BYU ancient scripture professor teaches BYU-Idaho students in devotional address

 

Gaye Strathearn, a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University, taught Brigham Young University-Idaho students about an important New Testament story in a devotional address given Tuesday, August 8.

Strathearn focused her remarks on John 4, which relates the story of Jesus at Jacob's well and the Samaritan woman who came near to draw water from the well. Strathearn said the actual meaning of this portion of the New Testament becomes clearer with an understanding of the history of Samaria and that not everyone who lived in Samaria was a Samaritan.

"As soon as Jesus asked her for a drink, she recognized Him as a Jew," Strathearn said. "Her response in verse 9 acknowledged the deep-seated feelings of hostility between the two groups. ‘How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.' The woman's statement shows that all she saw in Jesus was an enemy."

"In John 7:37," Strathearn said, "Jesus specifically declared, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.' This was the ‘gift of God' that Jesus was offering not just to the Jews but also to a Samaritan woman." Strathearn explained the woman of Samaria soon softened her heart toward the Savior, and called him ‘Lord,' and later, "the Christ."

Strathearn quoted a fourth-century Christian, Ephraem the Syrian, who summarized Jesus' interactions with the Samaritan woman in the following way: "Our Lord came to the fountain of water as a hunter...he cast a bait for the dove so that through it he might capture the entire flock...She first saw him as someone thirsting; and then as a Jew; then a prophet, and after that as God. As someone thirsting, she persuaded him; as a Jew, she recoiled from him, as a learned one, she interrogated him, as a prophet she was reprimanded, and as the Messiah she worshipped him."

Strathearn then reminded students that nationality is not what determines or precludes salvation. Rather, salvation comes from how individuals respond to the Savior's attempts to raise their sights from an earthly to a heavenly perspective and how they respond to His invitation to "Come, follow me."

Next week's devotional speaker will be Steve Hunsaker, an instructor in the BYU-Idaho Department of Foreign Language and Literatures. Devotionals are held every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in the Hart Auditorium with additional seating in the Taylor Chapel and Kirkham Auditorium.  Devotionals are broadcast on KBYI-FM 100.5 at 2 p.m. and rebroadcast Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m.