Study #2: MEM
MEM:THE 13TH LETTER OF THE HEBREW ALPHABET
MEM AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN (JOHN 4)
MEM as the positive image of life-giving water is best described by Jesus Himself in His famous encounter with a nameless Samaritan Woman (John 4) at Jacob’s well in Sychar of Samaria.
John 4:13-24
- Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring, welling up to eternal life.”
This divine encounter with a woman with a past illustrated the strength of the MEM as a picture of irresistible power that broke through:
- The Sexist Barrier – a Jewish rabbi would not be seen in public conversing with an unknown woman much less his mother and sister.
- The Racial Barrier – The Jews considered the Samaritans as unclean half-castes and socially inferior.
- The Religious barrier – Jews and Samaritans worshipped differently – the latter at Mt. Gerizim in Samaria, the former in Jerusalem in Judea.
- The Cultural barrier – Jews do not mix with other racial groups.
Such is the driving force of MEM that overcomes all barriers and releases a floodgate of salvation even for this woman in her suffering, shame and struggles.
Abba Father, the Bible tells us we must always remember to draw with joy from the “wells” of our salvation (Isaiah 12:3). The joy is due to Your saving grace in Christ who gives us His living waters of life – the waters of MEM that this Samaritan woman discovered offering forgiveness, freedom and strength to walk into a bright new future in Christ her Messiah.
