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JOHN CHAPTER 4
OBSERVATION STAGE
The purpose of
the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand in
accordance with the framework in which it was written: a framework which
is defined by the normative rules of language, context and logic. Rules
which do not impose undue, unintended meanings to the text
,
and which largely limit the observer to the content offered by the Gospel
of John. In order for any passage from elsewhere to be considered, it must
have a relationship with the context at hand, such as a Scriptural
quotation or a specific cross reference in the passage at hand by the
author. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere;
and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and
objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
(Jn 4:1 NKJV) "Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John
(Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]),
(Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.
(Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria.
(Jn 4:5 NAS) So He came [lit., comes] to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph"
(Jn 3:26 NKJV) "And they came to John and said to him, 'Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified - behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!' (Jn 3:27 NKJV) John answered and said, 'A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. (Jn 3:28 NKJV) You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' (Jn 3:29 NKJV) He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. (Jn 3:29 NIV) The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. (Jn 3:30 NKJV) He must increase, but I must decrease. (Jn 4:1 NKJV) Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]), (Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. (Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria. (Jn 4:5 NAS) So He came [lit., comes] to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph." =
When the Lord Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that He made and baptized more disciples than John the Baptist, He left Judea, departing again to Galilee, (Jn 4:1-3). This implies that the Pharisees were motivated against Jesus' ministry to the extent that, periodically, Jesus felt it necessary to get out of harm's way. It is not revealed how the Lord came to know what the Pharisees had heard, but one might infer from Jn 3:26 that since it was evident to John the Baptist's disciples that more were coming to Jesus than to John to be baptized, then the Pharisees might know this also and demonstrate that knowledge such that Jesus could hear about it. On the other hand, a supernatural knowledge is not ruled out since Jesus was performing miracles beginning at the wedding at Cana, (Jn 2:11; 3:2). Jn 4:2 then clarifies that Jesus did not baptize; it was His disciples who were doing all the baptizing. So Jesus departed again to Galilee where He'd gone before, (Jn 1:43; 2:1). He took the shortest route from Judea in the south to Galilee in the north, a three day journey that went through Samaria. Most Jews took the longer route along the Jordan River around Samaria because they regarded any contact with Samaritans as defiling. When Jesus came to Jacob's well, He was about half a mile from the Samaritan city of Sychar near Shechem. The well was on a parcel of ground that Jacob had purchased and bequeathed on his deathbed to his son Joseph, (Jn 4:3-4; cf. Gen 33:18-20; 48:21-22).
(Jn 4:6 NKJV) '''Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
(Jn 4:7 NKJV) A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.'
(Jn 4:8 NKJV) For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
(Jn 4:9 NAS) Therefore the Samaritan woman said [lit., says] to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews have no dealings [lit., do not associate] with Samaritans).
(Jn 4:10 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew [lit., had known about] the gift of God [of eternal life, (cf. Jn 4:14)], and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' [the Christ, (cf. Jn 4:25, 29)] you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' "
(Jn 4:11 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?
(Jn 4:11 Greek) "Legei autO...hE .gunE ....Kurie ....oute .....antlEma ........echeis
............................"Says .to Him the woman, [Lord], ..nothing to draw with you have,
kai to ...phrear estin bathu pothen ........oun echeis .....to ..hudOr to zOn"
and the well .....is .....deep; from where then have you the water the living?"
(Jn 4:12 NAS) You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?"
(Jn 4:13 NAS) Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water [from Jacob's well] will thirst again;
(Jn 4:14 NAS) but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, [lit., will absolutely not thirst forever]; but the water that I will give him will become in him a [spring] of water springing up to eternal life."
(Jn 4:14 Greek) "hos..d' an plE ...........ek tou hudatos hou ..egO dOsO ....autO
..........................."Who but ...may drink of .the water ...which I .....will give him
ou ..mE dipsEsE .....eis ...ton aiOna,
not
.not shall thirst .for
..the .age,
[expression = forever ]
alla to ..hudOr ho ....dOsO .......autO ...genEsetai ......en autO pEgE ......hudatos .hallomenou .eis ..zOEn aiOnion."
but .the water which I will give to him shall become .in him ...a spring ..of water springing up into life ...eternal."
(Jn 4:15 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
(Jn 4:16 NKJV) Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come [back] here."
(Jn 4:17 NKJV) The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "you have well said, 'I have no husband,
(Jn 4:18 NKJV) for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly
(Jn 4:19 NKJV) The woman said to Him, '[Lord, Master], I perceive that You are a prophet, [evidently of the Jews, see Jn 4:20]
(Jn 4:20 NAS) Our fathers worshipped [on] this mountain, and you [plural, i.e., you people, the Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."
(Jn 4:21 NAS) Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither [on] this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
(Jn 4:22 NAS) You [Samaritans, (Jn 4:9)] worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
(Jn 4:23 NAS) But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers, [lit., for such the Father seeks the worshipping [ones] of Him]
(Jn 4:24 NAS) God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
(Jn 4:25 NAS) The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He Who is called Christ); [lit., the (one) being called Christ]; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us. [lit., He will tell us all things]"
(Jn 4:26 NAS) Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." [lit., I am that [One] speaking to you].
(Jn 4:27 YLT) And upon this came His disciples, and were wondering [lit., marveled] that with a woman He was speaking, no one, however, said, "What seekest Thou?" or "Why speakest Thou with her?" [lit., "What were You seeking nor Why do you speak with her?]
