I couldn’t agree with Kathleen more. It’s one of the liveliest stories in any of the canonic Gospels The woman is marginalized (as Susan says) and maybe even an outcast among other women – certainly she would be an outcast among all in Jerusalem, where she would more likely be stoned to death.
She’s interesting because she is familiar with scripture. She knows about the Messiah! Maybe she’s even literate? She also is fearless, talking alone to a strange man she’s never met before. I’d like for John to tell us more about her, but it’s enough, I guess.
