The Book of John (Chapter 4a)

I. Incarnation of Christ (v.1-18)

II. Initial Ministry of Christ

II(A). Proclamation of the Son by John the Baptist (1:19-34)

II(B). Calling of the First Disciples (1:35-51)

II(C). The First Miracle (2:1-11)

II(D). Zeal for God (2:13-22)

II (E). Gospel to Nicodemus (3:1-21)

II (F). Indirect Teaching through John the Baptist (3:22-36)

II (G). Gospel to Samaritan Women (4:1-42)

- “And he had to pass through Samaria.” Why is this statement important? (v.4)

What was a Samaritan:

Person from Samaria

Keepers of the Torah (Had own unique copy of the Pentateuch)

Believed that they alone preserved the original Mosaic religion.

Also believed themselves to be the true descendants of Israel

Had unique religious system and established their worship site as the Mount Gerizim. They considered the Jerusalem temple and the Levitical priests to be illegitimate.

It is believed that they intermarried with their Assyrian captives and produced a half-race (half-Jewish and half-Gentile)

What is unique about Jesus traveling through Samaria?

- “A Woman from Samaria came”. Before we go much further what do we know of this woman?

(v.6-9)- “it was the sixth hour of the day”- (6 am Roman time or noon by Jewish time)- She was Alone.

-Jacob’s well: located half-mile from the town. Jacob purchased this place for his sons for 100 pieces of money (Gen. 33:19, Gen. 48:22, Joshua 24:32)

(v.16-18)- her former husbands, and the one she lives with now. - She was an Outcast/Adulterer.

- Why was the woman surprised that Jesus spoke to her? (v. 9)

Jews and Samaritans were hostile towards one another.

Even Jesus met opposition amongst them (Luke 9:52-53). Jesus even told his disciples for a time not to go to the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5-6).

The Jews scorned the Samaritans. James and John were ready to call down fire on them (Luke 9:54). When the Jews accused Jesus of being a “Samaritan” (John 8:48), they were rudely suggesting that He was a half-breed. Born of an unfaithful mother.

Jesus surprised the Jewish lawyer by portraying the Samaritan as the hero in the parable of the “Good Samaritan”. The Samaritan whose authentic loved was not limited to prejudice or bias but stretched to all mankind. This story likely shocked Christ’s audience (Luke 10:25-37)

-How does Jesus present to her the Gospel?

1. He addressed what was lacking.

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again.”

Ecclesiastes 1:8 ESV

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 ESV

All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

Matthew 16:26 ESV

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

2. He showed her what is good and what could be.

“But whoever drinks of the water that I give him will never be thirsty again.”

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 John 2:17 ESV

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

We talked last time that John the Baptist knew and understood this truth. His joy was full in living according to God’s will.

3. He pointed out the sin.

She got uncomfortable with this call out and tried to make a disagreement about worship. Jesus’ answer was that the hour was soon to come when it doesn’t matter where you worship only that you worship in spirit and in truth. Heart and mind. It’s about the attitude of worship, not the ritualistic place or practice. Jesus was here to change the inward man!

4. Then He shared with her that He was the Messiah, the only way to salvation.

-The disciples arrived on scene and what was their primary concern? What was Jesus’ concern, and what did His words mean? (v.27-38)

Application:

1) Only through Jesus can we obtain and receive eternal life: “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life’” (John 4:13–14; cf. John 14:6). 2) Jesus’ ministering to those outcasts of the Jewish society (the Samaritans) reveals that all people are valuable to God. The story of the woman at the well teaches us that God loves us in spite of our bankrupt lives. God values us enough to actively seek us, to welcome us to intimacy, and to rejoice in our worship. As a result of Jesus’ conversation, only a person like the Samaritan woman, an outcast from her own people, could understand what this means. To be wanted, to be cared for when no one, not even herself, could see anything of value in her—this is grace indeed.

3) Jesus desires that we demonstrate love to everyone . . . including even our enemies (John 4:7–9; Matthew 5:44). This wasn’t the only time Jesus ministered to the Samaritans. (Luke 17:11-19- records story of Samaritan leper being healed.) Acts 1:8- and this was fulfilled in

Acts 8:4–8 ESV

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.

4) Those who worship God, worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23–24; Psalm 145:18). 5) Our testimony about Jesus is a powerful tool in leading others to believe in Him: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world”’ (John 4:39–42).