john 4

John 4:1–45 NKJV

Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:1–3

This second interview is another illustration of the fact that “He knew what was in a man” (2:25). The Samaritan woman contrasts sharply with Nicodemus. He was seeking; she was indifferent. He was a respected ruler; she was an outcast. He was serious; she was flippant. He was a Jew; she was a despised Samaritan. He was (presumably) moral; she was immoral. He was orthodox; she was heterodox. He was learned in religious matters; she was ignorant. Yet in spite of all the differences between this “churchman” and this woman of the world, they both needed to be born again. Both had needs only Christ could meet.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:4

4:4. He had to go through Samaria. This was the shortest route from Judea to Galilee but not the only way. The other route was through Perea, east of the Jordan River. (See the two routes on the map.) In Jesus’ day the Jews, because of their hatred for the Samaritans, normally took the eastern route in order to avoid Samaria. But Jesus chose the route through Samaria in order to reach the despised people of that region. As the Savior of the world He seeks out and saves the despised and outcasts (cf. Luke 19:10).

“Samaria” in New Testament times was a region in the middle of Palestine, with Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. Samaria was without separate political existence under the Roman governor. The people were racially mixed and their religion resulted from syncretism and schism from Judaism. Its center of worship was Mount Gerizim. Even today in Israel, a small group of Samaritans maintain their traditions.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:7–8

4:7–8. With His disciples in the city buying food, Jesus did a surprising thing: He spoke to a Samaritan woman, whom He had never met. She was of the region of Samaria, not the town of Samaria. The woman was shocked to hear a Jewish man ask for a drink from her. The normal prejudices of the day prohibited public conversation between men and women, between Jews and Samaritans, and especially between strangers. A Jewish Rabbi would rather go thirsty than violate these proprieties.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:9

4:9. Surprised and curious, the woman could not understand how He would dare ask her for a drink, since Jews did not associate with Samaritans. The NIV margin gives an alternate translation to the Greek sentence with the word synchrōntai (“associate” or “use together”): the Jews “do not use dishes Samaritans have used.” This rendering may well be correct. A Rabbinic law of A.D. 66 stated that Samaritan women were considered as continually menstruating and thus unclean. Therefore a Jew who drank from a Samaritan woman’s vessel would become ceremonially unclean.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:11–12

4:11–12. She misunderstood the “living water” and thought only of water from the well. Since Jacob’s well was so deep how could Jesus get this living water? Today this well is identified by archeologists as one of the deepest in Palestine. Are You greater than our father Jacob? she asked. In Greek this question expects a negative answer. She could not conceive of Him as greater than Jacob. Her claim “our father Jacob” is interesting in light of the fact that the Jews claim him as the founder of their nation. That well had great tradition behind it but, she wondered, What does this Stranger have?

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:13–14

4:13–14. Jesus began to unveil the truth in an enigmatic statement. This water from Jacob’s well would satisfy only bodily thirst for a time. But the water Jesus gives provides continual satisfaction of needs and desires. In addition one who drinks His living water will have within him a spring of life-giving water (cf. 7:38–39). This inner spring contrasts with the water from the well, which required hard work to acquire. Jesus was speaking of the Holy Spirit who brings salvation to a person who believes and through Him offers salvation to others.

4:15. The woman could not grasp this dark saying because of her sin and materialism. All she could understand was that if she had a spring she would not get thirsty and would not have to work so hard.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:16–18

4:16–18. Since she was not able to receive His truth (1 Cor. 2:14), Jesus dealt with her most basic problem. (Apparently she never served Him a drink. He forgot His own physical need in order to meet her spiritual need.) Jesus suggested she get her husband and bring him back with her. This suggestion was designed to show her that He knew everything about her (cf. John 2:24–25). Her marital history was known to this Stranger, including the fact that she was living in sin. Thus in a few words Jesus had revealed her life of sin and her need for salvation.