(Jn 4:28 NKJV) The woman then left her waterpot, went her way [lit., away] into the city and said [lit., says] to the men [there]
(Jn 4:29 NKJV) "Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ" '''
(Jn 4:1 NKJV) '''Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]), (Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. (Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria. (Jn 4:5 NAS) So He came [lit., comes] to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. (Jn 4:6 NKJV) Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. (Jn 4:7 NKJV) A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' (Jn 4:8 NKJV) For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. (Jn 4:9 NAS) Therefore the Samaritan woman said [lit., says] to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews have no dealings [lit., do not associate] with Samaritans). (Jn 4:10 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew [lit., had known about] the gift of God [of eternal life, (cf. Jn 4:14)], and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' [the Christ, (cf. Jn 4:25, 29)] you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' (Jn 4:11 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? (Jn 4:12 NAS) You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" (Jn 4:13 NAS) Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water [from Jacob's well] will thirst again; (Jn 4:14 NAS) but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, [lit., will absolutely not thirst for ever]; but the water that I will give him will become in him a [spring] of water springing up to eternal life." (Jn 4:15 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." (Jn 4:16 NKJV) Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come [back] here. (Jn 4:17 NKJV) The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "you have well said, 'I have no husband, (Jn 4:18 NKJV) for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly (Jn 4:19 NKJV) The woman said to Him, '[Lord, Master], I perceive that You are a prophet, [evidently of the Jews, see Jn 4:20] (Jn 4:20 NAS) Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you [plural, i.e., you people, the Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." (Jn 4:21 NAS) Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither [on] this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. (Jn 4:22 NAS) You [Samaritans, (Jn 4:9)] worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. (Jn 4:23 NAS) But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers, [lit., for such the Father seeks the worshipping [ones] of Him] (Jn 4:24 NAS) God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Jn 4:25 NAS) The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He Who is called Christ); [lit., the (one) being called Christ]; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us. [lit., He will tell us all things]" (Jn 4:26 NAS) Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." [lit., I am that [One] speaking to you]. (Jn 4:27 YLT) And upon this came His disciples, and were wondering [lit., marveled] that with a woman He was speaking, no one, however, said, "What seekest Thou?" or "Why speakest Thou with her?" [lit., "What were You seeking nor Why do you speak with her?] (Jn 4:28 NKJV) The woman then left her waterpot, went her way [lit., away] into the city and said [lit., says] to the men [there] (Jn 4:29 NKJV) "Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ" ''' =
While Jesus was journeying through Samaria, He came to the city of Sychar, near Shechem, about half a mile from Jacob's well. The well was on a parcel of ground that Jacob had purchased and bequeathed on his deathbed to his son Joseph, (Jn 4:3-4; cf. Gen 33:18-20; 48:21-22).
So Jesus in His Humanity, the Word, the Son of God become flesh; (Jn 1:1, 14; 4:6), was weary and thirsty from His travels. He sat down by Jacob's well at about the sixth hour, (Jn 4:6 - about noon, reckoning from daybreak).
At that time, a woman of Samaria came to the well to draw water. Due to the unusually late hour for one to come to get water, it is evident that she wished to avoid contact with others because of her illicit lifestyle and rough outspoken manner that violated social customs, (cf. Jn 4:9-18). Jesus, having nothing with which to draw water, (Jn 4:11), said to her, "Give me a drink," (Jn 4:6-7). Author John explains in the next verse that Jesus' disciples had gone away into the city to buy food, leaving Jesus by Himself at the well, (Jn 4:8). When Jesus said, "Give Me a drink," the Samaritan woman, indifferent to His need for water, asked Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? (Jn 4:9)." Her sarcastic, flippant response to the request of a weary, thirsty traveler for water in the heat of the day was astounding. Her bitter prejudice toward Jews was so great that she showed no empathy for His need for water, nor regard for the custom of hospitality of the region. Author John explains to his readers that Jews did not associate with Samaritans as a matter of the prejudices of the day, especially due to their religious differences, (Jn 4:9b).
According to Samaritan tradition, the 'Torah' was given to the children of Israel, by Moses Ben-Amran in the year 2194 after the world existed (1566 B.C.E.) 40 years after the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, from slavery. The Samaritans claimed to be descendants of those ancient Israelites who remained in the Land where they had connections with ancient Samaria. The name "Samaritan" was not based on the geographical name "Samaria," but it comes from the Hebrew word which is rendered "Keepers," meaning keepers of the Law. In late Roman times their numbers were more than a million.
The Samaritans claimed that the only "Holy Books" were those of the Pentateuch and the Book of Joshua which was preserved by the ancient Northern Israelites who remained behind when the Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered and exiled to Assyria in 722 B. C. The Samaritans asserted without proof that the other books of the OT were unacceptable, alleging that these other books had been contaminated by the returning Jews.
On the other hand, at the time of the dispersion of the Northern Kingdom, King Sargon of Assyria repopulated the area with captives from other lands. The interaction and intermarriage of these foreigners with the Jews who had been left in the land, contaminated the religion and ancestry of the Jews resulting in a group of people called Samaritans who were devotees of a hybrid religion of Judaism and Baal worship. In 539 B.C. the Jewish descendants of the southern captivity in Babylon returned to the land. The rift between the Samaritans and the returning Jews was so significant that the Samaritans tried to stop Nehemiah from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 4:1-2). Later, in Maccabean times, the Samaritans accepted the Hellenization of their religion by dedicating their temple on Mount Gerizim to Zeus Xenios. By the time of Jesus' entry in the world in His Humanity, a strong rivalry and hatred prevailed between the two groups. Note that Jesus exhibited no such hatred toward the Samaritans.
The differences between the Samaritan Pentateuch and the [Jewish] Massoretic edition [A.D. 916] of these books are insignificant compared to their area of agreement. There is no definitive proof that the other books of Scripture, which the Samaritans rejected, are not the Word of God. They can be observed to be completely harmonious and comparable to the rest of Scripture. There are few substantive Scriptural reasons for the differences that the Jews and Samaritans had with one another. The Samaritans, nevertheless, maintained that theirs was the true religion and mode of worship in accordance with the Samaritan Torah which they claimed was the true, uncontaminated Torah.
So when the Samaritan woman said to Jesus, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? " (Jn 4:9); Jesus responded to her by saying, "If you knew [lit., had known about] the gift of God [of eternal life, (cf. Jn 4:14); and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' [the Christ, (cf. Jn 4:25, 29)] you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water [i.e., eternal life],' " (Jn 4:10). Notice that if the Samaritan Woman knew in the sense of believing in the availability of the gift of God of eternal life and that Jesus was the One Whom had it available to give to her, she would have asked and He would have given her the living water of eternal life. So Jesus ignored the woman's attitude and His own thirst and focused on her need for eternal life.
The phrase "living water," comes from OT Scripture. Since water isn't living, it is inorganic, then the phrase "living water" must be a figure of speech symbolic of something that is alive. So just as the drinking of physical water sustains physical life; so the drinking of "living water" which Jesus declared was the free gift of God, sustains spiritual, i.e., eternal life - and with only one drink! (cf. Jn 4:10, 13-14). Note that the key to receiving this living water is to simply believe in Jesus as Savior Who will provide it as the passage will imply later on, (cf. Jn 1:12-13; 3:14-16; 4:39-42).
