Sinful human beings are so proud that no one wants to say first, “I’m sorry.” There was a world-famous philanthropist. He established 600 orphanages around the world in the ’70s. But he divorced his wife at the age of 75 and died soon after. He divorced his wife simply because he did not want to say to his wife, “I’m sorry.” Because of his pride, he betrayed his conscience and faith, and invalidated all his achievements in God. What was worse, he made God very sorry despite his achievements. But Jesus was different. Jesus humbled himself and asked first a favor of this woman to create a relationship. We call this, “God’s initiative.” 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” Jesus really wants to talk with us personally. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” However, the best example of God’s initiative is when Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Will you give me a drink?”
Why did Jesus ask a favor of this indecent woman? It was to save her soul. The Samaritan woman’s sinful life wounded her so deeply that her heart was closed and her heart was so hardened that no one could even talk to her. Even merciful Buddha could not talk to her. Suppose Buddha said to her, “Buddha mercy. Dear lady, forget about everything.” How could she forget everything when all the memories of bitterness and wounds made her sorry day and night? As long as she was alive she would not forget her past, because she was not a vegetable. And no one could help her. Suppose Confucius had met her and said, “After you were seven years old, you should not even sit in the same room with a boy.” She would talk back to him, “Are you telling me or yourself?” Suppose Socrates said, “Know yourself.” That’s nonsense, for she knew about herself too well. None of these great men or their words could open her closed heart. But see! Jesus asked her quietly, “Will you give me a drink?” His words were full of God’s grace. His words immediately melted her closed heart until she was able to talk to Jesus. We give honor and glory to Jesus who is full of grace.
What was her first response to Jesus’ request? Look at verse 9a. “The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?'” She talked about racial barriers between the Jews and the Samaritans, which were insuperable. The Jews had not associated with the Samaritans since the Assyrians had invaded Samaria, the capital of Northern Israel, around 720 B.C. The Assyrians made them intermarry with foreigners. They lost their racial purity, since then they were called the ten lost tribes. Out of their self-righteousness, the Jews despised the Samaritans, instead of having God’s compassion for them. There was another barrier between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. She was a woman and Jesus was a man. The Jews did not even speak to a woman in public.
Source: Samuel Chang-Woo Lee message – Jesus talks to a Samaritan woman
Jesus asked for a drink from the Samaritan woman to initiate a conversation and show her God’s grace. She initially responded by bringing up the racial and gender barriers between them, but Jesus’ words melted her closed heart and she was able to talk to him. Through this encounter, Jesus saved her soul. [ChatGPT]
What ways does the story about a world-famous philanthropist relate to the rest of the text?
The story about the world-famous philanthropist serves as a contrast to Jesus and highlights the danger of pride. The philanthropist, despite his achievements, divorced his wife because of his pride and this ultimately led to his downfall and invalidated his accomplishments in the eyes of God. In contrast, Jesus humbly initiated a conversation with the Samaritan woman and showed her God’s grace, which saved her soul. The story about the philanthropist serves to illustrate the importance of humility and the dangers of pride in our relationships with others and with God. [ChatGPT]
How might a young adult in college react to this text when making decisions about their life?
A young adult in college may find this text inspiring and thought-provoking as they make decisions about their life. They may be encouraged by Jesus’ example of humility and grace and reflect on the importance of these qualities in their own lives. The story of the world-famous philanthropist may serve as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangers of pride and reminding the young adult to avoid letting their ego dictate their actions. This text may encourage the young adult to prioritize humility, compassion, and a desire to serve others in their life decisions, rather than focusing solely on their own achievements and success. [ChatGPT]
How would you generally critique this example and this text?
As a language model AI I do not have personal opinions, but I can present an objective critique of this text:
- Lack of Context: The text doesn’t provide much context for the story about the world-famous philanthropist, making it difficult to fully understand the message being conveyed.
- Limited Audience Appeal: The text heavily references biblical passages and terminology, which may not resonate with all readers, limiting its audience appeal.
- Preaching Tone: The text has a preachy tone and may come across as lecturing to some readers, rather than offering a persuasive message.
