A Study of John's Gospel

John 4:7-9: Jesus is Different

Jesus is Different

A study of John 4:7-9

"A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)"

‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:

-Woman: "gynē", "γυνή"; feminine noun - a woman of any age; as a form of address, may be used either in admiration (Matt. 15:28) or indignation (Luke 22:57), or in kindness or favor (John 4:21; Luke 13:12), or in respect (John 2:4).

-Samaria: "Samareia", "Σαμάρεια"; proper locative noun - Samaria = 'guardianship', a territory in Palestine which had Samaria as its capital.

-To Draw: "antleō", "ἀντλέω"; verb - properly: to draw out a ship's bilge-water, to bale or pump out. Universally: to draw water.

-Water: "ydōr", "ὕδωρ"; neuter noun - water.

-A Drink: "pinō", "πίνω"; verb - to drink.

-Disciples: "mathētēs", "μαθητής"; masculine noun - a learner, disciple, pupil.

-Had Gone Away: "aperchomai", "ἀπέρχομαι"; verb - to go away from a place, to depart.

-City: "polis", "πόλις"; feminine noun - a city; In John 4:8: the city of Sychar, capital of Samaria.

-Buy: "agorazō", "ἀγοράζω"; verb - to buy (properly, in the marketplace).

-Food: "trophē", "τροφή"; feminine noun - food, nourishment.

-Dealings: "sygchraomai", "συγχράομαι"; verb - to associate with, to have dealings with.

Observation/Summary (short explanation of what the passage says in your own words):

As Jesus sat down by Jacob's well in Samaria near the city of Sychar, a Samaritan woman came to draw water. Jesus was tired and thirsty from his journey so He asked the woman to give Him a drink because His disciples had all gone into the city to buy food. In response, the woman asked how He, being a Jew, could ask her, a Samaritan woman, for a drink of water because Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with each other due to deep rooted historic animosity.

Implication (what does this mean to us):

This passage is the beginning of a conversation between Jesus and a woman from Samaria. John the gospel writer intentionally placed this conversation right after Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus in this gospel account. We are meant to see the contrast between Nicodemus, a pious, influential Jewish ruler and teacher of God's Law, and this Samaritan woman who was performing menial labor during the hottest part of the day. Nicodemus would have been considered to be the absolute 'cream of the crop' in Jewish Society, and this woman from Samaria would have been viewed as the lowest of the low. We will see that Jesus addresses her perhaps a little differently than Nicodemus, but no less lovingly. For every contrast we see between this woman and Nicodemus, we can see similarities in the way Jesus speaks to them and in what he tells them.

The form of the message may alter slightly, but the content remains the same: Jesus loves everyone from every nation, ethnicity and social class, and whether a person is from the upper classes of society or the absolute gutter, all people stand condemned before God for sin. But all people have also had the same great salvation that is obtained by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus offered to them. Where we see societal and ethnic differences, Jesus sees people equally and desperately in need of Spiritual rebirth through faith in Him. We will also notice how Jesus starts with a seemingly abstract concept, and then slowly expands on it while in conversation to help the person He talks to understand Him. With Nicodemus, He started with our need to be "born again," and with this woman He will begin, in verse 10, by telling her about the 'living water' only He can supply.