(Jer 2:13 NIV) "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring [lit., Fountain] of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."
(Jer 17:13 NIV) "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the.spring [lit. Fountain] of living water."
The Hebrew word for water in these verses, (transliterated "mayim"), occurs twice in Jer 2:13 and once in 17:13. It is a word which can refer to plural or singular concepts of water depending upon context. In Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13, "mayim" is used to portray God as the Fountain of Living Water, i.e., as the Source of Life of Israel and of all mankind - even eternal life; as opposed to "broken cisterns" symbolic of man's efforts to sustain himself without God; for broken cisterns cannot hold "water" to provide sustenance for life, (Jer 2:13). Note that the Book of Jeremiah referred to above was not accepted by the Samaritans as part of the Word of God; nevertheless it is demonstrably the Word of God, since it is completely harmonious and comparable to the rest of Scripture.
So in Jn 4:10, Jesus claimed to be Somebody of such supernatural power that He had the capacity to give God's free gift of living water - of eternal life; a power which is exclusive to God. But the woman deliberately remained in ignorance of Who He was; and she willfully sidestepped what He meant by the gift of God of living water. She was overwhelmed with bitterness toward Jesus because He was a Jew; and continued to think in the physical realm despite Jesus' obvious references to the spiritual, contesting His claim to provide living water because He had nothing to draw water with and the well was deep. She mocked Jesus with the question, [Since you have nothing to draw water with from Jacob's well] "Where then do you get the living water?" (Jn 4:11b). She followed this with sarcastic ridicule: "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" Notice that the woman repeated the phrase "living water," but ignored the phrase "gift of God" that defined it. On the other hand she did use the phrase "our father Jacob" signifying her reverence for the Jewish Patriarch Jacob, (Jn 4:11-12).
Jesus responded with, "Everyone who drinks of this water, [meaning the physical water of Jacob's well] will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I give him will become in him a [spring] of water springing up to eternal life, (Jn 4:13-14)." Jesus clarified that He was not speaking of giving the woman physical water of which one drink could not satisfy recurring physical thirst; but of giving her living water which, with one drink, (of faith in Him, cf. Jn 4:39-42), she would never thirst again for God and His Righteousness unto eternal life. He stated that the living water would "become in [her] a spring of water springing up to eternal life, (Jn 4:14)."
The two passages in Jeremiah quoted earlier, (Jer 2:13; 17:13), have the phrase "living water" in them in a description of God: "the Fountain of Living Water," i.e., the Source of Life - even eternal life. According to Scripture, the Fountain (or Spring) of Living Water is God Who indwells the one who takes one "drink," (of faith in Christ), of the living water, whereupon God commences the flow of eternal life within that person, (Jn 3:14-16; 4:13-14; Jer 2:13; 17:13). Since Jesus indicates that He is the Giver of the free gift of God of "living water," i.e., of eternal life, (Jn 4:10, 13-14); and since this is a function which is exclusive to God through a moment of faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, (cf. Jn 1:12-13; 3:14-16); then Jesus is the Christ which twice He implied in His responses to the woman, (Jn 4:10, 22, 26); and so He is God.
Recall that Jesus had explained earlier to Nicodemus a similar point which included the word rendered "water" relative to receiving eternal life:
*** EXCERPT FROM JOHN CHAPTER 3 ***
.......OR
SKIP TO NEXT SECTION
(Jn 1:12 YLT) "But as many [individuals of His own creation, (Jn 1:11a)] as did receive Him to them He gave authority to become sons [lit., children] of God - to those believing in His name: (Jn 1:13 YLT) who - not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but - of God were begotten [born]... (Jn 2:23 NAS) Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. (Jn 2:24 YLT) and Jesus Himself was not trusting himself to them, because of His knowing all [men], (Jn 2:25 NKJV) and had no need that anyone should testify [to Him] of man, for He knew what was in man. (Jn 3:1 YLT) And there was [a] man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, [a] ruler of the Jews, (Jn 3:2 YLT) this one [Nicodemus, (v. 1)] came unto Him by night, and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we have known that from God [you have] come - a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that [which you do] if God [is] not... with Him.' (Jn 3:3 YLT) Jesus answered and said to him, '[Truly, truly] I say to [you], if any one [is] not ...born [again] from above, he is not able to see the [Kingdom] of God. (Jn 3:4 YLT) Nicodemus [says to] Him, 'How is a man able to be born [again], being old? Is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter and to be born?' (Jn 3:5 YLT) Jesus answered, '[Truly, truly] I say to [you], if any one [is] not ...born [out] of water [figurative for being given a newborn spirit and cleansed from sins, (Ez 36:24-27)], and spirit [i.e., out of the spiritual realm] he is not able to enter into the [Kingdom] of God.' " =
(Jn 3:5 Greek) "ApekrithE ho IEsous AmEn amEn .legO soi .......ean mE .tis ........gennEthE ex....... .hudatos .
.........................."Answered .....Jesus, .Truly .truly ...I say to you, If ....not .anyone be born ....out of ..water ....
kai .[ex]..pneumatos ..................ou ..dunatia eiselthein .eis ..tEn basileian .tou Theou.
and [out] of spiritual [realm]......not .he can .to enter ....into .the Kingdom .of ...God.
In answer to Nicodemus' question of how a man is able to be born again from above, Jesus said that any one not born of water - neither given a newborn spirit nor cleansed from sins - in the spiritual realm is not able to enter the Kingdom of God:
[(Jn 3:5) "If any one [is] not ...born [out] of water [figurative for being given a newborn spirit and cleansed from sins, (Ez 36:24-27)], and spirit [i.e., out of the spiritual realm] he is not able to enter into the [Kingdom] of God."]
