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 4:54 mean?

Explanation

John 4:54 marks an important moment in the Gospel of John where a second miraculous sign is attributed to Jesus.

This verse concludes the story where Jesus heals the son of a royal official without being physically present with the child.

It is significant because it underscores Jesus' authority and power to perform miracles from a distance, illustrating that Jesus' power is not limited by physical proximity.

He had just returned to Galilee from Judea, and He is being welcomed by the Galileans who had seen all that He did at Jerusalem at the feast.

The verse speaks to the growing recognition of Jesus' divine power and authority. It also shows the developing faith of the people in His capacity to heal and perform wonders.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of John was written towards the end of the first century AD.

At this time, the Christian community was defining itself apart from traditional Judaism.

Galilee was a region with mixed ethnicities, including Jews and Gentiles.

Jesus' return from Judea (the Jewish heartland and location of the Temple in Jerusalem) to Galilee (where he grew up and started his ministry) signifies a move from a Jewish-centric ministry to the more inclusive setting of Galilee.

This verse suggests that His reputation preceded Him, as the Galileans welcomed Him with anticipation, possibly because of what they had seen Him do at the Passover festival in Jerusalem.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse emphasizes the belief in Jesus' messianic role and divine authorship of life.

In John's Gospel, signs and miracles are symbolic and reveal something about Jesus' identity as the Son of God.

The healing of the official's son is not just a physical healing but also signifies the restoration of life through faith in Christ.

The acknowledgment of this miracle as the second sign points to John's intention in structuring his Gospel around a series of signs that lead to faith and reveal Jesus as the Messiah.

Practical Applications

This verse invites believers to reflect on the nature of their faith in Jesus Christ. It challenges us to ask whether our faith requires physical evidence or if we are able to believe based on the testimony of Scripture and the experiences of others.

The verse also offers hope to those seeking intervention, demonstrating that God's help is not bound by physical limitations and that faith can be exercised from afar.

Cross-References

John 2:11: "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
John 4:46-53: The entire story of Jesus healing the official's son which culminates in John 4:54.
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."

Language Study

The key terms in this verse that merit a closer look are "miracle" and "did.” The term translated as "miracle" in the King James Version is σημεῖον (sēmeion), which is more accurately translated as "sign." Sēmeion in the context of John's Gospel is used to signify a miracle that reveals divine truth or character.

"Did" (Greek: ἐποίησεν, epoiēsen) carries with it a notion of creating or making, which could indicate the creative power of Jesus' actions.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths and religious interpretations, Jesus' miracles stand out as signs that point to a higher truth about His identity and mission, rather than simply acts of power for their own sake.

In contrast, many pagan myths involve deities performing incredible feats as demonstrations of might without deeper significance or as part of their interactions with other deities or humans, often driven by personal motives or conflicts.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientifically, miracles such as those described in the Gospel of John do not have explanations because they lie outside the realm of natural occurrences and scientific understanding.

They are supposed to transcend natural laws, which is what makes them miracles.

A contemporary scientific approach might seek psychological or medical explanations for reported healings, but from the perspective of faith, miracles are primarily about spiritual truths rather than empirical evidence.

Commentaries

Commentaries on John 4:54 highlight a few key themes: the nature of Jesus' signs, the development of faith, and the geographical movement of Jesus' ministry.

Many commentators point out how John structures his narrative around miraculous signs which are designed to bring people to faith. There's also discussion about the significance of Jesus' movement from Judea to Galilee, which reflects theological implications for his mission and audience.

Commentators like Matthew Henry underscore the power and mercy of Christ in responding to the desperate plea of a concerned father, while others focus on the function of this miracle within the larger framework of John's Gospel and its Christology.

John 4

John 4

What does John 4:54 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 4:54 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?