The main theme in the faith expressions is that to believe in Jesus Christ is the work of God in Faith. Therefore Christ fulfils the old law, covenants, and traditions (see Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews 8:8). Jesus confirms that “the work of God [is] that ye believe on him whom he hath sent” (John: 6. 28-29). Along this line, the woman at the well asked if Jesus was greater than ‘Jacob’s well’ which had sustained the Children of Israel for generations.
Now, Jacob’s Well symbolises the law, traditions, or carnal life, which attracts peoples’ beliefs, or feeds one’s desires but profits not. It will also include faith expressed by virtue of custom or lineage, such as the Woman’s faith in the value of the well for ‘father Jacob, his children, and cattle. It could also allude to inherited bondage that one continues to obey without knowledge of its source or purposes, so that such cannot satisfy one’s need permanently.
Thus, while Moses’ water from the rock or Jacob’s well water representing the old system may provide drink for life, they could not give eternal life; whosoever drinks of them shall thirst again. But the “living water” that Christ gives, shall be in believers a well springing up into everlasting life, and for this belief in Christ is imperative (John 4:13-14).
We could also relate the death of Aaron, which God commanded because of the breach at Meriba waters with the demise of Judaic priestly order and “works of the law (e.g. for sin, cleansing) (Numbers 20-24-29; Hebrews 10:3-4). This demise is evidenced by the physical destruction of temple at Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-2). It is replaced by Jesus Christ, as high priest who makes reconciliation for us to God (Hebrew 2:17-18).
Thus when Jesus identified himself to the Woman as the messiah, she left her water pot for the work of God that is by faith in Christ (John 4:29). But it could also symbolise the abandoning of Judaic purification rites for the cleansing power in the blood of Jesus Christ (Matthew 15:2; mark 7:5; 1 John 1:7). The blood of Christ purges our consciences from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9. 14)
d) True Worshipers Worship God in Spirit and in Truth