Note that the Greek noun "pneumatos" which is "pneuma" in the genetive case, can mean wind, breath; spirit, soul, self; disposition, spiritual realm or state; spirit (angelic, demonic, human), the Spirit (the Holy Spirit), depending upon the context. It is best rendered "out of the spiritual realm" in Jn 3:5 for the following reasons:
Since Jn 1:12-13 stipulates that one who believes in Jesus' name is born again from above by God to become an eternal child of God in the Kingdom of God; and since Jn 3:3 stipulates that any one who is not born again from above is not able to see the Kingdom of God; then the phrase in Jn 3:5, "If any one [is] not ...born [out] of water [figurative for being given a newborn spirit and cleansed from sins, (Ez 36:24-27)], and spirit [i.e., out of the spiritual realm] he is not able to enter into the [Kingdom] of God" makes being born again from above through God to enter the Kingdom of God equivalent to being born out of water and spirit from above through God to enter the Kingdom of God. So Jn 3:5 refers to a spiritual birth of receiving a newborn spirit and cleansing from all sins from above through God, implying that it takes place exclusively in the spiritual realm. So the saving work of God excludes anything of the physical world such as physical birth and physical water baptism. Furthermore, physical birth cannot be in view in the phrase "If anyone [is] not ... born [out] of water" in Jn 3:5 because:
1) Those who do not get to
be physically born because they die in the womb will nevertheless enter
the Kingdom of God.
2) To tell someone who has been physically born that he must be physically born in order to enter the Kingdom of God is both redundant and absurd because he already is physically born. If one were not physically born, aside from those in the womb, one wouldn't exist, much less be able to understand and comply with a requirement to become physically born.
This teaching is also substantiated in the Old Testament which Nicodemus, a teacher of Scripture to Israel, (cf. Jn 3:10), should have been familiar with:
1) [Compare Ez 36:24-27 from the Old Testament]:
(Ez 36:24 NKJV) "For I will take you [Israel, cf. Ez 36:22] from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
(Ez 36:25 NKJV) Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols."
[God foretold that after he took Israel from among the nations and brought her into her own land, (Ez 36:24); He would sprinkle clean water on her to cleanse her from her filthiness and idols, i.e., from her sins, especially idol worship. Since the concept of sprinkling clean physical water over all of Israel would not wash away her sins, nor even clean away all of her external filthiness, then the phrase "sprinkle clean water" must be figurative, and represent a spiritual cleansing - the work of God, (the Holy Spirit), in the spiritual realm. Note that for God to cleanse one of internal filthiness, i.e., all their sins, it is implied that God must make payment for them through His Personal atonement, (through God the Son, Jesus Christ).
The concept of sprinkling the water of cleansing to make an individual ceremonially clean appears in Scripture. For example, it was to be done to Levitical priests to purify them as part of a symbolic ritual which would represent the actual work of God in the spiritual realm of purifying them from temporal sins so they can qualify to serve God. This concept should have been familiar to Nicodemus:
(Nu 8:5 NIV) "The LORD said to Moses:
(Nu 8:6 NIV) 'Take the Levites from among the other Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.
(Nu 8:7 NIV) To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing on them; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves' "
1) cont.) [Ez 36:24-27 cont.]:
(Ez 36:26 NKJV) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh."
[Furthermore, as part of the work of God which is figuratively referred to as "sprinkling clean water [on Israel]," God foretold that He would provide all Israelites with a new heart and a newborn human spirit. The word heart here does not refer to the physical heart but to the minds and attitudes of every Israelite being redirected toward a willingness to love and be obedient to God.
The term "heart of stone" in the phrase "I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh" refers to Israel's attitude of coldness, hardness and consequent deliberate distancing from God. The work of God in providing Israel with a "new heart," i.e., a "heart of flesh" refers to God's work of enabling Israel to choose to be faithful, obedient and close to God. The phrase "I will ...put a new spirit within you" refers to God providing all of Israel with newborn human spirits; i.e., a spiritual birth of all Israel - becoming born again from above. Note that this is done by God as part of His work of sprinkling clean water on Israel in her spiritual cleansing, (Ez 36:25)]:
(Ez 36:27 NKJV) "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do [them]. "
In verse 27, God further explains as part of His work, which is figuratively referred to in Scripture as "sprinkling clean water" on Israel, that He will put His Spirit - the Holy Spirit - to indwell all Israelites and enable them each to willingly choose to walk in His statutes and keep His judgments.
(Jn 1:12 YLT) "But as many [individuals of His own creation, (Jn 1:11a)] as did receive Him to them He gave authority to become sons [lit., children] of God - to those believing in His name: (Jn 1:13 YLT) who - not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but - of God were begotten [born]... (Jn 2:23 NAS) Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. (Jn 2:24 YLT) and Jesus Himself was not trusting himself to them, because of His knowing all [men], (Jn 2:25 NKJV) and had no need that anyone should testify [to Him] of man, for He knew what was in man. (Jn 3:1 YLT) And there was [a] man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, [a] ruler of the Jews, (Jn 3:2 YLT) this one [Nicodemus, (v. 1)] came unto Him by night, and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we have known that from God [you have] come - a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that [which you do] if God [is] not... with Him.' (Jn 3:3 YLT) Jesus answered and said to him, '[Truly, truly] I say to [you], if any one [is] not ...born [again] from above, he is not able to see the [Kingdom] of God. (Jn 3:4 YLT) Nicodemus [says to] Him, 'How is a man able to be born [again], being old? Is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter and to be born?' (Jn 3:5 YLT) Jesus answered, '[Truly, truly] I say to [you], if any one [is] not ...born [out] of water [figurative for being given a newborn spirit and cleansed from sins, (Ez 36:24-27)], and spirit [i.e., out of the spiritual realm] he is not able to enter into the [Kingdom] of God. (Jn 3:6 YLT) that which [has] been born [out] of the flesh [i.e., out of the fleshly realm] is flesh [i.e., fleshly in character], and that which [has] been born [out] of the [spiritual realm] is spirit [i.e., spiritual in character].' " =
(Jn 3:6 Greek) .to ...gegennEmenon ....ek .......tEs .sarkos sarx .estin .kai .to ..gegennEmenon ..
..........................The having been born .out of .the .flesh ...flesh ..is; ....and .the having been born
ek ......tou pneumatos ...............pneuma .....estin."
out of the spiritual [realm]........spirit ..........is."
The concept of being "born [out] of water [figurative for being given a newborn spirit and cleansed from sins, (Ez 36:24-27)], and spirit [i.e., out of the spiritual realm]" is corroborated by the next verse, Jn 3:6 which stipulates "that which [has] been born [out] of the flesh [i.e., out of the fleshly realm] is flesh [i.e., fleshly in character], and that which [has] been born [out] of the [spiritual realm] is spirit [i.e., spiritual in character]." So human beings give birth to human beings - a work which is exclusive to the physical world; and the Spirit gives birth to spirit, i.e., God the Holy Spirit gives birth to the new born human spirit - a work exclusive to the spiritual world.
