John 4 - CSB Study Bible for Women

4:1-2 Jesus obviously honored, encouraged, and participated in baptism, having been baptized Himself by John the Baptist (Mt 3:13-17). Yet by His own words, He was not baptizing, suggesting this conclusion—baptism is important and not optional, but it is not necessary for salvation.

4:4-6 John’s record that Jesus had to [Gk edei, “must, necessarily, ought, should”] travel through Samaria, is a reminder that Jesus never traveled at His own pleasure or because of human pressure; He waited for and received direction from the Father (Ps 40:8).

Located on the main road between Judea and Galilee, about 40 miles north of Jerusalem, Samaria was the capital of the territory occupied by the 10 northern tribes of Israel. Israelites living in the northern kingdom did not worship at the Jerusalem temple. They set up a sacrificial system in their own territory. The area has remained hated by the Jews and a trouble spot even in the modern era. The Jews preferred to avoid the route, and most seemed to take alternate routes despite the longer distance.

The Samaritans, a remnant of Jews who intermarried with Gentiles during the Assyrian captivity of the northern kingdom (2Kg 17:5-6,24), were considered by the Jews to be half-breeds. The monotheism of Israel did become dominant, but with innovations, including a rival temple on Mount Gerizim about 40 miles north of Jerusalem (Jn 4:20). A small Samaritan community still worships there. The Samaritans traditionally celebrate Passover outdoors under a full moon to reenact the first Passover as faithfully as possible. At sunset male heads of households take their Passover lambs to the area for sacrifice where their throats are cut simultaneously; the blood is drained from the carcasses; the animals are skinned and roasted. The meal begins about midnight.

Although Jacob’s well is not mentioned in the OT, the traditional site in ancient Sychar is identified in the modern era as it has been for centuries. Gathering water was usually done in early morning or late afternoon and not at noon, the hottest part of the day. The textual note on verse 6 notes the more literal translation; determined from 6 a.m., “the sixth hour” would mean “noon.” If John was speaking of time according to the Roman plan, which counted either from midnight or noon (instead of 6 a.m.), then “the sixth hour” refers either to early morning (6 a.m. if counting from midnight) or late afternoon (6 p.m. if counting from noon). The woman may have been either fetching water at the usual time (i.e., in the cool of the morning or evening) or deliberately going midday to avoid other people. In any case, the fact that the presence of others was not mentioned might make the latter a more reasonable explanation.

4:7-9 Perhaps the phrase, for Jews do not associate [Gk sugchrōntai, “having dealings with or associating on friendly terms”] with Samaritans, had more to do with sharing vessels for food or, as here, for drink. However, Jesus broke social and religious norms in three significant ways:

• He spoke to a woman.

• He interacted with someone from a different ethnic and religious background (and one despised by the Jews).

• He associated with someone who had indulged in immoral behavior (vv. 17-18).

John showed the absolute impartiality of the gospel message, which ignores social and religious boundaries and is extended to all.

4:10-15 Jesus turned the conversation to spiritual matters. For Jewish purification rituals, flowing water was often preferred to well water, so living water may refer to “flowing” water. In the OT Yahweh is referred to as “the fountain of living water” (Jr 2:13; 17:13). Jesus compared the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to “streams of living water” (Jn 7:38)—an endless supply.

4:16-42 Jesus then focused on the woman’s personal life (vv. 16-19). Not only does Jesus’s omniscience come into play, but Jesus also demonstrated His compassion even for the outcasts of society. Yet He required them to repent since repentance is the necessary condition for all who come to him. The woman was impressed by Jesus’s ability to penetrate her life and thoughts. She not only responded to the invitation to take the “living water,” but she also went out and told everyone she saw that she had met a man who told her everything she ever did (vv. 28-29).

Despite the woman’s attempt to change the subject, she was moved to take the conversation precisely where Jesus wanted it to go (vv. 20-24). As a result, Jesus accomplished His purpose to bring her to salvation. John’s purpose was also served: He showed Jesus Himself as being the replacement for all holy places. Jesus described God as spirit. He has no limitations of time and space (i.e., He is omnipresent).

Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah whom the Jews of Samaria were expecting because there were prophecies about Him in the Pentateuch (vv. 25-26). He came into the world as one from the lineage of David and from the tribe of Judah (v. 22). However, because they rejected the rest of the OT, their understanding was flawed and incomplete. The woman acknowledged Jesus’s claim to be the Messiah but with little understanding of what that meant. Even the disciples called Jesus “Messiah” before they came to an adequate understanding of what that designation really meant. Both the titles “Messiah” in the OT and Christ in the NT were connected to the announcement of a coming “Anointed One” (Ps 2:2; Dn 9:25-26). Jesus continued to reveal Himself as the woman began to grow in her understanding of who He is. For other Samaritans to come to believe through her testimony (Jn 4:42) strongly affirmed John’s stated purpose (20:31).

4:46-54 Since John identifies this event as the second sign Jesus performed after traveling from Judea to Galilee (v. 54), the two events in Cana (cp. 2:11) would seem to be related in some way. Whether a Jew or Gentile, the royal official surprisingly sought the help of Jesus, the son of a humble carpenter (vv. 46-47). Like the healing of the centurion’s servant (Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10), Jesus healed the man’s son only by saying the word (cp. Mt 8:8). This event demonstrates that miraculous signs can produce faith. In the ancient world, a man’s whole household would include his immediate and extended family as well as servants (v. 53). The head of the household would obviously be very influential in determining the spiritual direction of those who found shelter under his roof. Certainly there was no way to enter the household of faith without believing, and the verb (Gk pisteusen, “believe”) would affirm that understanding.