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THE NOTION THAT NICODEMUS, Pharisee of Jerusalem and member of the Sanhedrin, in John 3 is in some sense in tandem with the nameless Samaritan woman in John 4 is certainly not new. It is usually observed only in passing, however, and without identification of the specifics of their literary relationship.(1) While much scholarly attention has been directed to Nicodemus, the woman of Samaria has attracted rather less. More recent study has begun to rectify this imbalance, elevating the woman's significance and presenting her in a more positive light. In some such instances she is interpreted in sharp contrast to the Pharisee, to his distinct disadvantage.
In particular, Pazdan has argued that the woman "functions as a contrast figure" to the hostile Jewish response to Jesus after the episode in the temple (John 2:12-25).(2) She sees the woman over against the fearful, unimaginative, and largely silent Nicodemus. In her view, the Pharisee may actually be the Samaritan's "perfect foil." So too Koester notes the contrast between Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman, whom he sees as "exact opposites," though he also acknowledges similarities in the two dialogues in which they are involved.(3) Trumbower, making an even sharper differentiation, argues that the Samaritan woman "is to be classed along with Nathanael, the blind man of John 9, and the beloved Disciple as paradigms of correct belief" who "will worship in spirit and truth he views her as "the counterpoint to Nicodemus," who does not believe and who comes to Jesus by night, while the woman "happens upon Jesus at noon," and he thinks that the portrayal suggests that Nicodemus is "stuck in the realm of the flesh," "outside the pale," and that he "is not and cannot be 'born from above.'"(4) The more nuanced view of Jouette Bassler is that although Nicodemus is a complex, ambiguous character, in the end he is negatively conceived and presented.(5) This supports the views of Pazdan, Koester, and Trumbower.
Differences between the two figures there certainly are, but it will be argued here that the variations coexist with important similarities. It is not appropriate to claim that the woman represents a dramatic contrast and reversal with respect to the Pharisee. The polarities and parallels in their life situations and their subsequent...