The Greek word "sarx" rendered "flesh" in the YLT cannot mean man's fleshly or sinful nature because an individual's sin nature cannot give birth to another sin nature. Hence "flesh" in Jn 3:5 refers to that which is of the physical realm, more specifically the work of physical human beings who give birth to physical human beings in the physical realm. On the other hand, Jn 3:6 goes on to say that that which is of the spiritual realm, more specifically the work of God the Holy Spirit Whose work gives birth to the human spirit in the spiritual realm. So according to Jn 3:6, Jesus is evidently speaking of a spiritual birth from above, i.e., being given a newborn spirit brought about exclusively in the spiritual realm by the work of God the Holy Spirit, (cf Ez 36:26). It excludes anything to do with the physical realm, such as physical birth or water baptism. So the Greek word "hudatos" rendered "water" in Jn 3:5 is figurative for that which is of the spiritual realm, more specifically the work of God the Holy Spirit.
*** END OF EXCERPT FROM JN CHAPTER 3 ***
A cont.) JESUS ENCOUNTERS A SAMARITAN WOMAN AT JACOB'S WELL IN SAMARIA. WEARY, THIRSTY AND HAVING NOTHING WITH WHICH TO DRAW WATER, HE ASKS HER FOR A DRINK. INDIFFERENT TO HIS THIRST, SHE GIVES HIM A TASTE OF THE OSTRACISM AND BITTERNESS BETWEEN SAMARITANS AND JEWS. JESUS INDICATES THAT HE IS THE CHRIST - THE MESSIAH WHO IS TO COME. HE OFFERS HER THE GIFT OF GOD OF THE LIVING WATER OF ETERNAL LIFE. SHE IMPLIES THAT SINCE HE IS WITHOUT ANYTHING TO DRAW WATER, HE IS FOOLISH AND ARROGANT TO OFFER HER LIVING WATER AND TELLS HIM HE IS NOT GREATER THAN "FATHER JACOB." HE GIVES HER A DEMONSTRATION OF SUPERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF HER LIFE. WHEREUPON SHE PERCEIVES THAT HE IS A PROPHET, BUT THEN REVERTS TO HER BITTERNESS BY THROWING THE SAMARITAN CONFLICT WITH JUDAISM OVER THE PROPER PLACE TO WORSHIP IN HIS FACE. JESUS NULLIFIES THIS CONFLICT BY STATING THAT UNLIKE THE SAMARITANS, THE JEWS WORSHIP WHAT THEY KNOW, FOR SALVATION IS FROM THE JEWS - I.E., THE MESSIAH IS A JEW. FURTHERMORE, HE STATES THAT AN HOUR IS IMMINENT WHEN MANKIND WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH ANYWHERE. THE WOMAN TRIES TO NULLIFY WHAT JESUS SAYS BY DEFERRING HIM TO THE CHRIST WHO IS TO COME AND "DECLARE ALL THINGS." JESUS ANSWERS, "I WHO SPEAK TO YOU AM HE." AT THIS TIME, THE DISCIPLES ARRIVE; AND QUESTION JESUS WHY HE WAS SPEAKING TO A SAMARITAN WOMAN. THE WOMAN LEFT ABRUPTLY WITHOUT HER WATERPOT BUT WITH A CHANGE OF HEART, ENTERED HER CITY AND SAID TO THE MEN THERE, "COME SEE A MAN WHO TOLD ME ALL THINGS THAT I EVER DID, (WITH SOME EXAGGERATION), COULD THIS BE THE CHRIST?" (cont.) =
(Jn 4:1 NKJV) '''Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]), (Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. (Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria. (Jn 4:5 NAS) So He came [lit., comes] to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. (Jn 4:6 NKJV) Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. (Jn 4:7 NKJV) A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' (Jn 4:8 NKJV) For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. (Jn 4:9 NAS) Therefore the Samaritan woman said [lit., says] to Him, 'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?' (For Jews have no dealings [lit., do not associate] with Samaritans). (Jn 4:10 NKJV) Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew [lit., had known about] the gift of God [of eternal life, (cf. Jn 4:14)], and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' [the Christ, (cf. Jn 4:25, 29)] you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.' (Jn 4:11 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? (Jn 4:12 NAS) You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" (Jn 4:13 NAS) Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water [from Jacob's well] will thirst again; (Jn 4:14 NAS) but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, [lit., will absolutely not thirst for ever]; but the water that I will give him will become in him a [spring] of water springing up to eternal life." (Jn 4:15 NKJV) The woman said to Him, "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master] give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." (Jn 4:16 NKJV) Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come [back] here. (Jn 4:17 NKJV) The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "you have well said, 'I have no husband, (Jn 4:18 NKJV) for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly (Jn 4:19 NKJV) The woman said to Him, '[Lord, Master], I perceive that You are a prophet, [evidently of the Jews, see Jn 4:20] (Jn 4:20 NAS) Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you [plural, i.e., you people, the Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." (Jn 4:21 NAS) Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither [on] this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. (Jn 4:22 NAS) You [Samaritans, (Jn 4:9)] worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. (Jn 4:23 NAS) But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers, [lit., for such the Father seeks the worshipping [ones] of Him] (Jn 4:24 NAS) God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Jn 4:25 NAS) The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He Who is called Christ); [lit., the (one) being called Christ]; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us. [lit., He will tell us all things]" (Jn 4:26 NAS) Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." [lit., I am that [One] speaking to you]. (Jn 4:27 YLT) And upon this came His disciples, and were wondering [lit., marveled] that with a woman He was speaking, no one, however, said, "What seekest Thou?" or "Why speakest Thou with her?" [lit., "What were You seeking nor Why do you speak with her?] (Jn 4:28 NKJV) The woman then left her waterpot, went her way [lit., away] into the city and said [lit., says] to the men [there] (Jn 4:29 NKJV) "Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ" ''' =
Jesus
told the woman, "Everyone who drinks of this water [from Jacob's
well] will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give
him shall never thirst; but the water that I give him will become in him a
[spring] of water springing up to eternal life, (Jn 4:13-14)." Since
the taking of one "drink" of the free gift of God of living
water resulting in eternal life is portrayed in John chapter 4 as a
passive operation and not a proactive physical action like drinking
physical water; then the reception of living water must be a figurative
expression for the passive response of a moment of faith alone in Christ
alone resulting in eternal life, (Jn 1:12-13; 3:14-16). Furthermore, since
Jesus indicated that one need only take one 'drink' of living water in
order to never have to thirst again, in the sense of never thirsting again
for the Righteousness of God unto eternal life; and since living water
once received becomes within one a spring of water - God, the Fountain of
Living Water Who commences eternal life within one, (Jer 2:13; 17:13);
then eternal life is to be received once for all time..
