John 4
1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
Doctrine of Baptism: Did Jesus Christ Himself baptize anyone?
“Jesus left this area because of possible tensions between His followers and John the Baptist’s followers stirred up by the Pharisees. The Synoptics say that He left because Herod Antipas had arrested John the Baptist (cf. Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:20).
Apparently Jesus did baptize at the beginning of His ministry, but later stopped. John is correcting the false statement of the Pharisees.” John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim… (Bob Utley)
It is either that Jesus Himself did baptize and then stopped, or that His disciples actually did the baptizing, though He never did Himself. 1 Corinthians 1 speaks of those that were ‘of Apollos…and of Christ’; and this might have been referring to who baptized them. The problem with Jesus Christ baptizing them might be that they might think that their baptism was more ‘special’ than the others.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
The Doctrine of Evangelism: There should be no type of person that is ‘off limits’ to sharing the gospel with. Down South, some wouldn’t (and still won’t) speak to a Black person (similar to Jews and Samaritans). It is ok to share the gospel with the opposite gender (though do be prudent and cautious)(see v.27; some fellow brethren might disapprove). It is wise to take the current situation (at the well) and relate it to salvation (as Jesus did here). Thus, use life’s situations to strike a conversation on Jesus Christ. Use ‘object lessons’ and illustrations to teach about salvation. Try and cause the person to strongly desire to want to be saved (Sir, give me this water…).
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
The Doctrine of Repentance: Jesus (the Soulwinner) was dealing with her about receiving eternal life (salvation) but needed for her to consider her sin. He immediately brought up a topic that showed her that she was a sinner. He did this indirectly (Go, call thy husband). This would bring her to divulge that she was living in sin. In soulwinning, it is vitally important to discuss the person’s sin(s); the discussion needs to come up; the person needs to admit that they are a sinner and have sin(s) to repent of. Don’t just talk soley about the ‘love of Jesus’, and ‘just receive Jesus into your life’, etc.. Talk about sin…and repentance.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The Doctrine of Worship: Apparently, the Jews were to worship Jehovah in Jerusalem (done on the 3 major feast days each year). They would otherwise turn towards Jerusalem when they worshipped ‘out of town’. There are many who ‘ignorantly worship’ God (ye worship ye know not what). Could Gentiles worship God back then? I suppose only if they did by proxy with the Jews. True worshippers shall worship the ‘Father’ “in spirit and in truth”. Direct the worship to the Father. True worship must have the Spirit of God directing it within the person’s own spirit; it needs to be spiritual, not flesh-driven (much of today’s praise and worship might be ‘of the flesh’). True worship needs to be based in truth… declarations of truth from God’s word. If there is error mixed with it, then that worship is not received. It doesn’t say ‘they that worship Him must worship Him in an intense emotional experience with loud music, guitars, drums, and crooning sensual singing by the Praise & Worship Band!’…
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. 27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? 28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
The Doctrine of Christ: Jesus emphatically declares here that He is the Messias, Christ! Jesus told that woman all the things that she ever did; thus, He had access to omniscience while in that human body on Earth. Though, one might consider that the Spirit gave Him the information. Today there are prognosticators (psychics) who do a very pathetic job and telling one’s past, much less one’s future… as I’m sure there were the same back then. The Christ was one who the Jews believed would ‘know all things’ (Is 11:2,3 seems to support this).
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. 32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. 33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? 34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
The Doctrine of the Will of God: eating, and other flesh-related issues, were not going to divert Jesus from doing the will of God (His Father). Jesus’ very sustenance (meat) was pursuing and completing God’s will…every minute of every day. We would do well to not let even eating a meal get in our way of what God’s will is for us at that moment in time: i.e. prayer, church-related activity, soulwinning…
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
The Doctrine of Evangelism: The official ‘harvest’ (angelic) is not until the end of the world (i.e. Tribulation begins, Millenium begins). But, there is harvesting (souls getting saved) that goes on; specifically, it is ‘reaping’. When a soul is led to the Lord, that is reaping; it is fruit unto life eternal. Christians tend to not have their eyes lifted up looking on the fields; their eyes seem focused on the city, their home, their job, the tv, etc.! The ‘fields’ are the souls of men around you. These fields are always ‘white’ (ripe) to harvest. They are not ripe once the end comes. I feel that America is full of rotting fruit on the vines! So many have been clearly told the gospel, and yet they refuse to act upon it. A Christian will indeed receive reward (wages) for every soul they lead to the Lord (reapeth). Also, every Christian will indeed receive reward for every effort that is given forth in sowing the seed of the gospel. You may go evangelize your community, and neighboring communities faithfully for most of your adult life, but rarely see any ‘reaping’; all that effort is rewarded. And, the reward might be the same for both (i.e. sowing vs. reaping). Some men will stumble upon a very ripe field and then reap great fruit from it; however, that field was worked on by a man and his church for years prior to that without much reaping at all (this is somewhat similar to the story of Adoniram Judson and the people of Burma). Potentially, the sower is just as important and impressive as the reaper (in God’s eyes).
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
The Doctrine of Evangelism: Many of the Samaritans believed on Jesus (got saved) solely based upon what this woman testified of; they didn’t need to see it for themselves. This is how it is today, to some degree. The people can’t go and see Jesus for themselves; they need someone to testify to them of all that Jesus did for and with you. Others only believed based on hearing and seeing Jesus themselves; one’s testimony was not enough. The people need to believe that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee. 44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. 45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
The Doctrine of Evangelism: it probably is true that it is harder to win souls and build a church in the town that you grew up in versus a town where nobody knows you. Nazareth showed little fruit; Galilee showed much fruit. “This may seem strange in the context of the reception He received [in Judaea]. However, Matt. 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6; and especially Luke 4:16-31 give more information on this comment. John does not record the fact that Jesus apparently in the meantime had visited His hometown Nazareth and was there rejected by the people. As a result, He did not do many miracles among them, and they ended up trying to kill Him.” (David Pratte)
It might be prudent for a church to not so much focus their evangelism efforts on the city that they are in, but, rather, focus them on other cities in their county or state. This does not mean that you avoid your city (for Jesus attempted to witness in Nazareth). Saturate your city initially; gain converts; train them; and be reaching out to the cities around you; and then send men there to plant churches; and do the same…
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. 48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. 49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. 50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. 52 Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
The Doctrine of Healing & Miracles: This healing of the nobleman’s son was the second miracle that Jesus did; the first being the making of the water to wine at marriage in Cana. Interesting that the first two miracles both occurred in Cana of Galilee; and, that Jesus left Cana after the first miracle and then returned some time later and then came the second. Are some places more ‘ripe’ for miracles than others? It probably depends upon the likelihood of people believing after they have seen signs and wonders. There are so many today that won’t believe unless they see so-called ‘signs and wonders’ (Charismatics). The key with Jesus’ healing was that the person would believe that Jesus could do it; as did the nobleman here. The nobleman travelled 25 miles from Capernaum to Galilee for to see Jesus. This man thought that Jesus had to be present with his son in order to perform the healing miracle; but, Jesus just has to speak the word, and then miles away the miracle takes place. The same can happen for us today: Jesus is trillions of miles away, but just has to speak the word and we are miraculously healed! The purpose of Jesus telling the man to ‘go thy way, thy son liveth’ was to build the man’s faith. This is the purpose of miracles: i.e., to build one’s faith. What should you think about someone whose ‘testimony of salvation’ is based upon a miracle of healing in their life?….