John 4:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

NIV: So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

NASB: So He *came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

CSB: so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph.

NLT: Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Genesis 33:18–20 explains how Jacob acquired this piece of land. After being reunited with his estranged brother Esau, Jacob looks for a plot of land to build a settlement. He finds one and buys it from the sons of Hamor. Jacob was renamed "Israel" by God, becoming the patriarch of both the Jewish and Samaritan people (Genesis 32:28). Later, in Genesis 48:21–22, Israel (Jacob) would give this piece of land to his son, Joseph (Joshua 24:32).

For Jesus to be here was unusual. Samaritans were half-Jewish and half-Gentile. So, most Jews reviled them. This not only meant avoiding them, but even refusing to have any contact with them (John 4:9). Jesus, however, is here on a divine mission (John 4:4). His upcoming conversation with the woman at the well will provide valuable spiritual teachings. Even better, it will begin the process of spreading the gospel to the entire world (John 4:42).

John 4:5–26 describes one of the most famous moments in Jesus' earthly ministry. Here, He converses with a Samaritan woman. She is not only an ''unclean'' Samaritan, but also an outcast among her own people. At first, she attempts to avoid Jesus' teachings. Her answers suggest a clever mind, but they are also flippant and sarcastic. Despite that, and despite knowing all about her sin, Jesus encourages her with the love of God. This breaks through her hard heart; as a result, many others are brought to meet Christ. The disciples are also taught a valuable lesson about the purpose of their mission.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. He confronts her about sin, yet He also comforts her with the truth of the gospel. Even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, are reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.

John chapter 4 continues the use of contrast. Jesus goes from conversing with an educated, powerful, prestigious man (John 3:1–2) to talking to an outcast, unlearned, self-conscious woman. The combination of this passage, along with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, makes an important spiritual point: the gospel is for all people, in all places, and all times. Christ can reach each person exactly where he or she needs to be reached.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 11/23/2024 5:17:30 AM