John 4

John 4 presents the story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, revealing His knowledge and compassion and illustrating His mission to bring salvation to all people, regardless of their background or past. The chapter also explores themes of worship, the living water, and the harvest of souls. Through this interaction, Jesus demonstrates that true worship transcends cultural and religious boundaries and is centered in spirit and truth.

John 4:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John
2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),
3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

The Pharisees’ awareness of Jesus’ growing influence could have led to opposition. Jesus, understanding the potential conflict, decided to return to Galilee. This action was not out of fear but demonstrates His strategic awareness, as His time for confrontation had not yet come. It highlights His focus on His ministry's purpose rather than unnecessary confrontation with religious leaders.

John 4:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But He needed to go through Samaria.
5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Jesus’ decision to travel through Samaria was unusual, as Jews typically avoided Samaritans. Yet, He chose this route, knowing it would lead to a divine encounter. This passage shows His willingness to reach out to those considered “outsiders.” His weariness emphasizes His humanity, making Him relatable to those He came to save.

John 4:7-10 (NKJV)
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9 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.
10 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.”

By initiating a conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus breaks cultural norms, showing His disregard for social divisions. The woman’s surprise reflects the deep-rooted animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus’ offer of “living water” indicates something far greater than physical water; it points to the eternal life He offers.

John 4:11-15 (NKJV)
11 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?
12 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?”
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
14 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.”
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

The woman’s response is literal, not grasping the spiritual significance of Jesus’ words. Her reference to Jacob reveals her pride in her heritage. Jesus contrasts the temporary satisfaction of physical water with the eternal satisfaction He offers through the “living water.” The woman’s interest reflects a deep, albeit misunderstood, longing for fulfillment.

John 4:16-19 (NKJV)
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.”

By addressing her personal life, Jesus reveals His divine knowledge, uncovering her need for spiritual truth and healing. The woman’s past and current situation show her brokenness. Recognizing His prophetic insight, she acknowledges Jesus as someone who possesses a deep understanding, marking a turning point in their conversation.

John 4:20-24 (NKJV)
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
23 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.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman brings up a theological debate to possibly divert from her personal life. Jesus, however, elevates the conversation, teaching her that true worship is not about location but about the heart’s attitude. Worshiping “in spirit and truth” signifies a relationship with God that transcends rituals and cultural divisions, reflecting genuine faith and understanding.

John 4:25-26 (NKJV)
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

The woman expresses hope in the coming Messiah, unknowingly speaking to Him. Jesus’ self-revelation as the Messiah is a rare and profound moment, especially given the cultural context. This declaration bridges the woman’s expectations with the reality of who Jesus is, fulfilling her longing for truth and salvation.

John 4:27-30 (NKJV)
27 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?”
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”
30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

The disciples’ surprise at Jesus speaking with a Samaritan woman reflects societal norms. The woman, inspired by her encounter, abandons her waterpot, symbolizing her old life, and hurries to share the news. Her transformation becomes evident as she invites others to meet Jesus, indicating the powerful impact He had on her life.

John 4:31-34 (NKJV)
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

The disciples, concerned for Jesus’ physical needs, miss His deeper focus. Jesus’ reply reveals that His sustenance comes from fulfilling God’s purpose. Doing the Father’s will brings Him spiritual satisfaction that surpasses physical needs, showing His devotion to His mission and His desire to complete the work God entrusted to Him.

John 4:35-38 (NKJV)
35 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!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’
38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

Jesus uses the metaphor of harvest to illustrate the readiness of people’s hearts for salvation. He encourages His disciples to recognize the spiritual opportunity before them. The work of sowing and reaping is a shared joy in God’s kingdom, with each person playing a role in His plan. The disciples are reaping where others have sown, showing the collective effort in spreading God’s word.

John 4:39-42 (NKJV)
39 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.”
40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
41 And many more believed because of His own word.
42 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.”

The Samaritan woman’s testimony led many to believe, showing the power of personal witness. As Jesus stayed with them, His words brought more to faith, moving beyond secondhand belief to personal conviction. The Samaritans’ acknowledgment of Jesus as the Savior of the world reveals their profound understanding, transcending the Jewish-Samaritan divide.

John 4:43-45 (NKJV)
43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
45 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.

After spending time with the Samaritans, Jesus heads to Galilee. His comment on a prophet having no honor in his own country foreshadows the mixed reception He will face. The Galileans welcome Him, but their interest is rooted in the signs they witnessed at the feast, suggesting a fascination with miracles rather than genuine faith.

John 4:46-50 (NKJV)
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.

The nobleman’s plea for his son reveals his desperation and faith in Jesus’ power to heal. Jesus challenges the reliance on signs for belief, addressing the people’s need for a deeper faith. The nobleman’s persistence leads to Jesus’ declaration that his son lives, and the man’s faith is evidenced as he trusts Jesus’ word without physical proof.

John 4:51-54 (NKJV)
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

The nobleman’s faith is confirmed when he learns that his son’s healing coincided with Jesus’ words. This realization deepens his belief, spreading to his entire household. This second sign in Cana reinforces Jesus’ authority and power, emphasizing that true faith transcends visible evidence and can lead to transformation in entire families.