4.1

made and baptized more disciples than John Referring us back to John 3:22-36 and the controversy that accompanied His ministerial growth.

4.1.1

Jesus didn't only have the twelve apostles, but had many more disciples under His headship. Even today the Lord continues to make and baptize disciples for His church.

4.2

(though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples) Jesus is a great teacher; He empowers the disciples to do the work of baptizing for soon He will return to the right hand of the Father and they must continue on Earth.

4.3

In the latter half of John 3 there was a dispute that arose between John's disciples and the Jews regarding what Jesus was doing (John 3:25). This dispute apparently was heard also by the Pharisees who were grieved at Jesus' growth. Jesus, being aware of the hearts of all men (John 2:25), decided it was best to leave because it was not yet His time to die.

Jesus Himself taught His disciples: "When they persecute you in this city, flee to another (Matthew 10:23)." When the Jews began to persecute them they went on their way to a new city to share the gospel.

4.4

But He needed to go through Samaria. Interesting that the author adds the phrase but He needed for surely Jesus could have, although inconvenient, circumvented (went around) Samaria. Yet, as Jesus was led to the wilderness to be tempted (Matthew 4:1) here He is also led to Samaria by the Spirit.

4.4.1

Going through Samaria would not have been controversial for Jews even though they did not associate with Samaritans at all. Just highlights Jesus’ mission for them as well, for He could have just as easily went around.

4.5

He came to a city...called Sychar It took 64.623 miles to get from Judea to Galilee (2-3 days) is the approximate distance. Sychar sat right in the middle at about 30 miles from Judea Jesus had to walk to get to this city. Jesus truly is the Good Shepherd that leaves the 99 sheep to find the one.

Matthew 18:11-14 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. [12] "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? [13] And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. [14] Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

4.6

Jesus...being wearied from His journey Multiple encouraging notes here of our Lord and Savior. He was a servant leader. Jesus didn't come for the enjoyment of earthly comforts and pleasures: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head (Luke 9:58)." He came to work and work diligently, but even He in His humanity was wearied. We are comforted that our Lord knows what is like to be tired.

4.6.1

sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. This would have been the beginning of the hottest time of the day.

4.6.2

Although Jesus is said to be tired, He is about to exemplify the scripture: "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart (Galatians 6:9)."

4.7

“Give Me a drink.” Jesus begins to show us tips for evangelism. He begins a conversation using a normal earthly topic and will use it to explain heavenly things.

4.7.1

It would've been completely normal for Jesus to have ignored the woman as a Samaritan, but surprisingly she is asked for a drink by Him. Jewish men typically believed that Samaritan women were unclean, even more reason why this is a shock to her.

4.7.2

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9

4.8

For His disciples had gone...to buy food. We see the intention of Jesus for personal relationship. He sets the atmosphere for an encounter between just Him and her.

4.8.1

We must also discern when to evangelize by ourselves versus with others. The disciples, as shown in verse 27, had a fleshly view of this conversation and may have hindered Jesus had they been there from the beginning.

4.9

How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me... To the Jews, Samaritan women were thought to be continually unclean. Jesus here shows another powerful characteristic of His coming: He can clean the unclean.

He is the one who can clean in David's Psalm 51:7 "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

4.10

If you knew the gift of God ... If you knew Me; if you knew who you were speaking with, you wouldn't be so concerned about me asking you for water. In actuality you would ask me for living water!

4.10.1

What is this Living water? Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the LORD is a fountain (spring of water) of life (living), To turn one away from the snares of death."

Jesus spoke in John 7:38-39, "'He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

4.11

Sir, You have nothing to draw with... Just like Nicodemus in the previous chapter, the Samaritan woman fails to see Jesus refering to spiritual things, not earthly.

4.14

springing up into everlasting life. Proverbs 14:27 says, "The fear of the LORD is a fountain (spring of water) of life (living), To turn one away from the snares of death." More confirmation of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of one who has living water. For Ephesians 1:13 let's us know that the Holy Spirit seals us until Christ returns.

4.15

‌Sir, give me this water the Samaritan woman, similar to Nicodemus, still only recognizes Jesus' teaching from a fleshly perspective.

4.16

Jesus shows phenomenal evangelism here. He knows the hearts of all men and uses this knowledge to convict and help through a seemingly normal statement. To her this statement would come off like: "Go call your husband so that you may both learn and inherit what I am offering."

4.17

However Jesus knew the position she currently was in for she immediately answers, "I have no husband." Her statement seems as though she was deflecting and in a way a denial of the facts. Yet, Jesus both acknowledges her denial of truth ‌You have well said.

4.18

Jesus takes the opportunity to clarify that He knows all things. He specifies the number of husbands that she had: five. And also states her current condition in adultery for ‌the one whom [she] now have is not your husband.

4.19

‌I perceive that You are a prophet She takes this opportunity to acknowledge His power. However, whether to discredit or understand better, she begins to go back to the division of the Jews and Samaritans over the proper place of worship.

4.21

The beauty in Jesus' response is that He doesn't directly acknowledge earthly quarrels, but immediately goes to heavenly truths that trump our divisive understanding. There is a new hour coming.

4.23

We are in the time where, as Jesus said, the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.

4.23.1

What does worshiping God in spirit entail? In spirit meaning it is an inward devotion and allegiance to the Lord Psalms 103:1. In truth meaning fully sincere worship of God. True worship focuses on the power of worship and not the ceremony.

4.24

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Operative word: must. If it isn't a worship that is penetrating your heart as recognition of the Father then it is vain babbling 1 Timothy 1:6

4.25

I know that Messiah is coming Can be read as, "I have no reason to object what you are saying, but I know there is one coming who will tell us what we should do and know."

4.26

Jesus has guided her on an evangelistic lesson, stating with water, pausing at her sin, teaching true worship, and lastly revealing the Savior. He calmly speaks, ‌I who speak to you am He. He shows here His patience and backs up His authority in everything He spoke to her previously.