Leson 4 The Gospel of John, Chapters 4 and 5*

Jesus: The Living Water

Read John 4:1-26 (Jesus and the Samaritan woman)

Strong opposition to Jesus was already building in Judea, but it was not yet time for Jesus to be captured and put to death. He had much to teach us before He would offer His life to His enemies. At this time, because it would be difficult to minister in Judea, Jesus decided to return to Galilee for a while.

When traveling between Judea (in the south) and Galilee (in the north) most Jews would avoid the hostile territory of Samaria which lay between the two districts, and would travel the long route to the east of the Jordan River. But this time Jesus decided to travel directly through Samaria. In fact, in the original language of the Bible verse 4 says “it was necessary for him to go through Samaria.” Why was this “necessary”?

The answer is that this was the Father’s plan. God wanted to reach the Samaritan people, and that would begin with a woman at a well.

In chapter 3, Jesus reached out to a man. In chapter 4, to a woman.
In chapter 3 it was night. In chapter 4 it was the middle of the day.
In chapter 3 Jesus reached out to a Jew. In chapter 4 to a Samaritan.
In chapter 3 Jesus reached to a highly respected person. In chapter 4 to a person of low morals and reputation.

The point is that Jesus is the Savior of all nations, all genders, all social classes.

Why didn’t Jews normally associate with Samaritans?
What is the living water Jesus spoke of? (There are three possibilities. Look up the references below and state them.

John 4:14 – “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst”. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 7:38-39 – “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.”

Jeremiah 17:13 – “Lord, you are Israel’s hope; all who abandon you will be put to shame. They will disappear like names written in the dust, because they have abandoned you, the Lord, the spring of fresh water.”

We would have to allow any of these three possibilities. Living water was a term for fresh water that was not stagnant. Much drinking water came from cisterns that caught and held the rain water. The living water was a spring or running water that was continually fresh. But Jesus had a spiritual meaning in mind. He was not talking about water at all, but about life.

How did Jesus show the woman her need for the living water of the Gospel?
In verses 23 & 24 Jesus talks about worshiping God in spirit and in truth. What does he mean by this?
How did Jesus use the woman’s knowledge of Scripture to direct her to the truth that he is the Christ?

Read John 4:27-42 (Jesus brings the gospel to Samaria)

What changes occurred in the woman’s heart after she heard Jesus’ testimony?
In verse 32 Jesus told his disciples he already had food to eat. What food was he talking about?
What did Jesus mean when he told the disciples in verse 38 “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for?
What were the results of Jesus’ testimony to the Samaritan woman and her testimony to the people in her hometown?

Read John 4:43-54 (Jesus heals the official’s son)

The royal official came to Jesus because his son was near death and the situation looked hopeless. In desperation the father begged Jesus to come to heal his son. Jesus’ response in verse 48 seems heartless.

Why might Jesus have answered the way he did?
What good example did the royal official set through his request to Jesus in verse 49?
Jesus didn’t go with the man to heal his son. Instead Jesus left the father with only a promise. How does God often deal with us in the same way?

Chapter Five

Read John 5:1-15 (The healing at Bethesda)

This chapter tells us that Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate a “feast of the Jews.” This feast was probably one of the three pilgrimage feasts to which all Jewish males were expected to go—Passover, Pentecost or Tabernacles.

The identity of this feast is significant for the attempt to ascertain the number of Passovers included in Jesus’ ministry, and thus the number of years his ministry lasted. John explicitly mentions at least three different Passovers: the first in 2:13, 23 (see note on 2:13), the second in 6:4 and the third several times (e.g., in 11:55; 12:1). If three Passovers are accepted, the length of Jesus’ ministry was between two and three years. However, if the feast of 5:1 was a fourth Passover or assumes that a fourth Passover had come and gone, Jesus’ ministry would have lasted between three and four years.

Why did many disabled people come to the pool at Bethesda?
Why did the Jews confront the man Jesus had just healed? (See Jeremiah 17:21-22)
Why did Jesus give such a stern warning to the man he just finished healing?

Read John 5:16-30 (Jesus answers the Jews who wanted to kill him)

Why did the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus?
Jesus had already performed many amazing miracles during his public ministry. In verse 22 he promised greater things were still to be shown. What greater things was he talking about?
Jesus said the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son. What according to verses 17-30 what things can we be sure of concerning all the Son’s judgments?

Read John 5:31-47 (The testimony about Jesus)

In verse 32 Jesus said that others had given valid testimony in His favor? Who were these people and what was their testimony?

v.33

v.36

v.37

v.39

v.46

In a court of law, simple testimony on your own behalf was not enough to establish the truthfulness of your statement. But when the same testimony was given by another witness, the truth was established. The Father giving authority to Jesus, and the power to do miracles, was the second witness that established the truth of Jesus in any human court of law.

The leaders of the Jews spent much time studying the Old Testament Scriptures. What did Jesus show them they were failing to see in their studies?
Sometimes as Christians we do things we know are right according to God’s will yet it seems as if no one is supporting us or affirming that we are doing God’s will. How does Jesus’ testimony in these verses help us in those times?

Our next lesson will cover chapter 6, which contains one of the hardest sayings of Jesus. Take your time and prepare it carefully. Write down questions you want to ask. PAGE 2

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