4:19–20. Her response was most interesting! Jesus was not just a passing Jewish Rabbi. Since He had supernatural knowledge, He must be a prophet of God. But instead of confessing her sin and repenting, she threw out an intellectual “red herring.” Could He solve an ancient dispute? Samaritan religion held that the one place of divinely ordered worship was on top of nearby Mount Gerizim, whereas the Jews said it was on the temple mount in Jerusalem. Who was right in this controversy?

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:21

4:21. A time is coming (cf. v. 23) referred to the coming death of Jesus which would inaugurate a new phase of worship in God’s economy. In the Church Age, because of the work of the Spirit, worship is no longer centered in temples like those on Mount Gerizim and Mount Zion.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:22

4:22. Jesus was firm in His declaration of the issues involved. The Samaritan religion was confused and in error: You Samaritans worship what you do not know. They were not the vehicle for the salvation of mankind. Israel was the nation chosen by God to have great privileges (Rom. 9:4–5). When Jesus said, Salvation is from the Jews, He did not mean that all Jews were saved or were especially pious. “Salvation is from the Jews” in the sense that it is available through Jesus, who was born of the seed of Abraham.

4:23. With the advent of the Messiah the time came for a new order of worship. True worshipers are those who realize that Jesus is the Truth of God (3:21; 14:6) and the one and only Way to the Father (Acts 4:12). To worship in truth is to worship God through Jesus. To worship in Spirit is to worship in the new realm which God has revealed to people. The Father is seeking true worshipers because He wants people to live in reality, not in falsehood. Everybody is a worshiper (Rom. 1:25) but because of sin many are blind and constantly put their trust in worthless objects.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:24

4:24. God is Spirit is a better translation than the KJV‘s “God is a Spirit.” God is not one Spirit among many. This is a declaration of His invisible nature. He is not confined to one location. Worship of God can be done only through the One (Jesus) who expresses God’s invisible nature (1:18) and by virtue of the Holy Spirit who opens to a believer the new realm of the kingdom (cf. 3:3, 5; 7:38–39).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:25

4:25. The Samaritans expected a coming messianic leader. But they did not expect Him to be an anointed king of the Davidic line, since they rejected all the Old Testament except the Pentateuch. Based on Deuteronomy 18:15–18, they expected a Moses-like figure who would solve all their problems. The Samaritan woman now understood a part of what Jesus said. She wistfully longed for the messianic days when the Messiah would explain everything.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:27–30

4:27–30. The woman, excited by Jesus’ statement about Himself and because of the arrival of the disciples, left and went to the village. In her joy of discovery she forgot her water jar. It was more important to her now to share her new faith. Her words A Man who told me everything I ever did, were bound to stir interest. Perhaps in that village some who heard her had been partners in her past life. Perhaps they wondered, Could this One also know about us?

Could this be the Christ? she asked them. More literally, her question was, “This couldn’t be the Messiah, could it?” The question expected a tentative negative answer. She framed the question this way, in all probability, because she knew the people would not respond favorably to a dogmatic assertion from a woman, especially one of her reputation. Just as Jesus had captured her attention by curiosity, so she raised the people’s curiosity. They decided to investigate this matter.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:31–32

4:31–32. As the disciples spoke with Jesus, they sensed something had happened. Before, He was tired and thirsty. But now food and drink were not important to Him. His mood had changed. They offered Him food, but He gave them instruction. I have food to eat that you know nothing about is another of His enigmatic statements.

4:33–34. The disciples’ misunderstanding set the stage for Him to clarify His statement. As usual, the disciples were confined to thinking materialistically. Jesus said, My food … is to do the will of Him who sent Me. This does not mean Jesus had no need of physical food, but rather that His great passion and desire was to do God’s will (cf. 5:30; 8:29). He knows that man does not live by bread alone, but “by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). His priority is spiritual, not material. It is the Father’s work which must be done (cf. John 17:4).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:35

4:35. Farmers have a period of waiting between their sowing and their reaping. Four months more and then the harvest was probably a local proverb. But in the spiritual realm there is no long wait. Jesus has come so now it is the day of opportunity. All that is needed is spiritual vision and perception. If the disciples would look around, they would see people with spiritual hunger. The Samaritans in their white garments coming from the village (v. 30) may have visually suggested a wheat field ripe for harvest.

