “Jacob’s Well”, which draws our mind to the parallel passage in Genesis 29. There, a stranger travels to a foreign land, he arrives at a well, it is midday and a woman appears. They talk, water is drawn, then the woman returns home to announce the stranger. The outcome being that the man and the woman are betrothed.
In John, this woman is the first person to demonstrate full saving faith in utter contrast to Nicodemus and ahead of even the Twelve. Yet, she is the least likely candidate to be his “bride” – just like the church.
Whatever else we can learn from the woman’s marital history, a key point is that she has had 6 men, making Jesus her 7th or perfect man.
Seeing the parallel to Genesis 29 also dispels the teaching I have often heard that the woman coming to the well at midday confirms her immorality as an outcast amongst the other women who would not come until evening. Rachel comes to the well at that time and there is no question over her chastity.
LikeLike