What I Noticed Today (John 4-5)
John 4
John 4:1-4:42: John describes Jesus’ ministry in Samaria.
In verses 1-4, knowing the Pharisees were aware of what He and the disciples were doing, Jesus traveled to Galilee by way of Samaria.
Note: Due to the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans, Jews would avoid traveling through Samaria if at all possible by taking the longer eastern route that went through Perea (See the map below from the Bible Knowledge Commentary).
In verses 5-6, Jesus arrived in the town of Sychar near the land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph (Genesis 48:21-22). Jesus sat down at Jacob’s well at about 6 pm.
In verses 7-26, John records a meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus told the woman about living water and whoever drinks this living water that He gives them will never thirst again. The woman misunderstood thinking Jesus was referring to water in the well but Jesus was talking about quenching her spiritual thirst. The woman was a sinner living with a man, having had five husbands, and was in need of salvation.
Note: The Greek word translated “husband” can also be translated “men.” She may not have been married in the traditional sense at all but had engaged in a series of illicit relationships.
Jesus explained true worship of God was in spirit because God was spirit. The woman acknowledged she knew about Messiah and believed He would explain everything to them. Jesus said I am He, the One speaking to you.
Note: A chart contrasting Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. Click here.
In verses 27-38, Jesus turns His attention to instructing the disciples.
The disciples arrived just as Jesus finished speaking to the Samaritan woman. She left and went to the village to tell the people she may have met the Messiah.
Meanwhile, the disciples tried to get Jesus to eat but Jesus said I have food to eat that you don’t know about. The disciples were confused, thinking Jesus had gotten food somewhere. But Jesus explained His food was to do the will of the Father. Jesus explained the time for harvest was almost near. The reaper is already gathering fruit for eternal life, so the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
Note: Jesus refers to the disciples as being reapers. Reapers have the joy of bringing in the harvest. The sower makes possible the harvest but has no immediate fulfillment from their work.
In verses 39-42, many people came to believe in Jesus as Messiah as a result of the woman’s testimony. Jesus stayed with them for two more days. Many more believed because of what Jesus said.
Note: The Samaritans came to faith-based on a personal encounter with Jesus. This is the first example of Jesus taking the Good News beyond the Jewish nation.
In verses 43-45, Jesus left Samaria for Galilee. The Galileans welcomed Jesus because they had seen what He had done in Jerusalem.
Sign 3. Healing the official’s son.
In verses 46-54, Jesus made it to Cana in Galilee A royal official in Capernaum had a son that was sick. The official went to Jesus and pleaded with Him to heal his son. Jesus rebuked the people for not believing unless they saw signs and wonders. Yet the official pleaded again for his son’s life. Jesus dismissed the official saying your son will live. The official had faith and left on his journey home. On his way, his servants met him and told him his son was healed. When he asked when the boy was healed he discovered it was the seventh hour, the same time Jesus said he would live. Because of this, the official and his whole household believed.
John 5
Sign 3. Healing the paralytic man.
In verses 1-15, Jesus heals the paralytic man.
Note: “After this…” (v. 1) marks an undetermined amount of time since Jesus was last in Jerusalem for Passover. It could have been as long as 18 months.
A paralytic man sat by the edge of the pool at Bethsaida in hopes of being the first one in the pool when an angel stirred the waters so he would be healed. He had been crippled for 38-years. Coming up to the man Jesus asked him if he wanted to get well. The man said, of course, but no one will help me get to the water when it is stirred. Jesus told the man to get up, you are healed. Instantly, the man got up and walked.
The Jewish leaders objected to the man picking up his mat because it was the Sabbath.
Note: The man was not breaking any Sabbath laws but was violating a Rabbinical code that prohibited carrying an object from one domain to another.
The officials wanted to confront the man who told the man to pick up his mat but Jesus had already slipped away in the crowd.
Later Jesus found the man in the temple and warned him not to sin anymore or something worse might happen to him. The man went and told the officials that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Note: The “something worse” would be facing eternal judgment for sin. Jesus healed the man physically but was even more concerned about his spiritual health.
In verses 16-24, the Jews started persecuting Jesus because He was healing people on the Sabbath. Jesus said My Father is Working so I am working. The officials were even angrier because Jesus was making Himself equal to God.
Jesus continued saying He only did what the Father does. He does nothing on His own. The Father judges no one but has given the role of judgment to the Son so that everyone will honor the Son as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father.
In verses 24-30, continuing, Jesus said, anyone who hears My word and believes has eternal life and will not face judgment. The hour is coming when all those in the grave will hear His voice and come out: those who have done good things to resurrection life, those who did evil to resurrection judgment.
Note: The reference to “doing good things/evil things” does not imply salvation by works. The good thing is to accept Jesus as God’s Son. The evil thing is to reject Him.
In verses 31-47, Jesus provides four witnesses to His truth:
- There is another (v. 32)
- John the Baptist (v. 33)
- God the Father (v. 37)
- The Scripture (v. 39)
Jesus said they do not love God because they had rejected Him. You don’t even believe Moses because if you believed Moses you would believe Me because he wrote about Me.
Some thoughts for additional consideration:
- The Samaritan woman and the royal official both believed Jesus, accepted Him as Messiah, and went and told others. Many came to believe in Christ as a result of their testimony. Who is our testimony bringing to Christ?
- In contrast to the Samaritan woman and the royal official, the Jewish leadership knew about Jesus, heard His teaching, and witnessed his miracles, yet they remained hard-hearted rejecting His truth.
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
