Conversation Starter
Who has been your favorite character in the episodes so far? How come?
Group Guide
Episode 8:
I Am He
Characters:
Jesus, Nicodemus, Simon, Mary Magdalene, Andrew, Esen, Simon's mother-in-law, Samaritan Woman
The Big Question:
What is your one BIG question from this episode? What captured your imagination most, and what would you ask God about the events portrayed?
Bring to Group:
What quote from this episode was the most meaningful/impactful to you? Why?
Genesis 16
Genesis 33:18-20
hosea 6:6
Matthew 19:16-26
luke 4:38-39
Genesis 32:22-32
Daniel 7:13-14
Matthew 9:9-13
Mark 2:13-17
john 4:1-42
Overview
Jesus and His disciples are taking a trip - one which causes much concern among His followers. Simon is worried about leaving his wife and her mother (who is ill) behind as he prepares for the journey. Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law before leaving on the journey. Nicodemus considers Jesus's invitation "follow Me," as the others prepare to leave Capernaum. This journey takes Jesus to Jacob's Well, and the meeting with the Samaritan woman.
Introduction
The episode begins with Jacob and his sons digging a well on some newly purchased land. At an encounter with his neighbor, we learn something about how the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is perceived by others. Jesus is now wanted by the Romans for questioning. Matthew is trying to "fit in" with the others, and Jesus's decision to eat with HIs disciples at Matthew's house raises more than eyebrows among those of the Sanhedrin. The rough edges of the disciples are still very much apparent.
Historical Info
In Judaism, marriage between living spouses is terminated through a special divorce ceremony, whereby the husband gives his wife a document of divorce known as a get in the presence of witnesses. Written by a scribe, the get is prepared and given under the careful guidance of a beit din (Jewish ecclesiastical court).
Jewish Divorce in the Bible
When a man takes a wife and is intimate with her, and it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes because he discovers in her an unseemly matter, and he writes for her a document of severance, gives it into her hand, and sends her away from his house. She leaves his house and goes and marries another man — Deuteronomy 24:1-2.
‘Get’: The Jewish Divorce Document
According to biblical law, a married couple is released from the bonds of matrimony only through the transmission of a bill of divorce from the husband to the wife. This document, commonly known by its Aramaic name, get, serves not only as a proof of the dissolution of the marriage in the event that one or both wish to remarry, it actually effects the divorce.
While Jewish law requires one to follow the law of the land, and thus necessitates a civil divorce as well, a civil divorce cannot serve as a substitute for a halachic (conforming to the strictures of Jewish law) get. Without a get, no matter how long the couple is separated, and no matter how many civil documents they may have in their file cabinet, in the eyes of Jewish law the couple is still 100% married.
Marriage is not merely an agreement between two individuals which can be dissolved at will, it is a union of souls. The same G‑d who prescribed a formula for the fusion of souls—the formula followed beneath the wedding canopy—also gave detailed instructions how these two souls can revert to a state of independence.
The Document
The get is a dated and witnessed document wherein the husband expresses his unqualified intention to divorce his wife and sever all ties with her. Click here for the text of the get document.
The get is written by an expert scribe acting as the husband’s agent. Each get is individually tailored to the particular divorcing couple. One of the most important rules governing the writing of the get is the requirement that it be written specifically for the husband and wife who will be using it. This precludes the use of form documents.
Although technically the get can be written in any language—provided it contains the key words and phrases mandated by Jewish law—the universally accepted Jewish custom is to write it in Aramaic. It is also an age-old tradition for the get to be written in 12 lines (the numerical value of the Hebrew word get). The witnesses sign beneath the 12th line.
The Transmission
The entire get procedure is performed in front of a beth din (rabbinical court consisting of three rabbis). Though technically only the presence of the husband, wife, and two witnesses is required to effect the divorce, practically, the get process is so complex that it cannot be done correctly unless done in the presence of experts in the field. In fact, rabbinic law automatically invalidates any get which was not written and transmitted in front of experts.
After the document is written by the scribe, the husband hands it to his wife in the presence of two kosher witnesses. At this point, the marriage has been dissolved, and the beth din will give both parties a certificate confirming their new marital status.
Rabbinic law automatically invalidates any get which was not transmitted in front of professionals On occasion, circumstances prevent the husband and wife from appearing together in a beth din. In such an instance, the husband can appoint an emissary to act in his stead and bring the bill of divorce to his wife. Or, alternatively, the wife can appoint an agent to accept the get on her behalf. The appointment of such an agent is a halachically complex procedure in of itself, and must also be done in the presence of a beth din.
A Mutual Agreement
A key requirement in the get process is the complete acquiescence of both parties to the proceedings. “And it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes” teaches us that the document is only valid if it stems from the husband’s desire to divorce his wife.1
Originally the wife’s consent wasn’t required in order for her husband to divorce her. This changed approximately 1000 years ago when the noted German scholar, Rabbi Gershom “the Light of the Diaspora,” prohibited a man from divorcing his wife without her approval.
Consent is only considered to be such when both husband and wife are sane and sober minded at the time of the divorce.
Divorce Aftermath
Once the couple is divorced, they are encouraged to maintain minimal contact, if any. The sages were concerned that the previous intimacy and comfort level that they shared with each other can lead them to behavior inappropriate for an unmarried couple. In fact, Jewish law places certain restrictions on the ex-couple from residing together in the same housing complex.
That said, the couple is not precluded from remarrying each other; in fact, it is considered to be a special mitzvah to remarry a divorced spouse.2
FOOTNOTES
1.
