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.
The Pharisees were apparently jealous and angry that Jesus was even more popular among the people than John the Baptist. Rather than provoke them before the correct time, Jesus left Judea and returned to His home region of Galilee. Many believe this corresponds in time with Mat 4:12 and Luke 4:14.
Why Jesus did not perform baptisms Himself we are not told. The Apostle Paul, though an eminent evangelist, likewise did not baptize (1Cor 1:14-17), and the reason he gives is that his God-ordained mission was to preach the Gospel, and not to perform baptisms. Jesus’ mission was to proclaim to Mankind that the Kingdom of God had come unto them (Mat 4:17), and that each must enter it to be saved.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
The region of Samaria, which used to be part of ancient Israel (the lands of Manasseh and Ephraim), lay between the region of Judea with its capitol city of Jerusalem and the region of Galilee, the northernmost area of Israel. Most travelers between the two regions would pass through Samaria, though some say that the strictest Jews would go around Samaria by crossing the Jordan River and travelling through Perea until north of Samaria, where they must re-cross the Jordan to enter Galilee. Though they were related peoples, the Jews and Samaritans were in constant friction due to religious differences. See note on verse 9.
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.
Sychar is the Shechem of the OT, which was a very ancient city with a storied history in the Bible (Gen 12:6; Josh 21:21; Judges 9; 1Kings 12:25). Joseph’s bones were carried from Egypt and buried in Shechem (Josh 24:32), at the parcel of land Jacob had given to Joseph before his death (Gen 33:18-20). However, Jacob’s well at Shechem is not mentioned in the Scriptures, nor in the ancient Jewish writings, so it was probably based upon oral tradition.
The sixth hour in Jewish time would be midday.
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.)
Jesus sent His disciples into the city to buy food while He rested at the well, but the real reason did not go with them was because He had an appointment there. Was the well a busy place, with many people coming and going, or was Jesus alone until this woman appeared? Either way, Jesus knew the heart of this woman, and He knew these people of Samaria were open to His message. He had been sent to the house of Israel, and the Samaritans were part Israelite (Mat 15:24). Jesus did not polish over their religious system’s shortcomings (verse 22), yet did not treat them as Gentiles either.
Jesus used the well as a natural means of talking to the Samaritan woman. He got her attention by asking a favor of her, “Give me a drink.” The Samaritan probably knew He was a Jew because of His manner of dress, and she was surely surprised that He would even talk to her, much less ask a favor of her.
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.
The Samaritans were part-Jew, and had their own system of worship centered at a temple in Mount Gerizim (Mt Ebal). Their history apparently began in the time of king Jeroboam, when the Assyrians took the ten tribes of Israel into captivity. Some lower-class Jews were allowed to stay in the land, and some Assyrians were transplanted there (2Kings 17:24). The resulting mixed society grew, and asserted themselves when the two tribes attempted to rebuild Jerusalem after their own captivity in Babylon. Sanballat, one of their leaders, tried very hard to discourage the Babylonian Jews from rebuilding, but without success. The Jews did not much appreciate the Samaritans, and were known to not accept the slightest gift or favor from a Samaritan.
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?
The Scriptures use the term living water in figurative reference to God, and by extension to His Word and Holy Spirit (Jer 2:13; Zech 14:8; John 7:37-39; Rev 7:17), but literally it signified running water, such as a stream or fountain. The woman did not immediately perceive that Jesus was speaking about a spiritual source of life, but neither did that eminent Pharisee Nicodemus perceive that Jesus was speaking spiritually when He said, Ye must be born again (John 3:3-4).
The physical characteristics of water compare well with the tri-une God, for it exists in three forms (steam, liquid, ice) and yet its essence is the same: 2 molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen.
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.
Just as physical life requires a continuous supply of food and water, spiritual life requires a continuous supply of God’s Word and His Spirit. The Apostle John develops this analogy perhaps more than any other writer of the Scriptures (see John 4:32; 7:37-39; 6:32-35; Rev 10:9).
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.
Did Jesus ask the woman to bring her husband because it was the proper thing to do, or because He wanted to demonstrate His power? Maybe both. The marriage bond is far better representative of God’s grace when both parties belong to Christ (2Cor 6:14), and evangelistic efforts should always attempt to reach both husband and wife. Clearly, however, Jesus chose His question in order to reveal Himself, to show her that He knew the facts of her life completely.
