John 4 - Life Application Study Bible

4:1-3 Already opposition was rising against Jesus, especially from the Pharisees. They resented Jesus’ popularity as well as his message, which challenged much of their teaching. Because Jesus was just beginning his ministry, the time was not yet right to confront these leaders openly. He left Jerusalem and traveled north toward Galilee.

4:4 To go from the territory of Judea to Galilee meant passing through a central territory called Samaria. Most Jews did everything they could to avoid traveling through Samaria. The reason goes way back into their history.

After the northern kingdom, with its capital at Samaria, fell to the Assyrians, many Jews were deported to Assyria, and foreigners were brought in to settle the land and help keep the peace (2 Kings 17:24). The intermarriage between those foreigners and the remaining Jews resulted in a mixed race, a people who were impure in the opinion of Jews who lived in the southern kingdom. Thus, the pure Jews hated this mixed race, called Samaritans, because they felt that their fellow Jews who had intermarried had betrayed their people and nation. The Samaritans had set up an alternate center for worship on Mount Gerizim (John 4:20) to parallel the Temple at Jerusalem, but it had been destroyed 150 years earlier. While there was long-standing prejudice between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus did not live by such restrictions. The route through Samaria was shorter, and that was the route he took.

4:5-7 Jacob’s well was on the property originally owned by Jacob (Genesis 33:18-19). It was not a spring-fed well but a well into which water would seep from rain and dew, collecting at the bottom. Wells were almost always located outside the city along the main road. Twice each day, morning and evening, women would come to draw water. This woman came at noon, however, probably to avoid meeting people who knew her reputation. Jesus gave this woman an extraordinary message about fresh and pure water that would quench her spiritual thirst forever (John 4:13-14).

4:7-9 This woman was (1) a Samaritan, a member of the hated mixed race; (2) known to be living with a man but not married; and (3) in a public place. No respectable Jewish man would talk to a woman under such circumstances. But Jesus did. The Good News is for every person, regardless of his or her race, social position, and past sins. We must be prepared to share the Good News at any time and in any place. Jesus crossed all social, cultural, and political barriers to share the Good News, and we who follow him must do no less. What barriers do you need to cross?

4:10 What did Jesus mean by “living water”? In the Old Testament, many verses speak of thirsting after God as one thirsts for water (Psalm 42:1; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 13:1). God is called the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) and the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 17:13). In saying he would bring living water that could forever quench a person’s thirst for God, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. Only the Messiah could give this gift that satisfies the soul’s desire.

4:13-15 Many spiritual functions parallel physical functions. As our bodies hunger and thirst, so do our souls. But our souls need spiritual food and water. The woman confused the two kinds of water, perhaps because no one had ever talked with her about her spiritual hunger and thirst before. We would not think of depriving our bodies of food and water when they hunger or thirst. Why, then, should we deprive our souls? The living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Word, the Bible, satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls.

4:15 The woman mistakenly believed that if she received the water Jesus offered, she would not have to return to the well each day. She was interested in Jesus’ message because she thought it could make her life easier. But if that were always the case, people would accept the Good News for the wrong reasons. Jesus did not come to take away challenges but to change us on the inside and to empower us to deal with problems from God’s perspective.

4:16-20 When this woman discovered that Jesus knew all about her private life, she quickly changed the subject. Often people become uncomfortable when the conversation gets too close to home, and they try to talk about something else. As we talk to others, we should feel free to gently guide the conversation back to Jesus and what he has done for us. Jesus’ presence exposes sin and can make people uncomfortable, but only he can forgive sin and give new life. We must recognize and embrace this tension that we will often experience when we share our faith with others.

4:20-24 The woman brought up a popular theological issue—the correct place to worship. But her question was a smoke screen, a diversion, to keep the conversation from becoming too personal and vulnerable. Her lifestyle had most likely brought much ridicule and rejection from others, and she probably expected this from Jesus as well. Jesus directed the conversation to a much more important point: The location of worship is not nearly as important as the one whom we worship. Jesus knew that once the woman recognized him as the Messiah, her life choices would change as she was transformed into a person constantly refreshed with living water.

4:22 When Jesus said, “Salvation comes through the Jews,” he meant that only through the Jewish Messiah would the whole world find salvation. God had promised that through the Jewish people the whole earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). The Old Testament prophets had called the Jews to be a light to the other nations of the world, bringing them to a knowledge of God and showing them God’s way to live and how to treat others. They had also predicted the Messiah’s coming. The woman at the well may have known of these passages and been expecting the Messiah, but she didn’t realize that she was talking to him!

4:24 “God is Spirit” means that he is not a physical being limited to one place. He is present everywhere, and he can be worshiped anywhere, at any time. Where we worship is not what counts but how we worship. Is your worship genuine and true? Do you have the Holy Spirit’s help? How does the Holy Spirit help us worship? The Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26), reminds us of the words of Jesus (John 14:26), cleanses our minds and consciences (Titus 3:4-7), and tells us we are loved (Romans 5:5).

4:34 The nourishment Jesus was speaking of was his spiritual nourishment. His spiritual nourishment came from doing God’s will and, in this case, helping to bring his work of salvation to this woman. For us, it includes more than Bible study, prayer, and attending church. We are nourished not only by what we take in but also by what we give out for God. Later, Jesus referred to completing God’s work on earth (17:4).

4:35 Sometimes Christians excuse themselves from sharing their faith by saying that their family members or friends aren’t ready to believe. Jesus, however, makes it clear that around us a continual harvest waits to be reaped. Don’t let Jesus find you making excuses. Look around. You will find people ready to hear God’s Word.

4:36-38 The wages Jesus offers are the joy of working for him and seeing the harvest of believers. These wages come to planter and harvester alike because both find joy in seeing new believers come into Christ’s Kingdom. The statement “others had already done the work” (4:38) may refer to the Old Testament prophets and to John the Baptist, who paved the way for the Good News.

4:39 The Samaritan woman immediately shared her experience with others. Despite her reputation, many took her up on her invitation and came out to meet Jesus. Perhaps you have past sins that make you ashamed. But Jesus changes us. As people see these changes, they become curious. Use stories of your experiences, including your past mistakes, as opportunities to introduce others to the new life Jesus offers.

4:46-49 This government official was probably an officer in Herod’s service. He had walked 20 miles to see Jesus and addressed him as “Lord,” putting himself under Jesus even though he had legal authority over Jesus.

4:48 This miracle was more than a favor to one official; it was a sign to all the people. John’s Gospel was written to all humankind to urge us toward faith in Jesus. Here a government official had faith that Jesus could do what he claimed. The official believed; then he saw a miraculous sign.

4:50 This government official not only believed Jesus could heal but also obeyed Jesus by returning home, thus demonstrating his faith. Merely saying we believe that Jesus can take care of our problems isn’t enough. We need to act as if he can. When you pray about a need or problem, live as though you believe Jesus can do what he says.

4:51 Jesus’ miracles were not illusions. Although the official’s son was 20 miles away, he was healed when Jesus spoke the word. Just as he had mastered physical elements to create wine, Jesus now overcame space. Distance was no problem because he has mastery not only over disease but also over time and space. We can never put so much distance between ourselves and Jesus that we are beyond his reach.

4:53 Notice how the official’s faith grew. First, he believed enough to ask Jesus to help his son. Second, he believed Jesus’ assurance that his son would live, and he acted on it. Third, he and his whole household believed in Jesus. Faith grows as we use it.