.on eternal security.
The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman began when Jesus, tired and thirsty from His travels, asked her for a drink of water; but she ignored His need, violating the custom of hospitality, (Jn 4:7-9). Ironically, she then demanded living water from Him so that she would never have to thirst: "Sir, [lit., Lord, Master], give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw,"(Jn 4:15). However, her demand was more skeptical than honest because she willfully remained ignorant of what Jesus was actually saying. She deliberately thought in terms of physical water when Jesus clearly conveyed a spiritual message to her: He offered to her the gift of God of living water Who provided eternal life, (Jn 4:10, 13-14). And because He stated that if she had recognized Who He was, she would have asked Him for living water, she insulted Him by accusing Him of falsely boasting - claiming to be greater than Jacob, (Jn 4:10-12), which being the Christ, He was.
At this point Jesus was not getting through to her, but she still could bring the news of His coming to others. So without getting provoked by her bitter attack, Jesus told the woman to go back to Sychar and bring her husband back to speak with Him, (Jn 4:16). When He referred to her "husband," it was a test of her honesty, for He knew that she was living with a man who was not her husband. Since she was compelled to contradict and belittle Jesus because He was a Jew, she corrected Him belligerently, "I have no husband," (Jn 4:17a). He responded calmly, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have [i.e., are living with] is not your husband; in that you spoke truly," (Jn 4:17b-18). The woman then said to Him, " [Lord, Master], I perceive that You are a prophet," (Jn 4:19); for He had demonstrated to her a supernatural knowledge of her life with the perception of a Prophet. But despite the fact that she was so impressed with Jesus that she stated to Him that He must be a prophet, the conversation got too personal for her plus she couldn't let go of her bitterness toward Jews. Hence she regressed and threw the Samaritan conflict with Judaism over the place to worship in Jesus' face: "Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, [Mt. Gerizim], and you [plural, i.e., you people, - you Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship," (Jn 4:20).
The key passages which the Samaritans used to support their claim that Mt. Gerizim was the only place to worship God as opposed to Jerusalem are Deut 27:1-28:68, and Deut 11:29. These passages are largely the same in Samaritan and Jewish Scripture except for one key amendment that the Samaritan's made relative to the altar on Mt. Ebal being changed to Mt. Gerizim. The passage tells how Moses instructed the people of Israel for entering the Promised Land. Moses had an altar set up on Mt. Ebal and then divided the tribes between Ebal and Gerizim. Those on Gerizim were to pronounce the blessings of God and those on Ebal the curses. According to Samaritan tradition, Mt. Gerizim was where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac, and where later he met Melchizedek. Although Dt 27:4 indicates that an altar was constructed on Mt. Ebal, the Samaritan Scripture changed the verse to read "Mt. Gerizim." Hence Mt. Gerizim, the Samaritans falsely concluded would be the proper place to worship God because it allegedly had an alter on it built by Moses. On the other hand, the other books of the Old Testament, which the Samaritans did not accept, indicate that God appointed Solomon to build the Temple in Jerusalem where they were commanded to worship Him, (cf. 2 Sam 7:12-13).
Nevertheless, Jesus did not address the controversy between Gerizim and Jerusalem with the Samaritan woman. He said to her, "An hour is coming, [in the sense of it being imminent, (cf. Jn 4:23)], when you [and all mankind] will neither on this mountain [Gerizim], nor in Jerusalem worship the Father," (Jn 4:21). There was an imminent and dramatic change to where mankind was to worship the Father which would be neither on Mt. Gerizim nor in Jerusalem, making moot the controversy. Jesus went on to say in Jn 4:22 that the Samaritans worshipped what they did not know implying that they lacked an accurate knowledge of Who they worshipped. Then He said, including Himself as a Jew, (cf. Jn 1:11-34), "We worship what we know, for salvation is of the Jews" indicating that, as opposed to the Samaritans, the Jews worshipped what they knew in the sense of being given the correct understanding of Who it is they worshipped. He declared the reason for this: "For [because] salvation is from the Jews," i.e., because salvation is from the Father through a Jewish Messiah, the Christ / the Savior to come; (Who was standing before her). Shortly thereafter, Jesus tells her He is "the Christ," (Jn 4:26). According to Scripture, even the Samaritan Scripture and tradition, the Christ was the Prophet, the Messiah / Savior of the world Who is to come, (Dt 18:15); and had now arrived. Then in Jn 4:23, Jesus tells the woman, "An hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth," (Jn 4:23a), i.e., anywhere, nullifying the conflict between Girizim and Jerusalem. Jesus goes on to explain, "For such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers, [lit., for such the Father seeks the worshipping [ones] of Him], (Jn 4:23b)." So from the time of Jesus, the true worshiper is the one who worships the Father through Jesus Christ through Whom is salvation, (Jn 4:23-24), anywhere, and in accordance with the nature and will of God as reflected in the truths of Scripture. Upon hearing this, the woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming [with John interjecting that the woman was referring to "He Who is called Christ"]. Then she said, "when that One comes, He will declare all things to us," (Jn 4:25). It was the Samaritan tradition based on Dt 18:15, that a Prophet would come to teach God's people all things.
(Dt. 18:15 NKJV) "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
(Dt. 18:16 NKJV) according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.
(Dt. 18:17 NKJV) And the Lord said to me: What they have spoken is good.
(Dt. 18:18 NKJV) I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him."
Jesus then responded, "I Who speak to you am He." [lit., I am that [One] speaking to you], (Jn 4:26). At that time, the disciples came back and were wondering why, lit., marveling why Jesus was speaking with a Samaritan woman; but none of them asked Him about it, (Jn 4:27). Then the woman left her hostility and waterpot behind and, with a change of heart, returned to her city. She said to the men there, "Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ? [The Messiah / Savior to come]" (Jn 4:28-29). Although she exaggerated when she said that Jesus told her all things that she ever did, she had such enthusiasm and euphoria reflecting her change of heart about Jesus and a new spiritual frame of reference that it inspired the men to come see Jesus for themselves. One might conclude that this change came from God.