4:36–38. As reapers, the disciples had the great and rewarding privilege of leading people to faith in Christ. Others had already done the work of sowing. This perhaps refers to the ministry of the Old Testament prophets or to John the Baptist’s ministry of preparation. Both kinds of workers—the sower and the reaper—get their pay. Reapers harvest the crop for eternal life, that is, Jesus’ disciples were involved in ministry to others, in the issue of death and life (2 Cor. 2:15–16).

Harvesttime in the ancient world was a time of joy (Ruth 3:2, 7; Isa. 9:3). There is also great joy at the time of salvation (cf. Luke 15:7, 10, 32). The disciples had the greater joy of seeing the completion of the process (John 4:38). A sower has a harder time because he sees no immediate fulfillment. John the Baptist stirred a nation to repent but he died before the day of Pentecost, when the disciples in great joy saw thousands come to faith in Jesus.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:39

4:39. The little revival among the Samaritans is notable because the theme of natural rejection by Israel had been sounded (1:11) as well as the note of a wider ministry (3:16; cf. Acts 1:8). The testimony of the woman, though, from one point of view was unnecessary (“not that I accept human testimony,” John 5:34); yet it was effective. That Jesus knows what is in a person and that He has comprehensive knowledge of one’s life is an indication of His deity (Ps. 139; John 1:47–49; 2:24–25).

4:40–41. The witness of the woman led to the Samaritans’ personal confrontation with Jesus. He stayed with them two days. The word “stayed” (from menō, “to remain, to abide”) is a favorite Johannine theological term (cf. 3:36; 6:56; 15:4; etc.; and comments on 1:38). Because of His words many more became believers. “Words” is singular in Greek (“His word”). His message was the cause of their faith. Personal testimony plus the message of Jesus is still God’s means of salvation.

4:42. Faith based simply on the testimony of another is only secondary. True faith moves to its own experience and confrontation with Jesus. We have heard for ourselves is the more adequate basis. Jesus is the Savior of the world, not in the sense that everyone will be saved (universalism) but that His light shines for all (1:9). The light is not limited to the nation Israel, but is for “every nation, tribe, people, and language” (Rev. 7:9).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 4:43–45

4:43–45. After His two-day ministry in Samaria, Jesus and His disciples continued north into Galilee. Now Jesus Himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country. This proverbial saying mentioned by Jesus (cf. Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4) is cited by the author John. Is His “own country” Judea or Galilee? Or is His “own country” heaven, with His being rejected in His “own land” Israel? Generally Galilee was more favorable to Him, but even there men tried to kill Him (Luke 4:18–30). John was perhaps preparing his readers for the upcoming rejection; he may have been saying that even with the warm reception Jesus received in Galilee, He still was not really accepted (cf. John 2:24–25; 4:48). They had been impressed by His clearing the temple at the Passover feast (2:13–22) and His miracles (2:23). But the people’s enthusiasm for the Healer (cf. Mark 5:21, 24b) did not always indicate they had faith in Him (Mark 6:1–6).

4:46–47. The certain royal official is not identified. He could have been a Gentile or a Jew, a centurion, or a minor official in Herod’s court. Possibly he was a Jew because Jesus included him among the people who desire signs and wonders (v. 48; cf. 1 Cor. 1:22). His son had been sick, and undoubtedly he had exhausted all the local means at his disposal. Failure of position and money to solve his problem drove him from Capernaum to the village of Cana, 20 to 25 miles away, hoping that the Healer would save his son from death.

