John 3:22-4:26
Read Pray
3:22-36
What\’s happening?
Jesus\’ ministry popularity increases. The Baptist’s disciples exhibit jealousy over this and The Baptist shows humility, joy and devotion to Jesus in refusing to be jealous of Him.
3:26
Do y’all think this dispute was really over purification or something more? Jealously?
Jealously probably given “and all are going to Him!” bit.
But it is possible, however unlikely, that the Jew and John’s disciples did wish for a final say on the matter because they address John as “Rabbi” (3:26)
Notice John’s reply; he replies that authority is divinely given. In God’s eternal scheme of things, everyone has a purpose/place and John knew his place-preparer/forerunner for Jesus.
What is our place in God’s plan? What are we to do with our lives?
I think John has an answer for us in this illustration and in 3:30.
So here the Baptist uses a familiar OT illustration to explain his secondary position to Jesus. The bride is expressive in the OT of the ppl of Israel in their close relationship to God. The bride belongs to the bridegroom. Jesus is the bridegroom and His ppl are the bride (Eph 5:32). In the Jewish marriage ceremonies, the friend of the bridegroom often had certain duties to perform in advance of the final union. The friend would then stand and wait for the approach of the groom. Upon hearing the groom’s voice the best man could rejoice in a completed day and rejoice again when the groom voices his joy upon receiving the bride. Thus, the bridegroom, Jesus, is receiving His bride with joy and the friend of the Bridegroom also rejoices.
3:30
The answer to “what are we do with this life?” is here. The Baptist spent his ministry, probably his whole life is prepping for the Christ and now his joy, gladness is full. We are to live our lives like John here did-serving Christ and in that, we will be full of joy/satisfied. God is the only way to satisfaction. Sin might promise much but only leaves sadness/emptiness because it never fulfills its promises. All things outside of Jesus are vain attempts at satisfaction! It is only in Jesus we have all we need/want. Jesus satisfies. Have Jesus and live!
3:31-36
If these are the word of the Baptist then his last words were of the trustworthiness of Jesus as God’s representative. And those that don’t receive God’s representative are calling God a liar.
Application:
3:36
How would you describe your Christian life? Boring? Dry? Joyful? Exciting?
The Baptist here says we, believers of Jesus, have life and contrasts us with they that don’t receive Jesus. All they have is the just wrath of God on them.
So how is your Christian life and how does one gain life in Jesus?
John 3:25-26 are we more concerned with how we look/appear when evangelizing/ministry and boasting of ourselves? OR are we genuinely concerned for the person we’re talking to?
John’s joy was in Jesus (3:29) where is our joy? Ourselves/our ministry or Jesus? What does it mean to have joy in Jesus?
4:1-26
So what\’s happening here? And what do y’all think is the main point of the passage?
4:4
Y’all ready for a biblical geography lesson cuz you’re about to get one!
Jesus didn’t need to go thru Samaria at all to get to Galilee at all. It looks like it may have even been out of His way to go to Samaria to Galilee. Now Jesus could’ve gone thru Samaria for one of two reasons
1) He wasn’t restricted by the prejudices of the Jews or
2) He purposely passed thru there to plant the seed of the gospel that Philip would later reap (Acts 8).
It is also worth noting that this place has extreme historical value. This conversation happens were God first revealed Himself to Abram AND where Jacob and Esau reconcile after years of dispute. Both Abram and Jacob set up an altar to God at this location. God promises Abram Genesis 12:3 that He will bless those who bless Abram and that thru Abram he will be a blessing to the whole world. Here, Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise where He is a blessing to someone outside His own tribe. Moreover, this is where Jacob and Esau reunited and had peace with one another and I think Jesus is about to reunite these two tribes under a new banner/truth/covenant and may them His very own “tribe” if you will, His own bride.
Notice we are Jesus\’ bride. Think about the depth, the intimacy of that statement. We must know God and God knows us. What are we, just dust, that God should know us at all? Let alone want to know us.
So much in the same way that God revealed Himself to Abram and Jacob and Esau reconcile so Jesus. being God reveals Himself as such to a wayward daughter of Abram kinda like Jacob and Esau and this wayward Samaritan woman has reconciliation with God thru Jesus. And I think that\’s the importance of the location of this event.
4:6
While John’s gospel is the gospel of Deity it is also the Gospel of Jesus\’ humanity. The Lord was tried and needed refreshment to continue on in His journey/mission.
Application: Let us never think too highly of ourselves to think we are above the most simple things of life. For even Jesus Himself took a sit so we must be simple and truthful in our mission/purpose here on Earth. Hebrews 4:15-16 the author reminds us that the Lord experienced all these things so that He could help us in our time of need and He delights to help us in our trials. The Lord will indeed give you rest; if He needed it then you will too. And the Lord is about to show us how to rest.
“6th hour” the heat of the day and late in the day. It was uncommon that anyone would be at the well at this time because of the heat. Moreover, most, if not all, ppl would’ve gotten their water for the day already and refilled on their supply tomorrow in the colder part of the day. But this woman goes when no one else is there. Given her, rather adulteress life it can be assumed she was a social outcast of sorts.
4:9
It seems even the woman was shocked that Jesus, a Jew, and a man, would talk to her at all.
Notice how she Identifies herself, “a Samaritan woman”. that\’s it. That\’s her whole Identity and beyond that even we don’t know that much about her.
Application: what\’s our identity? What is our chief characteristic/attribute? Or rather how do we define ourselves?
I don’t think it\’s a coincidence that The Baptist just talked about his purpose and now we have a little discussion on Identity. Because once we know our purpose we can properly know/have our Identity.
4:9
Insert study note about Jews and Samaritans here to explain why they don’t deal with each other
4:10
What\’s Jesus saying here?
“If you only know (but you don’t) who it is…He would have given you living water (but He cannot because you know Him not).”
No one receives this living water until they know Jesus. Faith comes by hearing of the word of God (Romans 10:17). Jesus is the source of eternal life/true life and we take this life thru Him/knowing Him.
“living water” refers to Isaiah 12:3 “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation”. Water, here in John, refers to salvation. Living refers to its life-giving to us. Water can quench the physical thirst but here Jesus refers to the soul’s thirst. Jesus claims to be the fulfillment of the OT prophecies concerning salvation/living water.
4:15
Here it seems that the woman may have thought of the living water as physical not something spiritual. (Shame??)
Throughout this conversation, Jesus continues to press into this woman’s life. Jesus cannot give the woman the living water/salvation until she thirsts for it/realizes her need for it. Thus Jesus forces the woman to see herself as one who needs this life-giving water with the phrase “go get your husband” to which she says she has none. Then Jesus goes in hard and tells her she is correct because she is in an adulterous relationship. Jesus then proceeds to tell her the story of her life. In all this Jesus has shown this woman her unrighteousness and her need for living water.
Then she realizes His supernatural power and does not deny His accusation but is then conceived that He is a prophet. Then she asks a question of worship to Jesus. To which He answers that the question of worship will not be of place/where but a question of how.
What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth?
To worship is a matter of the heart, will, and emotion and not a physical place and to worship in accordance with the revealed will of God in the bible. True worship is when the spirit, the immortal and invisible part of man speaks to and meets with God who is immortal and invisible. God wishes willing and obedient worship from His followers.
Notice the woman’s reaction when Jesus shows Himself the Messiah to her. She tells others just as we should too.