- Generalizations: The text makes broad generalizations about certain groups, such as the Jews and the Samaritans, which may not be accurate or reflective of the complexities of these groups.
- Gender Bias: The text perpetuates a gender bias by highlighting the fact that the Samaritan woman was a woman, and the Jews did not even speak to women in public, which may not be inclusive or respectful to all readers.
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What ethos does this text present?
The ethos of this text is primarily religious or spiritual, and it is written from a Christian perspective. The text presents Jesus as a role model for humility, grace, and compassion, and emphasizes the importance of these qualities in personal relationships and decision-making. The text also highlights the importance of a personal relationship with God and the transformative power of God’s grace. The ethos of the text is focused on religious teachings and values, and the message is intended to inspire readers to reflect on their own lives in the context of their faith. [ChatGPT]
What is the pathos of this text?
The pathos of this text is emotional appeal and an attempt to evoke emotions in the reader. The text uses several emotional appeals to convey its message, including the following:
- Empathy: The text highlights the struggles of the Samaritan woman and the emotional wounds she carried, evoking empathy and compassion in the reader.
- Inspiration: The text presents Jesus as a role model for humility, grace, and compassion, and encourages the reader to aspire to spiritual qualities.
- Guilt: The text contrasts the behavior of the world-famous philanthropist with that of Jesus, implying that the philanthropist’s pride and lack of remorse was morally wrong, which may evoke feelings of guilt in the reader.
- Nostalgia: The text refers to events and historical figures that may evoke feelings of nostalgia or longing for the past in some readers.
Overall, the text uses emotional appeals to convey its message and evoke emotions in the reader, in an attempt to inspire and motivate the reader to reflect on their own life and spirituality. [ChatGPT]
What is the logos of this text?
The logos of this text is its reasoning, argumentation, and logic. The text presents an argument that emphasizes the importance of humility, grace, and compassion, and presents Jesus as a role model for these qualities. It also argues that personal relationships with God and the transformative power of God’s grace are essential to finding meaning and fulfillment in life. The text also contrasts the behavior of a world-famous philanthropist with that of Jesus, to demonstrate the superiority of Jesus’ humility and compassion.
The text uses religious scripture, such as 1 John 4:19 and Revelation 3:20, to support its argument, and refers to historical events and figures to illustrate its points. It also employs persuasive language and emotional appeals to engage the reader and reinforce its message.
Overall, the logos of this text is the reasoning and argumentation it uses to convey its message, which is centered around religious and spiritual themes, and emphasizes the importance of humility, grace, and compassion in personal relationships and decision-making. [ChatGPT]
Why would someone who believes this passage demand a college student to obey Jesus?
Some individuals who believe in the message presented in this text may believe that it is their duty to share their faith with others and encourage them to obey Jesus. They may see this as an act of love and believe that they are helping the person to live a better, more fulfilling life.
However, using religious beliefs to demand obedience from others is not an appropriate or respectful way to approach spirituality. Everyone should have the freedom to explore and form their own beliefs, without feeling pressured or coerced.
Moreover, using religion to control others goes against the central message of love, compassion, and freedom presented in this text and many religious traditions. Instead of demanding obedience, a more appropriate approach would be to offer guidance and support, and to respect the individual’s right to make their own decisions about their beliefs and life. [ChatGPT]
In what scenarios could this text be used to excessively control the life of an 18 year old college student?
It is not appropriate to use any text, including this one, to excessively control the life of an 18-year-old college student or any individual. People should have the freedom to make their own decisions, guided by their own beliefs and values, without excessive control or manipulation by others. The use of religious or spiritual beliefs, such as those presented in this text, to manipulate or control others is unethical and can be harmful to their well-being.
If an 18-year-old college student finds value in the message presented in this text, they should be free to explore and incorporate it into their life on their own terms. However, it is important that they have access to a variety of perspectives, including opposing views, so they can form a well-rounded understanding of their beliefs and make informed decisions.
Religion and spirituality can be powerful sources of guidance and comfort for many people, but it is important that they be approached in a respectful, non-coercive manner that allows individuals to make their own decisions based on their own beliefs and experiences. [ChatGPT]
