John 4

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

And he must needs go through Samaria.

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.

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.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

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.

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.

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?

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

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.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

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.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

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 woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

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.

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

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.

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

And many more believed because of his own word;

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.

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

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.

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.

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.

Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

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.

And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

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.

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

What does John 4:1 mean?

Explanation

John 4:1 presents a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus Christ, as it marks a shift in the perception and reach of His work.

The verse suggests a growing influence of Jesus in the region, which caught the attention of the Pharisees, a prominent Jewish religious group of the time.

It specifically notes that Jesus was gaining a significant following, as indicated by the number of disciples He was making, a number that apparently surpassed that of John the Baptist.

The verse also points out that Jesus himself did not baptize, but His disciples did. The deeper meaning here may indicate the transition from the preparatory work of John the Baptist to the fuller revelation and ministry of Jesus.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of John was written in the context of early Christianity and reflects the theological perspectives, experiences, and challenges of the Christian community towards the end of the first century.

At this particular point in the narrative, Jesus was active in His public ministry, traveling and preaching within Judea and Galilee.

John the Baptist had been a significant religious figure, calling people to repentance and baptism as preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

The Pharisees were known for their strict adherence to the Torah and were often concerned about maintaining religious purity and authority.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse may be viewed from several perspectives:

Preeminence of Jesus: This verse highlights Jesus' growing preeminence over John the Baptist, underscoring the belief that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan.
Role of the Pharisees: The mention of the Pharisees reflects a recurrent theme in the Gospels, Jesus’ challenges to the religious authorities of the time.
Baptism: The act of baptism and the fact that it was Jesus' disciples who were baptizing, not Jesus Himself, can lead to discussions on the nature of Christian baptism and the authority given to the disciples.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in various ways:

Discipleship: The growth of Jesus' disciples encourages believers to actively share their faith and make disciples.
Vigilance and Humility: The Pharisees' response serves as a reminder to be vigilant about one’s attitudes towards religious leaders and the need for humility in leadership.
Servant Leadership: Jesus empowering His disciples to baptize shows the importance of delegating responsibilities within a community.

Cross-References

Matthew 28:19 – "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
John 3:26 – "And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him."
Acts 1:5 – "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."

Language Study

Key words in this verse include:

"Knew" (Greek: ἔγνω, "egnō"): This word suggests awareness or understanding, indicating that Jesus was cognizant of the Pharisees' knowledge.
"Disciples" (Greek: μαθητής, "mathētēs"): This word refers to someone who follows and learns from a teacher; a student or adherent.
"Baptized" (Greek: βαπτίζω, "baptizō"): To immerse or submerge, often used metaphorically to refer to the rite of Christian baptism.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparing this verse with other ancient religious texts, one can explore themes such as the transition of spiritual authority or the role of baptismal rites in various religious traditions.

The concept of a religious leader attracting followers and performing rituals has parallels in many ancient cultures.

Scientific Perspectives

The reference to "more disciples" can be analyzed with respect to social psychology, particularly in understanding how movements grow and the factors that contribute to shifts in group dynamics or ideological allegiances.

commentaries

Various expert commentaries on John 4:1 often focus on the transition from John the Baptist's ministry to that of Jesus. They also discuss the implications of the Pharisees’ reaction.

Some suggest that the verse emphasizes the success of Jesus' ministry in terms of the number of followers and the concern this caused among the Pharisees. Others might explore the symbolism of baptism and its connection to the idea of spiritual renewal and purification.

John 4

John 4

What does John 4:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 4:1 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?