John 4 - CSB Disciple’s Study Bible

4:1-2 ORDINANCES, Baptism by Jesus—Only John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus carried on a ministry in Judea at the same time as John the Baptist. Nothing is said about Jesus baptizing in the Spirit (1:33). That was to come later. The Gospel writer made clear that Jesus’s disciples actually did the baptizing and not Jesus. See 3:22. The water baptism was a sign that identified the disciples of John and the disciples of Jesus. It has continued to be a sign that identifies Christian disciples until this day. That brought the crisis of these verses: word had reached the Pharisees that Jesus was “making and baptizing more disciples than John.” This phrase meant that the official hostility toward John would be shifted to Jesus and might cut off his ministry before his “hour” had come. That is why Jesus left Judea and went back to Galilee (v. 3).

4:1-43 CHRISTIAN ETHICS, Race Relations—No social barrier is too extreme for the gospel message to cross. The Samaritan woman was an outcast to Jewish society on at least two counts: mixed ethnic lineage and an unacceptable marital situation. Jesus demonstrated by his actions, however, that each person has worth. Social or racial standing never places a person beyond the touch of grace. Contemporary attempts to discriminate, to stereotype, and to paternalize those ethnically different from us find their source in prejudice and a false sense of superiority that in turn stem from our sinful nature.

4:1-42 EVANGELISM, Personal—In the Lord’s dialog with the Samaritan woman we learn principles of how to do personal evangelism. A witness: (1) is concerned with one individual, (2) begins with felt needs and desires of the lost person, (3) directs the conversation to the person’s basic spiritual need, (4) shows the person his or her sin and need of salvation, (5) keeps the conversation from straying from the real issue, (6) points to Jesus as Messiah and Savior, and (7) leads the new convert to witness to others. Today, Christians can follow Jesus’s example and principles.

4:10 SALVATION, As Being in Christ—Believers live in Christ much like fish live in water. He is our natural element—the Water of life. Salvation means being “in Christ,” asking him for life, and living out the life available only in him.

4:12 JESUS CHRIST, Fulfilled—Jesus surpassed all Israel’s heroes of faith, even the founding father Jacob, also named Israel (v. 6; Gn 32:28).

4:13-14 JESUS CHRIST, Life—See note on 1:4. Jesus quenches human spiritual thirst for meaning and thus represents life at its richest and fullest.

4:14,36 SALVATION, Eternal Life—Jesus is the Giver of eternal life. Eternal life is like an ever-flowing spring of living water. It is the crop that God’s reapers are now harvesting, the gathering of the lost into God’s kingdom.

4:17-19 JESUS CHRIST, Prophet—Jesus had greater prophetic powers than any of his predecessors, even Moses. Accepting him as a prophet is not sufficient to gain eternal life.

4:19-24 WORSHIP, Buildings—Buildings are not essential for worship. Worship is not limited to any geographical location. The attitude of the human spirit is the only limiting factor in worship. See notes on Gn 28:16-22; 2Sm 22:1-51; Mt 4:10.

4:21-23 GOD, One God—The most basic understanding of the Bible is that there is only one God. He is the universal God, the one and only God. He is not like the so-called gods of the nations, immobile and localized because they are chiseled out of stone or wood. With the teaching of Jesus, the understanding of God was broadened so that people would understand that God can be worshiped anywhere, not just in special localities.

4:23 HISTORY, Worship—Human controversies over proper places and times of worship lost their meaning in Jesus’s coming. He introduced a new time, a new critical opportunity for decision into history. His coming was the decisive moment in the history of worship, leading all worshipers directly to the Father in spirit rather than material-dominated sacrificial ritual.

4:23-24 PRAYER, Worship—The opposite of spirit is flesh. Worship is not a performance to bring pride to those performing, be they preachers, singers, or laypersons. It is not performed for the sake of the performers or participants. It is an offering to God and must be done in that which is hidden, the spirit. The opposite of truth is falsehood. Worship must be genuine. Prayer pervades true worship seeking fellowship with God.

4:24 GOD, Spirit—God is spirit, not physical or material. He thus exists on a different plane from us and is not subject to the limitations of a physical body. God is deeply personal and can be worshiped only at the most intensely personal level, from our spirit to God as spirit. Worship is not offered to a physical object or in a mechanical way. True worship of God must be in a personal relationship.

4:25-30 JESUS CHRIST, Christ—Even the Samaritans shared the messianic hope of Israel. Jesus used OT language about God in accepting the designation as Messiah. See note on Mk 14:53–15:15. He admitted to Samaritans what he kept secret from Jews. See note on Mk 1:25,34.

4:34 JESUS CHRIST, Mission—Jesus did the Father’s work in complete obedience.

4:39-42,48,53 SALVATION, Belief—Here are two contrasting examples of persons who became believers in Christ—Samaritans and a certain royal official. The biblical doctrine of salvation teaches that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world, the Savior of all persons who believe no matter their background, influence, or personal history. See note on 2:11.

4:42 JESUS CHRIST, Savior—Jesus is called “Savior”, an OT word for God’s work (Ps 24:5; Is 17:10; 43:3; 45:21; 60:16; 62:11; Lk 1:47). Jesus is the source of salvation or deliverance from sin for all the world, even the Samaritans. See 1Jn 4:14; Ac 1:8. See note on Lk 2:11.

4:46-54 JESUS CHRIST, Miracles—See Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10. See note on Jn 2:1-11. Miracles do not bring faith to those seeking spectacular power for selfish purposes. Miracles become a means to saving faith for those open to trust Christ despite all obstacles.

4:46-54 MIRACLE, Faith—Miracles should not be necessary for faith but can serve as an evangelistic tool leading people to faith. Jesus was upset because the people would not believe without miracles. The royal official needed only Christ’s word (v. 50; Gk episteusen, “believed”) to believe. He told the story to his household, and all the members believed in Jesus. See Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10. See note on Jn 2:1-11.

4:50-54 REVELATION, Author of Life—Jesus is the Author and Sustainer of life with the Father and has power over life and death. Faith was sufficient to gain the gift of life restored. John arranged his Gospel around seven major signs (2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-15; 6:1-15; 6:16-21; 9:1-41; 11:1-57). Each sign reveals a unique feature of Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. Together they seek to lead readers to life-giving faith in Christ (20:30-31).