4:48. Jesus’ address to him, though sharp, was necessary. A faith built only on miraculous signs is not a complete faith (cf. 2:23–25). Many (you people) hesitate to believe in Jesus apart from seeing miraculous signs (sēmeia) and wonders (terata). Faith in Jesus is absolutely necessary, but not all believers are given public portents (cf. Matt. 16:1–4; 1 Cor. 1:22).

4:49. The official was in no position emotionally to argue his case theologically. All he could plead for was mercy, for his child was at the point of death.

4:50. Jesus’ calm reply to the official’s desperate request created a crisis. Jesus announced, You may go. Your son will live. If the official really believed that Jesus could make a difference in Capernaum, he must also believe Him now in Cana. So he took Jesus at His word and left.

4:51–53. On the way back the official must have pondered Jesus’ promise every step of his journey. His servants met him with good news. His boy was living. The official asked when his son recovered. The healing was no accident, for it occurred at the exact moment Jesus made His promise to him. It was at the seventh hour, which by Roman time was 7:00 in the evening. The man’s faith grew, and he brought all his household to faith. The lesson of this incident is that Jesus’ power is able to save from death even at a great distance. His Word has power to work; people are simply to believe His Word.

4:54. Both signs in Galilee (changing the water into wine [2:1–11] and healing the official’s son) demonstrate that Jesus is the Promised One. Yet both signs had a certain hidden aspect to them. Only the disciples and some servants saw His miracle at the wedding, and this healing was not in public view.

4:1–3 “When the Lord knew … He left Judea.” Jesus did not want to be drawn into the controversy over baptism, so He left for Galilee. We must learn that some things are not worth disputing and creating divisions.

4:7–8 “A woman … came to draw water.” The well was about one-half mile from the village. Normally, the women would draw water in early morning or evening, in the cool of the day. However, this woman, because of her reputation, came when the other women were at home. “Give Me a drink.” It was forbidden for a Jewish Rabbi to even speak to a woman in public. “His disciples had gone … to buy food.” Normally, Jews would not buy food from Samaritans. Jesus’ influence on the disciples, and His conversation with the woman, show He is breaking down barriers of legalism and prejudice.

4:9 “How is it You … a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman.” Jesus surprised the woman by breaking two taboos: first, that He would even speak to a Samaritan, second, that He would stoop to speak to a woman. The Samaritans were a mixed race from remnants of the ten Northern tribes and the Assyrians. The Jews considered them to be “unclean.”

4:10 “If you knew the gift of God.” Jesus had come to bring the gift of eternal life to this Samaritan village. Salvation is a free gift that only needs to be received by simple, childlike faith (Matt. 18:3). “And who it is who says to you.” The power of Jesus to save is based on His identity as the Son of God. “He would have given you living water.” Jesus leads this woman from her physical need to see her spiritual need. Jesus is speaking in terms familiar to Old Testament readers (Psalm 1:3; 36:9; 42:1; Isa. 12:3; 44:3; 55:1; Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Zec. 13:1; 14:8). This same figure of the water of life is used in the New Testament (John 7:38; Rev. 7:17; 21:6).

4:12 “Are You greater than our father Jacob?” This is the ultimate question. Men tend to respect and honor those great men of history. Yet, Jesus Christ is in a class above all the great men of history combined. The Samaritans claimed their lineage came through Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph.

4:14 “Whoever drinks … I shall give … will never thirst.” One drink of faith in Jesus Christ satisfies the thirst for eternal life forever (Isa. 49:10; John 6:35). “A fountain of water … everlasting life.” Jesus promised life in neverending supply. He is speaking of life from the source of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37–39). 4:15–16 “Sir, give me this water.” The woman is still thinking in physical terms. “Go, call your husband.” Since the woman had been thinking only in terms of physical need, Jesus’ words force her to see her spiritual need for forgiveness. We will never come to the Savior until we see our need for salvation.