Consider the Samaritan woman. How many people are like her today? Jesus comes to the well where she was and asks for a drink. All He's asking for is a drink of water. But she won't give it to him because she is so bitter toward all Jews that she cannot allow herself to be merciful toward Him. Instead of water she gives Him an argument. How self-righteous she is to accuse Him of doing what others did to her. He never treated any Samaritan that way, but only showed godly love toward all men. She didn't give Him a chance. Yet He maintained His grace and composure and persisted in showing godly love and concern for her eternal destiny as she persisted in giving Him a dose of mockery and argumentation. So throughout this encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus never responded in kind to the woman's provocative tactics. His agape / self-sacrificial godly love set aside His hunger and thirst and patiently tended to her need for living water, i.e., eternal life.
(Jn 4:30 NAS) '''They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
(Jn 4:31 NAS) Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
(Jn 4:32 NKJV) But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
(Jn 4:33 NKJV) Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"
(Jn 4:34 NKJV) Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His work.
(Jn 4:35 NKJV) 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!
(Jn 4:36 NKJV) And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
(Jn 4:37 YLT) for in this [case] the saying is the true [one], that one is the sower and another the reaper.
(Jn 4:38 NKJV) I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.
(Jn 4:39 NKJV) 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.'
(Jn 4:40 NAS) So when the Samaritans came to Jesus [lit., Him] they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
(Jn 4:41 ASV) And many more believed because of His word;
(Jn 4:42 NAS) and they were saying to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.'
(Jn 4:16 NKJV) '''Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come [back] here. (Jn 4:28 NKJV) The woman then left her waterpot, went her way [lit., away] into the city and said [lit., says] to the men [there] (Jn 4:29 NKJV) Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ." (Jn 4:30 NAS) They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. (Jn 4:31 NAS) Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." (Jn 4:32 NKJV) But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." (Jn 4:33 NKJV) Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" (Jn 4:34 NKJV) Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His work. (Jn 4:35 NKJV) 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! (Jn 4:36 NKJV) And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. (Jn 4:37 YLT) for in this [case] the saying is the true [one], that one is the sower and another the reaper. (Jn 4:38 NKJV) I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.' " (Jn 4:39 NKJV) 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." (Jn 4:40 NAS) So when the Samaritans came to Jesus [lit., Him ] they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. (Jn 4:41 ASV) And many more believed because of His word; (Jn 4:42 NAS) and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." ''' =
Jn 4:30a indicates that a number of the men of the city of Sychar were stirred to action by what the Samaritan woman who spoke with Jesus said to them. As expected, she violated social custom and did not limit her conversation with her "husband" but spoke openly to the men of the city. The phrase rendered "They went out of the city," has the Greek word "exElthon," lit., they went forth, in the aorist tense portraying an immediate completed action of men evidently in a rush to go out of the city upon hearing the news about Jesus, when the woman said, "Come, see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (Jn 4:29). This was followed by the phrase rendered "and [the men] were coming to Him [Jesus]. The Greek verb "Erchonto" which is in the imperfect tense, is rendered "[they] were coming" in the NAS. From Jesus' perspective, the men who had responded immediately to the woman's testimony were making their way in an ongoing procession toward Him, (Jn 4:31).
Meanwhile the disciples were concerned for Jesus' physical well being and urged Him to eat, (Jn 4:30), (which implies that they had brought Him food to eat). But Jesus said to them, 'I have food to eat of which you do not know," (Jn 4:32). Jesus evidently put aside His hunger and thirst for a greater concern which He described also as food, another kind of food which sustained His soul and spirit when He began to speak with the Samaritan woman at the well about living water and eternal life. The disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" This implies that they took what Jesus said in the literal sense, that He had physical food that they didn't know He had, (Jn 4:33). But Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His work," (Jn 4:34). So Jesus used the opportunity of the disciples' asking Him to eat, to speak of another kind of food - a spiritual kind of food that motivated and sustained the purpose of His life. Jesus included the disciples in His point about finishing the work which God has for one to do, by asking them, "Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest?' (Jn 4:35a). Note that this seems to be a popular saying amongst farmers of the time: Four months is approximately the time it takes from sowing to harvesting. He goes on to say, "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 [case] the saying is the true [one], that one is the sower and another the reaper. I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors," (Jn 4:35b-38).
Jesus told the disciples that the function of the food He had was to do the will of the Father Who sent Him. He had spiritual food which motivated and sustained Him in purposing to do God's will; (as opposed to physical food which sustained ones physical life). More specifically, Jesus purposed to finish the work which the Father began so that one may have eternal life through a moment of faith alone in God's giving in an atoning sacrifice of His one and only Son - the Word, the Light, the Life, become flesh, Jesus Himself, (Jn 1:1-14; 3:1-16). This work included bringing to men information about the opportunity to have everlasting life. This work of God was compared by Jesus to sowing and harvesting grain. When Jesus said to the disciples, "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!" (Jn 4:35b); He was describing for the disciples the large procession of Samaritans from Sychar, who were coming to see Him, as a field of grain ready for harvest. They all came because Jesus told the woman to go back to the city and bring her "husband;" and she went and brought the whole city! Jesus carried forth this picture of harvesting to include the disciples as harvesters gathering fruit for eternal life, such that they who harvested and they who sowed the seeds of eternal life received their wages, i.e., their rewards; and they rejoiced together in the outcome. Temporal and eternal rewards are to be given to those who work to inform others of what one must to do have eternal life. So some will sow seeds - points of information to consider that might lead to their understanding about receiving eternal life. Others will reap the harvest of being there, sharing their faith at the time when individuals decide to believe. Note that the phrase "and gathers fruit for eternal life" is not implying that such activity is a requirement for one to receive eternal life; for eternal life is a free gift, not a reward, (Jn 4:10, 14). It is saying that the effort one makes in presenting the plan of salvation may contribute toward another's reception of eternal life. Note that the people of the city of Sychar were an example to the disciples of sowing and reaping; for many believed in Jesus in order to have eternal life when they heard the testimony of the woman about Him, (Jn 4:39). Note that Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well is a great example of evangelism and missionary work: to work with one person at a time and when she believed, she was enabled to work with others, especially her own people. And then when she spoke to the men in her city, many more Samaritans came to see Jesus and believed when heard what He had so say directly: "So when the Samaritans came to Jesus [lit., Him ] they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His word, and they were saying to the woman, 'It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world,' " (Jn 4:40-42). Note that they believed in His word, "logon," singular, rendered "word," in the ASV, as opposed to 'words', plural. Hence they believed in His Person, His character as the Christ as reflected by how He spoke to them as well as the content of what He said. An expression which conveys the concept of believing in Jesus in the context of John chapters 1-4 refers to believing in Jesus Christ being the Messiah / Savior of the world. It means that whoever believes in Him believes in His providing of an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, should never perish but have the gift of everlasting life, (Jn 1:13-13; 2:23-25; 3:1-18; 4:10, 14).
