Sharing Vessels with an Armaz Wîb: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman in Medieval Germanic

Valentine A. Pakis, University of Minnesota

This article consists of two parts, each of which has as its focus a different (partial) verse from John 4. Its first concern is the treatment of Greek sugxra/omai ( John 4.9) by modern and medieval translators and commentators. Here the aims are to demonstrate how a fossilized translation can influence modern readings of early Germanic biblical literature, and within this framework, propose a fresh etymology for an Old English word. The second part concentrates on the cultural gap between medieval Germania and the Eastern Mediterranean world of the first century. By taking into account culturally specific conditions of gender, space, and class, I hope to unfold a medieval Germanic reading scenario for John 4.27: "They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman." Underlying this study is a series of questions: By what process did medieval Germanic people invest foreign texts with religious authority? What aspects of their culture facilitated or hindered this investment? How did they (re-)read the Bible?