“There are two revelations in Christianity; there is the revelation of God and the revelation of ourselves.” – William Barclay

4:19 “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.” Little by little, her perception is growing that Jesus is no ordinary man. See the same process of growing awareness in the man born blind incident: 1. “A Man” (9:11), 2. “He is a prophet” (9:17), 3. “this Man … from God” (9:33), and 4. “The Son of God” (9:35–38).

4:20 “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain.” The mountain was Mt. Gerizim. Like many under conviction of sin, (John 16:8) the woman tries to change the subject to avoid her own situation. She refers to an ongoing theological debate (location of worship) to avoid her own condition.

4:21–22 “Woman, believe Me … salvation is of the Jews.” Jesus calls the woman to believe in Him, as the source of salvation promised to the Jewish nation through the coming Messiah (Gen. 15:6; 22:14–18; Rom. 3:1–2; 9:4–5; Gal. 3:16).

4:24 “Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” True worship is not based on a geographical location. It is a matter of the human spirit receiving the truth of God’s Word by faith. True worship is when we believe and act on (obey) God’s Word.

4:25–26 “I know that Messiah is coming … I … am He.” The woman shows a belief in the Old Testament promise. Jesus declares that He is the fulfillment. His actual words were, “I AM,” identifying Himself as the God who appeared to Moses (Exod. 3:14). In this Gospel, John gives us eight “I AM” sayings of Jesus: 1. “I am He” (4:26). 2. “I am the bread” (6:35, 41, 48, 51). 3. “I am the light” (8:12; 9:5). 4. “I am the door” (10:7, 9). 5. “I am the good shepherd” (10:11, 14). 6. “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25). 7. “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6). 8. “I am the true vine” (15:1, 5). Each of these eight statements declares His deity!

4:29 “Come see a Man … Could this be the Christ?” The woman left her waterpot (v. 28), either in haste to tell her neighbors, or because she fully intended to return. Her witness in the form of a question implies a positive answer.

4:32–34 “I have food to eat … to do the will of Him who sent Me.” Jesus appears to be restored from His weariness (v. 6) by His ministry to the woman. Repeatedly, throughout John’s gospel, Jesus stresses that the Father sent Him, and that His delight is to do the Father’s will. To know God’s will and not do it is sin (Heb. 5:12–14; James 4:17).

4:36–38 “He who reaps receives wages.” In these verses, there are some vital truths for all disciples:

1. Every believer who wins others to Christ will be eternally rewarded (Prov. 11:30; Dan. 12:3;

Matt. 19:29).

2. “Both … rejoice together.” Both the sower (faithful witness) and the reaper (one who wins

someone to Christ) will share in the eternal joy.

3. “One sows and another reaps.” Many who sow the Gospel-seed will not see the harvest. Still,

they share in the reward.

4. “Others have labored.” When we are privileged to win a soul to Christ, we should remember

others have labored for that soul in preparation for our spiritual harvest. The law of sowing and

reaping especially applies in the spiritual realm (Gal. 6:6–9).

4:39–41 “Many … believed … many more believed.” Over the next two days, more and more people believed in

Jesus. “Because of His own word.” Jesus spoke with convicting power and authority (Luke 4:32).

4:42 “The Christ, the Savior of the world.” Only John uses this phrase (1 John 4:14). This is significant, in that the

disciples were gaining their own insight from people’s reactions to Jesus. This statement shows that Jesus came for

all mankind (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2) and reveals great insight on the part of these new Samaritan believers.