Nevertheless, in a situation where the beth din determines—based on halachic criteria—that the woman has demonstrated sufficient grounds for divorce, the beth din is empowered to employ all measures at their disposal to compel the husband to "consent" to divorce his wife. For more on this subject, see The Agunah.
2.
Two exceptions to this rule: a) if the husband is a Kohen, in which case he is prohibited from marrying any divorcee, including his own. b) If the ex-wife marries another man in the interim. Even if her second husband divorces her or dies, she may never remarry her first husband.
Questions
for
Group Discussion
1. Obedience at the risk of ridicule and opposition from others, or that threatens our usual way of life seems impossible. Discuss the different ways people reacted to Jesus' directions, the directions of family, and from peers.
*Simon
*Eden
*Matthew
*Nicodemus
*other notable reactions
2. Jesus mentions several times that He's not trying to make His followers lives "easy'" nor is He here to deliver them from their oppressive government. What is Jesus' purpose in coming and in bringing His disciples to follow Him?
3. Who were the first told about Jesus' birth?
Who did He first tell about His ministry?
What were their social statuses?
4. What was significant about Jesus choosing to talk to a Samaritan women? How can you model that today?
5. Do some self reflection. Has there ever been a time in your life where you were as excited about Jesus as the woman at the well was?
How can we bring back some of that excitement?
1. Obedience at the risk of ridicule and opposition from others, or that threatens our usual way of life seems impossible. Discuss the different ways people reacted to Jesus' directions, the directions of family, and from peers.
*Simon
*Eden
*Matthew
*Nicodemus
*other notable reactions
2. Jesus mentions several times that He's not trying to make His followers lives "easy'" nor is He here to deliver them from their oppressive government. What is Jesus' purpose in coming and in bringing His disciples to follow Him?
3. Who were the first told about Jesus' birth?
Who did He first tell about His ministry?
What were their social statuses?
4. What was significant about Jesus choosing to talk to a Samaritan women? How can you model that today?
5. Do some self reflection. Has there ever been a time in your life where you were as excited about Jesus as the woman at the well was?
How can we bring back some of that excitement?
Quotes
Jacob: "We didn't choose Him, He chose us."
Eden to Peter: "Thank you."
Peter: "Me? For What?"
Eden: "For obeying and following Him."
Jesus to His disciples: "Did you join Me for safety reasons?"
Jesus: "Listen, if we are going to have a question and answer session every time we do something you are not used to, this is going to be a very annoying time together for all of us."
Samaritan Woman: "I am rejected by others."
Jesus: "I know. But not by the Messiah."
Jacob: "We didn't choose Him, He chose us."
Eden to Peter: "Thank you."
Peter: "Me? For What?"
Eden: "For obeying and following Him."
Jesus to His disciples: "Did you join Me for safety reasons?"
Jesus: "Listen, if we are going to have a question and answer session every time we do something you are not used to, this is going to be a very annoying time together for all of us."
Samaritan Woman: "I am rejected by others."
Jesus: "I know. But not by the Messiah."
Going Deeper
Reflection Questions
1. Jesus tells Shmuel to "go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13)
What does this mean to you?
2. When you are faced with interacting with someone who you see as "really broken" like the woman at the well, is your instinct to engage with that person or to distance from that person?
Do you have hope for their potential or stay skeptical
for their life change?
3. In the episode, Jesus explains He asked Simon to make sacrifices in order to follow Jesus.
What sacrifices have you made to follow Jesus?
4. Are making sacrifices to follow Jesus as difficult in reality as they are in our minds?
Discussion and Learning
What a heart-rending scene as Nicodemus makes the decision to not follow Jesus! What do you think he was weighing out in his mind as he made his choice?
The story of the rich man in Matthew 19:16-26, making a similar decision, is not about Nicodemus. But how does the movie's hypothetical portrayal of Nicodemus' loss help us understand the pathos, the emotions, of the scene in Matthew 19?
Read Luke 4: 38-39
How is this similar and how is it different in terms of the circumstances surrounding the healing of Simon's mother-in-law?
Read John 4:1-42
Photina is the name traditionally given to the woman at the well, but we don't really know if that's historically accurate.
How does the portrayal of Photiina's time with Jesus in the movie help you understand what is recorded by John in his Gospel?
What do you learn from Jesus' interaction with her that is helpful for your life?
In what areas of your life do you and Jesus seem to have constant question and answer sessions?
What scenes of Jesus' life are you most excited to see in future seasons?
Personal Next Steps
Renew and Refresh
Read Mark 2:13-17; John 4:1-42
Self-Check
Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law freeing him to journey with Jesus. What would you like Jesus to "heal" in your life to free you to follow Him closer?
The Samaritan woman was elated to interacte with the Messiah, What are ways you can stir excitement in your interactions with Jesus?
Continuing the Conversation
Nicodemus was very close to embarking on his spiritual journey with Jesus and His followers but couldn't quite go. Who could you encourage to take their next step of faith?
Pray
Thank Jesus for His "no strings attached" help and compassion on you as His follower.
Chosen Hits
Jacob arrives in Sheehem
Genesis 33:18-20
J
Jesus eats with sinners
Mark 2:13-17
J
Jesus eats with Matthew [aka Levi]
Matthew 9:9-13
J
The Samaritan woman at the well
John 4:1-42
J
Next Week
Celebrating the conclusion of Season One!
June 21, 2023
6pm - 8pm
20638 Creek River
Bring a dish or dessert
Drinks provided