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.
In the Jewish religion, and apparently also among the Samaritans, divorce was lawful and common for any cause that the husband deemed valid, however, the woman was not allowed to divorce her husband. There is thus no direct condemnation in having more than one husband, but five husbands? This strongly indicates a moral deficiency in the woman, which feeling is even confirmed by the fact that she currently has a man which is not her lawful husband. Jesus doesn’t directly call her an adulterer, but they both know that she is.
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.
The religion of the Samaritans rejected the writings of the Prophets, and accepted only the five books of Moses. The Jews worshipped in Jerusalem, at Mount Zion, while the Samaritans worshipped at Mount Ebal. How different is Jesus’ command from that of Deut 16:5-6, which required the Jews to worship only in Jerusalem.
Upon hearing Jesus reveal the secrets of her life, the woman changes the subject and attempts to open an argument about which religion was correct. But Jesus will not be so easily sidetracked, and instead shows the woman her personal responsibility to worship the Father.
Jesus proclaims that the chosen year for salvation has come (Is 61:2), in which Judaism is declared obsolete and the worshippers at Mount Ebal are revealed to be imposters. Salvation is of the Jews, simply means that God revealed Himself to the Jews under the Old Covenant and promised that a Deliverer would arise among them that would bless all nations of the world – the New Covenant. No prophet arose from Samaria.
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.
The hour long promised now is, the new worship system composed under the New Covenant was even then being proclaimed. The true worshippers (intimating the many false varieties) shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. There is a wealth of meaning in this simple statement, and it is critical that we understand it, for the next verse declares its importance and necessity.
There are three essential determinations that must be correctly made in order to fulfill Jesus’ teaching in this passage:
- What is meant by worship, that is, what does it include and exclude?
- What does it mean to worship in spirit, that is, does it refer to the Holy Spirit, or an attitude in man?
- What does it mean to worship in truth.
Worship is commonly taken to refer to an act of adulation and praise that is usually practiced in public. In the Jewish religion, this was observed at the temple in Jerusalem, and included many rituals and sacrifices. However, Jesus’ words in this passage imply that such worship is no longer acceptable, but that true worshippers will worship God in a different manner. By denying that there is a designated place to worship God, Jesus is teaching the much greater truth that, in effect, each person is in constant worship, in every time and act of life. He is either worshipping God, or he is bowed at the altar of Self. Furthermore, it is Christ and Satan who are influencing which one we will worship. The true worshippers will follow the Spirit and obey the Truth, which is my basic understanding of this passage. It cannot apply only to the Sunday morning worship service.
Worship the Father in spirit. I think this primarily refers to the Holy Spirit of God (Eph 6:18), which was given to the Christian as a guide, to convict, to teach, and to reveal Christ’s will (John 16:13), and which lives in the heart of every true believer (Rom 8:9). Therefore the statement, God is a Spirit. As we have already said, worshipping God is more than an act of the human spirit, for it includes every decision and action that the worshipper makes.
To worship the Father in truth implies sincerity and honesty on the part of the worshipper, and accuracy in following the rules. One cannot please God by worshipping in a way He has not designated, no matter how sincere the heart may be in that worship. Many Muslims and Buddhists are sincere and devoted in their worship, yet since they are not worshipping truthfully, it counts for nothing to God.
In truth implies a simple heart intent on following God, a heart without hypocrisy and without conditions. A heart that refuses to invent excuses for not doing what the Word of God asks. It stands in contrast to the worship of the Samaritans, who Jesus said didn’t even understand what they were worshipping.
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?
The Samaritans did believe in a coming Messiah based on the Pentateuch (Deut 18:18), even though they didn’t worship in Jerusalem with the Jews. Upon the woman’s statement of belief, Jesus directly tells her that He is the promised Messiah. It is one of the few times Jesus verbally confesses to be the Christ. At this juncture, the disciples returned from their food search in the city, and they are amazed to see the two talking, not because she was a woman, but because she was a Samaritan.
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.
The woman’s testimony to the men in the city that the Christ was outside their walls was well received. Jesus stayed in that town for two days, and many believed on Him. After the door of salvation was opened to the Gentiles, these surely were eager to follow Jesus, and remember how He had taken the time to stop in their town. Yet, it was their openness and willingness that had brought Him there!
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?
