Semikkah7

03/20/2022 – Gospel of John fellowship – Chapter Four

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I will start with commentary with a question for the group at the end, then adding the standard questions again for our reference.

Barclay helped me out considerably with the background information of the running 400 year quarrel between the Jews and the Samaritans. (pgs #147 through # 172)

As to question #3 – “What themes stand out to you in this bible study?:

In all my many times reading through this chapter, Barclay points out a theme that hadn’t occurred to me before. Here is an excerpt:

“We have to note that this conversation with the Samaritan woman follows exactly the same pattern as the conversation with Nicodemus. (Insert note: The later is in the last chapter, chapter three). Jesus makes a statement. The statement is taken in the wrong sense. Jesus remakes the statement in an even more vivid way. It is still misunderstood; and then Jesus compels the person with whom he is speaking to discover and to face the truth for herself. That was Jesus’ usual way of teaching; and it was a most effective way, for, as someone has said: ‘There are certain truths which a man cannot accept, he must discover them for himself.”

Strict Jewish Rabbis forbade a rabbi from speaking to a Jewish woman in public, let alone a Samaritan woman. Jesus breaks that barrier and disarms the Samaritan woman with love. In his verse 27 – 42 commentary (pg 1526).

Just as Jesus declared to her that he was the Messiah that was coming, the disciples show up. The woman leaves her water jar, and heads directly to the town to share the Good News. I pick it up with an excerpt from Matthew Henry’s commentary:

under 2. (1), pg # 1526: “How solicitous she was to have her friends and neighbors acquainted with Christ. When she had found that treasure she called together her friends and neighbors (as Luke xvv. 9), not only to rejoice with her, but to share with her. Has he done us the honor to make himself know to others; nor can we do ourselves a great honor. This woman becomes an apostle. I have most opportunity, and therefore lie under the greatest obligations, to do good to those that live near me.”

If you want a peek of John Gill’s commentary, here is the link to the concluding verse commentary in the section, verse #42:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/john-4-42.html

Here is the very last clause in Gill’s commentary that I am going to pick up on:

 “their present knowledge of Christ was not a mere notional, speculative, and general one, but was special, spiritual, and saving, which they had from the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ; they approved of him as their Saviour; they trusted in him as such; they had an experimental acquaintance with him, and practically owned him; and which they attained to by hearing him.”

And where did that spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ come from but not only Jesus , but the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Here are some Bible verses that I would point out to support my premise:

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple good, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” Acts 16:14

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.” John 15: 16:17

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2: 8 – 10

“But when the kindness and love of god our Savior appeared he saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, weight become heirs having the hope of eternal life..” Titus 3: 5-7

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will —… In him we were also chosen having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1: 3-6; 11-12

“Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8: 33-34

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before your were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

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And here is a helpful excerpt from the last section in Chapter Four: “Jesus Heals the Official’s Son”, verse 46 through verse 54, picking it up from the bottom of page # 175 of Barclay’s Gospel of John Commentary, Volume 1:

“Here was a courtier who surrendered. He was not a man who got out of Christ what he wanted and then went away to forget. He and all his household believed. That would not be easy for him, for the idea of Jesus as the Anointed One of god must have cut across all his preconceived notions. Nor would it be easy for him at the court of Herod to profess faith in Jesus. he would have mockery and laughter to endure; and no doubt there would be those who thought that he had gone slightly mad.

But this courtier was a man who faced and accepted the facts. He had seen what Jesus could do; he had experienced it; and there was nothing left for it but surrender. He had begun with a sense of desperate need; that need had been supplied; and his sense of need had turned into an overmastering love. That must always be the story of the Christian life.”

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• What does the text reveal about God’s character? #1
• How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us? #2
• • What themes stand out to you in this bible study? #3
  • How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)? #4
  • What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before?  Is it explainable at this point? #5
  • Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s)  in our reading.  Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere in the Bible. #6
  • What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time?  Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.  #7
  • Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times. #8

Thoughts?

Soli Deo Gloria!