1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
Chapter 4 of the Book of John in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible delivers profound messages about faith, salvation, worship, and the nature of God. It presents significant narratives that include Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman at the well, His discourse on spiritual thirst, and His healing of an official's son. This chapter also depicts Jesus' teachings on the true worship of God and His revelation as the Messiah.
The chapter opens with Jesus deciding to leave Judea and return to Galilee because the Pharisees had heard about His increasing popularity. His journey takes Him through Samaria, where He stops at Jacob's well. There, He encounters a Samaritan woman. This encounter is significant because Jews typically avoided interactions with Samaritans due to longstanding ethnic and religious tensions. However, Jesus intentionally crosses these boundaries to reveal His identity as the Messiah and to offer the woman living water.
The woman, initially skeptical, questions Jesus about His ability to provide water without a bucket and about His claim to offer better water than Jacob, their ancestor. Jesus responds by introducing a metaphor that contrasts physical thirst with spiritual thirst. He offers living water, a spiritual sustenance that quenches spiritual thirst and leads to eternal life. This conversation symbolizes the transition from old covenant rituals to the new covenant of faith in Christ.
The Samaritan woman's conversation with Jesus deepens when He reveals His knowledge of her personal life. He tells her about her five husbands and the man she currently lives with, demonstrating His supernatural knowledge and prophetic insight. This revelation prompts the woman to recognize Jesus as a prophet. She then raises a controversial subject—the proper place to worship God. Jesus responds by pointing beyond physical locations to spiritual worship, stating, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24 KJV).
Jesus' statement emphasizes that true worship transcends physical and cultural boundaries. He introduces a new paradigm of worship not confined to a specific place or form but centered on spirit and truth. This teaching underscores the universal reach of God's salvation and the inclusivity of the Christian faith.
The woman then mentions her expectation of the Messiah, to which Jesus responds, "I that speak unto thee am he" (John 4:26 KJV). This is the first time in the Gospel of John that Jesus openly reveals His identity as the Messiah. This revelation to a Samaritan woman underlines the breaking down of barriers - gender, ethnic, and social - in the new order inaugurated by Jesus.
As the conversation with the Samaritan woman concludes, Jesus' disciples return and are surprised to find Him talking with her. After the woman leaves to share the news about Jesus in her town, the disciples urge Jesus to eat. This leads to another metaphorical teaching about spiritual sustenance. Jesus explains that His nourishment comes from doing God's will and finishing His work. He then speaks of a spiritual harvest, encouraging His disciples to open their eyes and see that the fields are ripe for harvest.
This metaphor of the harvest underscores the urgency of the mission to spread the Gospel and the joy that accompanies the gathering of spiritual fruit. It also illustrates the principle of shared labor and reward in God's kingdom, as Jesus says, "One sows and another reaps" (John 4:37 KJV).
The latter part of the chapter narrates Jesus' return to Cana in Galilee, where He heals an official's son. The official pleads with Jesus to come and heal his son, who is at the point of death. Instead of going with the official, Jesus demonstrates His ability to heal from a distance, saying, "Go thy way; thy son liveth" (John 4:50 KJV). The official believes Jesus' words and discovers on his return that his son was healed at the exact time Jesus had spoken.
This miracle not only affirms Jesus' divine power but also highlights the role of faith in receiving God's blessings. The official's faith is evident in his journey to find Jesus, his persistent plea for his son's healing, and his belief in Jesus' words. This faith results in the physical healing of his son and the spiritual salvation of his household, as they all come to believe in Jesus.
Chapter 4 of the Book of John presents transformative encounters and teachings of Jesus that reveal the core themes of the Gospel. The narrative of the Samaritan woman at the well symbolizes the transition from old religious practices to the new covenant of faith in Christ. It also illustrates the universal nature of God's salvation and the inclusivity of the Christian faith. The metaphor of living water represents the spiritual sustenance and eternal life that Jesus offers.
The revelation of Jesus as the Messiah to a Samaritan woman underscores the breaking down of cultural and social barriers in God's kingdom. The teaching on true worship emphasizes that worship is not about physical locations or rituals but a spiritual act of adoring God in spirit and truth. The metaphor of the harvest portrays the urgency of the Gospel mission and the principle of shared labor and reward in God's kingdom.
The healing of the official's son illustrates Jesus' divine power and the role of faith in receiving God's blessings. It demonstrates that faith in Jesus can result in physical healing and spiritual salvation. These themes collectively underscore the transformative power of faith in Jesus, the universal reach of God's salvation, and the call to worship God in spirit and truth.
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