Again Jesus confuses His disciples by speaking in figurative language instead of literal. Usually, He explained the meaning to those who were sincerely seeking to know the truth, but allowed those who did not want to hear Him to misunderstand.
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
God had sent Jesus to the world as the Redeemer (John 3:16; 17:4). Verses like these are misconstrued by the some to mean that Jesus is not God. However, the clearest verses to show that Jesus is God are found in this same book, so the correct conclusion is that Jesus, while fully God in person, is not God the Father. The doctrine of the Trinity is non-intuitive, much like Physics’ theory of relativity, which states that time is not a constant, but changes relative to the speed of the observer. See Col 1:15, John 1:14.
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.
Some think that Jesus is saying that the harvest was four months away, but more likely He refers to the fact that there are four months between seed-time and harvest, which seems to have been a Jewish saying (v37). Speaking spiritually, Jesus saw that the harvest was already ripe and even then being gathered into the barns, although there can be no doubt that He spoke this in anticipation of the great sowing and reaping that His disciples would accomplish after His death, as well as the evangelistic efforts throughout the Gospel Age. Jesus uses the harvest as an analogy to salvation on several other occasions too (Mark 4:3-20; Luke 10:2; Mat 13:24-43; 20:1-16).
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.
Jesus is the first and greatest Sower in the Kingdom of Heaven, but after Him were many more, such as the Apostle Paul, who planted the seed which Apollos later watered (1Cor 3:6-8). The reference to other men’s labor in preparing the world for the Kingdom probably means the prophets of the Old Testament, and also John the Baptist and Christ Himself. At this point in time, the disciples of Jesus, and even the 12 Apostles, had done virtually nothing to advance the Kingdom of Christ. They were simply witnesses of the glory that they would later proclaim to the world.
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.
Unlike the hard-hearted Jews, the Samaritans did not need to see the healings, signs and wonders before believing that Jesus was the Christ John 4:48. They believed on Him because of His own word. Jesus stayed 2 days in Sychar, maybe that is why He was later accused of being a Samaritan? (John 8:48).
This account could be considered a preliminary fulfillment of OT the prophecies announcing that when the Messiah came, the tribes of Israel would reunite and the Gentiles would be converted.
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.
Jesus and His disciples leave Samaria and continue to their destination, the region of Galilee. Verse 44 seems to be given as an explanation of why He chose not to go to His hometown Nazareth and instead came again to Cana; He knew that no prophet is well-received by his own acquaintances, and His own had already rejected Him. Jesus’ own family did not believe that He was the Messiah until after His resurrection. Luke apparently records the circumstances of this rejection, which led Jesus to testify that a prophet is not accepted by his own people (Luke 4:14-30).
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.
The word for nobleman is used elsewhere in connection with a king (Acts 12:20-21; James 2:8). This man may have been Herod’s regional representative in Galilee, and thus a well-known and important figure. It took an impressive amount of humility for him to come to Jesus and ask for healing, and it shows that his son’s sickness was very severe. Jesus was his last hope.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
Jesus may have made this remark in order to contrast His reception in Samaria to that of the Galileans (v45). The Samaritans had believed because of His own words (v41), but the Jews ever required a sign (1Cor 1:22), and even then would refuse to believe (John 6:30; Mark 8:11; Mat 12:39). Obviously, the farthest thing from this nobleman’s mind was to test Jesus by asking him for a miracle of healing; he simply did not want his son to die, and his last hope was that this Man was able to heal. However, Jesus used the occasion for His own motives, and His statement remains relevant for every reader of this Gospel. Jesus’ miracles were largely done to demonstrate that He was the Messiah, the Son of God (John 20:31).
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.
The people had no idea of the power of the Messiah because they did not recognize Him as the Son of God as yet. The nobleman thought that Jesus would need to be present to heal. Nevertheless, the level of his faith was up to the task, and when Jesus told him that his son would live, the man believed the word and went his way.
Apparently the nobleman’s home was distant enough that it was the next day before he met his servants. Cana and Capernaum were about a day’s journey apart. The servants came with the glad tidings that the man’s son was alive and improving, and by comparing times, they recognized that the fever had left at the same hour Jesus had spoken the word.
The seventh hour in Roman time would be 7 PM, in Jewish time it would be 1 PM.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
This is the second miracle that Jesus worked in Galilee, not the second miracle of His ministry. He had worked many other signs and wonders in Jerusalem and Judaea (John 2:23).