The Woman At The Well

“Whose image is this, and whose inscription? (Matt22:20)

At the wedding feast for the son, Christians prepare for the banquet by donning the “clothing’ of Christ, becoming the “image of Christ” by “putting on Christ”.   ‘Christians’ image of Christ reflect Christ’s essence- his love for the Father, his obedience to the Father’s will, his abhorrence of sin, his humility; his love for creation, especially man.

“God said let us make man after our own image” (Gen1:26).   Man is thus made to reflect God and man knows God through the Son.  St Paul called Christ, “the image of the invisible God.” Man is modeled after Christ, the Son of God..  Thus the word and meaning of image is important; it was important to Christ and to the Jewish nation.

The Jewish nation was a theocracy- a nation ruled by God and God’s representatives. Their kings never had an image coin; God’s image is on man, not on a coin.  Rule by powerful kingly Romans antagonized their historical and religious beliefs.  Jewish awe and hatred of Roman superiority centered on a poll tax required of all nations under Roman rule.  A special coin to pay the tax was required; this coin had the image of Caesar on it.  It was an image of kingship, superiority and power.

The Pharisees were the religious doctors of Jewish law.  For them to carry the special Roman coin should have upset the population. The plan of the Pharisees was daring: to try to trap Jesus by using his words against him and turn Jesus over to the Roman judiciary for condemnation. The Pharisees would be rid of this thorn in their side.

Earlier, when the Pharisees were conferring about how to get rid of Jesus; Jesus withdrew; he gave way, let their anger have free rein. (Matt12:14-15)  His time had not yet come; his meekness shown through the strident voices of the religious crowd.  It was meekness, fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah:: Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, the favorite of my soul, I will endow him with my spirit, and he will proclaim the true faith to the nations.  He will not brawl or shout…Man will see Christ’s meekness again during his trial.

The Pharisees were on the counter attack after Christ had shown them to condemn themselves. Hypocrites they were; vainly thinking they had Jesus in a dilemma-he would offend the Jews or the Romans by his answer. Notice their false words pretending honor yet attempting to lead Jesus into a trap of words:  “Teacher, we know you are true, and that you teach the ways of God in truth.” (Matt 22::16)  Did they know truth, the truth Jesus taught?  Did they think Jesus would condemn himself?

Jesus, in the face of the powers of the world, shows them what being a real Christian citizen means- a really true Christian is at one and the same time a good citizen of his country and a good citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Usually these aims are the same; however since all He created belongs to God- the universe, the heaven, man; man  must conclude all rights and obligations due to God are above the rights and obligations of country.