Page 261 - Mystic Pathways through the Bible

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The story is packed with symbolism. In Indian tradition, it is easy to understand that ve husbands refer to the ve subtle and gross elements (earth, water, re, air and ether) that compose the world, and the man that Jesus referred to as not her husband denotes the ego. Jiva has been wedded to the ve elements and the ego, but when purity develops, the soul discards the world of elements. It develops dispassion and gains an insight into the futility of the ego. It is then that Jesus invites the soul into the depths of the heart, where the soul drinks the Water from the mystic well.
Continuing the enlightening teachings of this chapter, the lady asked Jesus where a person should perform worship. Jesus explained that although people go to worship in different places, a time is coming when they will not be worshipping in places, but within their own hearts and in spirit. In the spirit lies the genuine place where one should offer worship. The implication again is very simple: Divine worship is not con ned to physical locations of worship or to external rituals; it expresses in a changed state of personality, a changed attitude within one’s heart. Whatever you do should become a form of worship. Indeed, life itself can become a perpetual process of worship.
While the conversation continued, the disciples returned, bringing food from the market. They were