Review and John 4

1. Review
1. John’s Statement of Purpose
1. John 20:30-31 – “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
2. Key words in this statement
1. Signs
1. Signs normally refer to miraculous events
2. John has eight miracles or signs.
1. The signs of John are especially chosen from many possible ones.
2. The signs of John have the special purpose of demonstrating that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
2. Believe; the Gospel of John is written so that people might believe.
3. Life; John is written so that those who believe might have life.
2. The Signs in the Gospel of John
1. The changing of water into wine (John 2:1-11)
1. Revealing the power of Christ over quality (John 2:9-10)
2. Caused the disciples to believe on Christ (John 2:11)
3. Named the first miracle (John 2:11)
2. The healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-54)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over distance (John 4:46)
2. Caused the nobleman and his house to believe (John 4:53)
3. Named the second miracle (John 4:54)
3. The healing of the lame man (John 5:1-9)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over time; He did not have to wait for the stirring of the water (John 5:5).
2. Brought faith and forgiveness to the lame man (John 5:13-15)
4. The feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-14)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over quantity (John 6:9-13)
2. Caused the multitude to believe that He was “that prophet” (John 6:14)
5. The walking on the water (John 6:16-21)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over natural law (John 6:19-20)
2. Caused the disciples to believe in Him as the Son of God (Matthew 14:32-33; John 6:67-69)
6. The healing of the man born blind (John 9:1-12)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over darkness (John 9:1-7)
2. Caused the blind man to believe in Christ and to worship Him (John 9:35-38)
7. The raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46)
1. Revealed the power of Christ over death (John 11:25-26, 38-44)
2. Caused many of the Jews to believe on Jesus (John 11:45; John 12:9-11, 17-19)
3. These seven miracles were performed during the regular earthly ministry of Christ. The eighth is recorded after the resurrection of Christ.
8. The draught of fishes (John 21:4-11)
1. Revealed the power of Christ in the work of His disciples (John 15:5)
2. Caused the disciples to know Jesus as Lord (John 21:12)
3. Key Shifts in the Gospel of John
1. The coming of His hour
1. Not yet come (John 2:4; John 7:30; John 8:20)
2. Now come (John 12:23, 27; John 13:1; John 16:32; John 17:1)
2. The identity of “his own”
1. In John 1:11, “his own” are the Jews who reject Jesus.
2. In John 13:1, “his own” are the disciples who believed in Jesus.
3. Growing rejection of Jesus and His message
1. First unorganized attempt to kill Him (John 5:16-18)
2. First major departure of His disciples (John 6:66)
3. First organized attempt to seize Him (John 7:30-32)
4. First organized attempt to kill Him (John 11:47-51, 57)
5. Final rejection of His miracles (John 12:37)
2. THE DIVISIONS OF THE BOOK
1. Discovery
1. Chapters 1-4
2. He reveals Himself
1. To the disciples of John (chapter 1)
2. To the Jews of Galilee (chapter 2)
3. To Nicodemus of the Pharisees (chapter 3)
4. To the woman of Samaria (chapter 4)
2. Division
1. Chapters 5-10
2. The key word division is found three times in John (John 7:43; John 9:16; John 10:19); all within this section of the book.
3. This is the time when opposition to Jesus develops and grows.
3. Denial
1. Chapters 11-12
2. Because of the resurrection of Lazarus, the Jewish council and high priest make specific plans to put Jesus to death; their rejection is final.
4. Devotion
1. Chapters 13-17
2. Jesus speaks to “his own” (John 13:1), not as simple servants, but as friends (John 15:15). Many look at this section of John as the holy of holies in the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ.
5. Death
1. Chapters 18-19
2. Jesus is taken in judgment and is crucified.
6. Deliverance
1. Chapter 20
2. Jesus rises again from the dead in complete triumph.
7. Direction
1. Chapter 21
2. After His resurrection, Jesus gives encouragement and direction to His faithful disciples.