(Jn 4:43 NKJV) "Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee.
(Jn 4:44 NKJV) For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
(Jn 4:45 NAS) So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the [Passover] feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.
(Jn 4:46 NAS) Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.
(Jn 4:47 YLT) he, [the royal official] having heard that Jesus is come out of Judea to Galilee, went away unto Him, and was asking Him that He may come down and may heal his son, for he was about to die.
(Jn 4:48 NKJV) Then Jesus said to him, 'Unless you [people] see signs and wonders you will by no means believe.
(Jn 4:49 NKJV) The [royal official] said to Him, 'Sir, come down before my [little] child dies!'
(Jn 4:50 NKJV) Jesus said to him, 'Go... your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way [lit. went away, imperf. = ongoing].
(Jn 4:51 NKJV) And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, 'Your son lives!!
(Jn 4:52 NKJV) 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.'
(Jn 4:53 NKJV) 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.
(Jn 4:54 NKJV) This again [is] the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee."
(Jn 2:13 NAS) "The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. (Jn 2:23 NAS) Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. (Jn 2:24 YLT) and Jesus Himself was not trusting himself to them, because of His knowing all [men], (Jn 2:25 NKJV) and had no need that anyone should testify [to Him] of man, for He knew what was in man... (Jn 4:1 NKJV) Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]), (Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. (Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria. (Jn 4:5 NAS) So He came [lit., comes] to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph... (Jn 4:43 NKJV) Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. (Jn 4:44 NKJV) For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. (Jn 4:45 NAS) So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the [Passover] feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. (Jn 4:46 NAS) Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. (Jn 4:47 YLT) he, [the royal official] having heard that Jesus is come out of Judea to Galilee, went away unto Him, and was asking Him that He may come down and may heal his son, for he was about to die. (Jn 4:48 NKJV) Then Jesus said to him, 'Unless you [people] see signs and wonders you will by no means believe. (Jn 4:49 NKJV) The [royal official] said to Him, 'Sir, come down before my [little] child dies!' (Jn 4:50 NKJV) Jesus said to him, 'Go... your son lives.' So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way [lit. went away, imperf. = ongoing]. (Jn 4:51 NKJV) And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, 'Your son lives!! (Jn 4:52 NKJV) 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.' (Jn 4:53 NKJV) 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. (Jn 4:54 NKJV) This again [is] the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee." =
As a result of the hostility toward Him in Judea, Jesus set out once again once again to go to Galilee through Samaria, (Jn 4:1-4). Author John interjected in Jn 4:44, "For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country." John reported that Jesus Himself testified that when one became a prophet; then those who were from his own country, being intimately familiar with him as they watched him grow up, would dishonor and show contempt for him. In the case of Jesus, His countrymen even sought to murder Him. So for this reason, Jesus had to periodically leave Judea where He was born and raised and journey to Galilee.
(Jn 4:1 NKJV) "Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John
[implying impending destruction if Jesus stayed in Judea]
(Jn 4:2 NKJV) (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples [did]),
(Jn 4:3 NKJV) He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.
(Jn 4:4 NKJV) But He needed to go through Samaria."
"But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.' "
"But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.' "
"Then He said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.' "
After two days with the Samaritans from Sychar where many believed in Him unto eternal life, He continued on to Galilee where He was well received; for many from there had observed His miracles at the Passover Feast in Jerusalem, (Jn 4:43-45).
(Jn 2:13 NAS) "The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem."
(Jn 2:23 NAS) "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing."
And when Jesus came once more to Cana in Galilee where He had performed His first miracle by turning the water into wine, (Jn 2:1-11), He encountered a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum, (Jn 4:46). The royal official must have been connected to the royal court of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee.
The official having heard that Jesus had left Judea for Galilee came to meet Him in order to ask Him to heal his dying son, (Jn 4:47). Evidently he had heard of the miracles Jesus had performed. Jesus addressed the crowd around Him, "Unless you [plural] see signs and wonders you will never believe. The Greek word, "idEte" rendered "you" is plural, referring to those individuals who were always looking for signs and wonders performed right in front of them in order to believe and continue to believe in Jesus, (Jn 4:48).
(Jn 2:23 NAS) "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing.
(Jn 2:24 YLT) and Jesus Himself was not trusting himself to them, because of His knowing all [men],
(Jn 2:25 NKJV) and had no need that anyone should testify [to Him] of man, for He knew what was in man."
The official was evidently desperate and distraught about his dying son and persisted with Jesus, saying, "Sir, come down before my little child dies, (Jn 4:49). So Jesus answered, "Go, your son lives;" and the man believed what Jesus said and went on his way, (Jn 4:50). Note that the official's moment of faith in Jesus did not result in eternal life because it is evident in the passage that at that time he only believed that Jesus had healed his child. Later on the official did believe in Jesus unto eternal life: As the official was going down [south] to Capernaum, his servants met him on the way and told him, "Your son lives," (Jn 4:51). The official inquired of them the hour when his child got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him, (Jn 4:52). So the official had been on the road for quite some time before he learned that his son was alive and well. When he discovered that his son had become well at precisely the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives," he believed in Jesus as Messiah / Savior unto eternal life, whereupon his whole household believed, (Jn 4:53). Note that the content of this second expression of believing implies that the official exercised a moment of faith in Jesus' provision of an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world so that one should never perish but have the gift of everlasting life, (Jn 1:12-13; 2:23-25; 3:1-18; 4:10, 14).
Author John announced that the healing of the royal official's child was the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee, (Jn 4:54); the first one being the turning of water into wine at the wedding at Cana, (Jn 2:1-11).
MOVE TO JN
CHAPTER 5