4:44 “A prophet has no honor in his own country.” Since Jesus had been rejected in Nazareth (Matt. 13:57), He went to Capernaum. While Jesus resided in Capernaum, “Cana of Galilee” (v. 46) is where He went after dealing with the Samaritan women. 4:45 “The Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did … at the feast.” Those Galileans who went tothePassover(2:13–23)welcomedHim.Note againJohn’stwo-foldemphasisonJesus’words andworks(vv. 42, 45). 4:46 “A certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.” This royal officer would have served Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist killed (Luke 9:7–9; 23:6–8). 4:47 “He … implored Him to come down and heal his son … at the point of death.” Cana is up in the mountains, about 20 miles from Capernaum. The nobleman was determined to seek Jesus’ help—an act of faith. 4:48 “Unless you people see.” This was addressed to the crowd, who would have followed Jesus to Capernaum to witness the miracle. It is a rebuke to those who need to see in order to believe. 17 4:49–50 “‘Sir, come down before my child dies!’ … ‘Go … your son lives.’” Here, John ties together the words of Jesus with His works. As in the first sign in Cana (John 2:11), the work was the result of Jesus’ word. This nobleman believed (had great faith) even before he saw (v. 53). 4:51 “Your son lives.” The servants used the very same words Jesus used in v. 50. Jesus prophetically anticipated this good news. 4:53 “He himself believed, and his whole household.” The inclusion of his household is similar to Acts 16:31–32. Faith often spreads from one family member to the rest of his/her household. 4:54 “This … is the second sign.” See John 2:1–11 for the first sign. John is recording Jesus’ signs in order to convince people to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life (John 20:30–31)

This chapter really fulfills the theology we studied in Chapter 3. In that chapter we read about the Gospel, the need that man has, the way God sent His Son to fill that need, and the condition of faith in Christ. Now we see all this theology applied by Jesus Christ as He witnesses to the Woman at the well. But first God is going to get Jesus to right place at the right time and He will do this through apparently adverse circumstances.

When therefore the Lord knew. Jesus, in his humanity, was able to take information received, combine it with truth, and make decisions. This is called discernment.

Now just prior to this, from the other Gospels, we find that John the Baptist had been arrested and put into prison. Jesus knew that if John had been arrested, chances were very good that He would be next. The Pharisees had already heard that Jesus made more disciples and baptized more disciples than John, although we are told that Jesus did not directly baptize anyone, but his disciples did the baptizing. So Judea was no longer a safe place to minister so Jesus left. Even though He had the protection of God, He did not casually put Himself in danger. His time had not yet come, He knew that. And so he left the area. Along with discernment, we see the second characteristic, he was wise. He was able to evaluate the current situation, set certain priorities, and make a decision based upon wisdom and current events. Too often the believer get himself into a jam, into a dangerous situation, because he doesn’t use discernment and wisdom

Illustration Between 1096 and 1248 there were seven attempts by the Christians of Europe to free the Holy Land from Muslim control. These seven attempts became known as the Crusades. In 1212, Nicolas, a boy from Germany led 30,000 youths average age of 12 to liberate the Holy Land. At the same time in France, a young boy named Stephen led 20,000 children to the Holy Land. Of 50,000 children who left France and Germany, not one returned. They were killed enroute, shipwrecked, and those who did arrive in the Holy Land were captured and sold into slavery. The impetus for this crusade was the idea that a supernatural conquest would be won by the children who were the pure in heart. Never mind that they were untrained, just send them forth to battle. Gospel of John 53 I use that example because it is so similar to the way Christians fight their battles today - no training, no equipping, just have a sincere heart and go to battle. And the same things that happened to those children in 1212 happens today to the ill equipped and ill prepared Christian. Many believers trying to minister lack discernment and wisdom Verses 1-3 also show us some of the negatives we have to deal with in ministry

The problem of Gossip: The Pharisees had received their information because someone was talking. Now what John and Jesus were doing was not a secret, but it had nothing to do with the religious leaders of Israel and they should have kept out of it, but gossip got them into it. The second negative is the problem of competition. We already saw in John three that Jesus and John were not in competition, but others made them out to be to the point that someone was keeping score as to how many disciples each had and how many baptisms. Competition has no place in the church today, We need cooperation, not competition.