                   Reaching Souls from Samaria to Cana                                        John 4:1-54 

1. CHRIST’S TRIP THROUGH SAMARIA (John 4:1-6)
1. Comparison of the Witness of Christ in John 3 and 4
1. A named man (John 3:1) and an unnamed woman (John 4:7)
2. A ruler (John 3:1) and a woman of lowly means (John 4:7)
3. A favored Jew (John 3:1) and a despised Samaritan (John 4:9)
4. One of high reputation (John 3:1) and an outcast (John 4:18)
5. One who sought Christ (John 3:2) and one who was sought by Christ (John 4:4; Isaiah 65:1)
6. One who came by night (John 3:2) and one who came at midday (John 4:6)
7. One who is self-righteous and told he must be born again (John 3:3) and one who knows she is a sinner and is told of the gift of God (John 4:10)
2. The Purpose of His Departure (John 4:1-2)
1. Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John (John 4:1).
2. The Pharisees heard of His success (John 4:1).
3. Note: though Jesus did not do the baptizing (John 4:2)
4. Comments
1. Those being baptized were disciples before they were baptized; they were not made disciples by being baptized.
2. Baptism does not save because Jesus is the Saviour of men (Luke 19:10; but He did not baptize men.
3. Compare this with the testimony of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Corinthians 1:14-15).
3. The Path of His Journey (John 4:3-4)
1. From Judaea to Galilee (John 4:3)
2. Requiring a trip through Samaria (John 4:4)
1. Though orthodox Jews would sometimes bypass the city because of its perversion of doctrine
2. Though Jesus told His own disciples to avoid the cities of the Samaritans (Matthew 10:5-6)
3. The “musts” of the life of Christ
1. He must be about His Father’s business (Luke 2:49).
2. He must preach the kingdom of God (Luke 4:43).
3. He must increase (John 3:30)
4. He must work the works of Him that sent Him (John 9:4).
5. He must needs go through Samaria (John 4:4).
6. He must abide at the house of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:5).
7. He must walk today and tomorrow (Luke 13:33).
8. He must suffer many things (Mark 8:31; Mark 9:12; Luke 9:22; Luke 17:25).
9. He must be killed (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Luke 24:7; John 3:14; John 12:34).
10. He must rise again the third day (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Luke 24:7; John 20:9).
11. The scriptures must be fulfilled (Mark 14:49; Luke 22:37; Luke 24:44).
12. He must bring the other sheep (John 10:16).
4. The Place of His Resting (John 4:5-6)
1. The context (John 4:5-6a)
1. A city of Samaria called Sychar
2. Near land given to Joseph by Jacob (Genesis 48:21-22)
1. Possessed by Jacob
2. Presented to Joseph
3. A picture of salvation and of the victorious Christian life
3. At the site of Jacob’s well
2. The occasion (Luke 4:6b)
1. Jesus resting
1. Wearied with His journey – God never gets weary (Isaiah 40:28), but Jesus in His humanity became weary.
2. The disciples gone to town for food (John 4:8)
3. Jesus sat at the well; He will use His surroundings and the occasion of the woman coming for water as the beginning point for His witness to her. Note: a great study is to be found in all the events in the Bible connected to wells.
2. About the sixth hour
1. If Roman time, this would be about six in the morning.
2. Probably Jewish time, which would put the time around noon.
3. This would be when the day was hot and not the normal time of coming for water; the Samaritan woman was evidently an outcast among her own and especially from the women (even when she spread the word of Christ, she went to the men – John 4:28). Therefore, she was coming when the others were not there.
3. The Samaritans
1. Partial Jews who were the result of intermarriage of the ten tribes with foreign races after the captivity of Israel (2 Kings 17:24-41)
2. Claimed that Mt. Gerizim was the true sanctuary (John 4:19-22; Deuteronomy 11:29)
3. Accepted only the Pentateuch as scripture
4. Not recognized by the Jewish purists (John 4:9)
2. CHRIST’S TESTIMONY TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN (John 4:7-26)
1. His Encounter with the Woman (John 4:7-9)
1. The opportunity (John 4:7-8)
1. Christ and the woman at the well while the disciples were gone
2. The importance of seeking, recognizing and using doors of opportunity for witnessing (Colossians 4:3-4; Revelation 3:8)
2. The request (John 4:7), “Give me to drink.”
1. Connected to the place and occasion
2. Creating a question in the mind of the woman
3. Leading to the subject of salvation
3. The confusion (John 4:9)
1. He was a Jew.
2. He spoke to a woman.
3. He made request of a Samaritan.
2. His Exposition on the Water of Life (John 4:10-14)
1. The gift of God (John 4:10)
2. The gift to those who ask (John 4:10; Isaiah 55:1; Acts 8:20)
3. The gift of Jesus Christ (John 4:10-12; Romans 5:15)
4. The gift of everlasting life (John 4:13-14; Revelation 22:17)
3. His Examination of her Heart (John 4:15-19)
1. Her pining (John 4:15); there must be something better than this.
2. Her problem (John 4:16-18); her sinful condition kept her from the water of life.
3. Her perception (John 4:19); that Christ was a prophet