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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
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MacArthur - During the Jewish revolt against Rome a few decades later (A.D. 70), the temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, and thousands of Samaritans would be slaughtered on Mount Gerizim. More significantly, the new covenant renders all external ceremonies and rituals, whether Jewish or Samaritan, obsolete. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text)
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MacArthur - Because they rejected most of the Old Testament (ED: THEY ONLY ACCEPTED THE PENTATEUCH), the Samaritans lacked the full revelation that it contained. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text)
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MacArthur says "Surely the Lord Jesus Christ, who came to “seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10+), would Himself have done whatever was necessary to bring sinners to salvation." See What is baptismal regeneration? W A Criswell comments on was not baptizing - Although Jesus honored baptism by continuing the practice, commanding it for all of His disciples and (though for a different reason) being baptized Himself, the Lord baptized no one. Since the Savior baptized no one, yet honored the practice in so many ways, three conclusions are inevitable: (1) baptism must be of great importance; (2) that importance is found in terms of the Christian's obedience to the lordship of Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 28:18-20+); and (3) the emphasis of the act is on the witness of baptism, since baptism can never save. Christian baptism is founded on the believer's willingness to live in union with a crucified and living Savior (cf. Ro 6:3-5+). (Believer's Study Bible) John
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MacArthur says "Since the woman failed to grasp the nature of the water He spoke of, Jesus moved the conversation to her need for repentance and salvation from sin....Jesus responded to the woman’s interest by offering her the opportunity to confess her sins and receive forgiveness to be purified and delivered from iniquity to righteousness." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here - This would force her hand. He is going to command her to do something He already knows she cannot do! Jesus in His omniscience knew that she did not have a husband,as He declared in the next passage. He knew that she had had 5 husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband and so was guilty of the sin of adultery. Even so Jesus is not "put off" by her incredible infidelity and immorality, but is still seeking to save this lost soul, a person many of us would have said is beyond saving! Jesus gives up on no one, no matter how heinous their past and horrible their present! No one values the physician until he feels the disease. -- J C Ryle Steven
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MacArthur points out that "It should also be noted that by refusing to call the man she was currently living with her husband, Jesus rejected the notion that merely living together constitutes marriage. The Bible views marriage as a formal, legal, public covenant between a man and a woman (Matt. 19:5–6)." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) This you have said truly - To what does this refer? To her answer in Jn 4:17 “I have no husband”, which was true up to a point. Jesus' commends her for at least some degree of truthfulness. John 4:19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. BGT John 4:19 λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· κύριε, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. NET John 4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. NLT John 4:19 "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet. ESV John 4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. NIV John 4:19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. GNT John 4:19 λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή, Κύριε, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. KJV John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. YLT John 4:19 The woman saith to him, 'Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet; ASV John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. CSB John 4:19 "Sir," the woman replied, "I see that You are a prophet. NKJ John 4:19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. NRS John 4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. NAB John 4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. NJB John 4:19 'I see you are a prophet, sir,' said the woman. GWN John 4:19 The woman said to Jesus, "I see that you're a prophet! perceive: John 4:29 1:48,49 2Ki 5:26 6:12 Lu 7:39 1Co 14:24,25 a prophet: John 6:14 7:40 9:17 Lu 7:16 24:19 John 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries HER ADMISSION THAT JESUS IS CORRECT Her dawning perception seems to be a combination of her acknowledgement of her sinful lifestyle and the knowledge of this righteous Man. She is beginning to recognize that Jesus is not an ordinary man. The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive (theoreo) that You are a prophet - Note first that she does not deny Jesus' words about her present sinful state. Sir is kurios (which is rendered "Lord" over 600x in the NT) but she has not yet come to understand that Jesus is the her kurios! She is just being respectful, but she soon will have her heart opened by the Spirit as did another woman named Lydia (cf Acts 16:14+)! Notice she says "a" prophet, not "the" prophet (Dt 18:15, 18). Since she had some understanding of the Messiah (Jn 4:25), she probably also had some understanding of the Prophet foretold by Moses, but she does not address Him in a way that suggests she recognizes Jesus as the fulfillment of that pentateuchal prophecy (cf Samaritan Pentateuch) Perceive is in the present tense which Robertson renders "I am beginning to perceive, from what you say, your knowledge of my private life." She was admitting that His analysis of her life was accurate! The Son's Light is beginning to "dawn" in her heart. Stated another way, her statement in effect acknowledges that Jesus' description of her married merry-go-round was correct.
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MacArthur comments that "There is a twofold sense in which salvation is from the Jews; first, the revelation of salvation came first to them and then to the rest of the world (Ro. 3:1–2; Ro 9:3–5); and, second, the Source of salvation—namely, the Messiah—was Himself a Jew (Ro. 9:5). (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Vincent on from the Jews - The passage illustrates John’s habit of confirming the divine authority of the Old Testament revelation, and of showing its fulfilment in Christ. (John 4 Commentary) Related Passage: (JEWS) who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, Who is over all (AND WHO MAKES SALVATION POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE TO ALL - Jn 1:29+, Titus 2:11+, 1 Ti 4:10+), God blessed forever. Amen. (Ro 9:4-5+). Salvation (4991) (soteria from soter = Savior in turn from sozo = save, rescue, deliver) describes the rescue or deliverance from danger, destruction and peril, in this context of course referring to rescue from eternal punishment in Hell. Salvation is a broader term in Greek than we often think of in English. Other concepts that are inherent in soteria include restoration to a state of safety, soundness, health and well being as well as preservation from danger of destruction. Sozo (see word study) the verb and soteria the noun are surely two of the most important words in all of God's Word. For an interesting analysis of soteria by William Barclay click here. John 4:23 “But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. BGT John 4:23 ἀλλὰ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν. NET John 4:23 But a time is coming– and now is here– when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers. NLT John 4:23 But the time is coming-- indeed it's here now-- when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. ESV John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. NIV John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. GNT John 4:23 ἀλλὰ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν. KJV John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. YLT John 4:23 but, there cometh an hour, and it now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also doth seek such to worship him; ASV John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. CSB John 4:23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. NKJ John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. NRS John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. NAB John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. NJB John 4:23 But the hour is coming -- indeed is already here -- when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: that is the kind of worshipper the Father seeks. GWN John 4:23 Indeed, the time is coming, and it is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. The Father is looking for people like that to worship him. hour: Joh 5:25 12:23 true: Isa 1:10-15 26:8,9 29:13 48:1,2 58:2,8-14 66:1,2 Jer 7:7-12 Mt 15:7-9 Lu 18:11-13 in spirit: Ro 1:9 8:15,26 Ga 4:6 Eph 6:18 Php 3:3 Jude 1:20,21 truth: Joh 1:17 Jos 24:14 1Sa 12:24 1Ch 29:17 Ps 17:1 32:2 51:6 Isa 10:20 Jer 3:10 4:2 Father seeks: Ps 147:11 Pr 15:8 Song 2:14 Isa 43:21 Eze 22:30 1Pe 2:9 John 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NO LONGER "WHERE" BUT "WHO" ONE WORSHIPS But an hour is coming, and now is - What does now is mean? The conjunction NOW means is used here to introduce a change of subject or shift in the emphasis. In Jn 4:21 Jesus said an hour is coming and the phrase now is was not appropriate "for local worship was not abolished spiritual independence of place was called for at once So contrast John Jn 5:25 and Jn 5:28; Jn 16:25 and Jn 16:32." (Robertson) Jesus' point is that NOW, at this moment in time, the focus of worship shifts from a place (the Temple in Jerusalem) to a Person (Jesus). Jesus is on the scene and it is He would will provide the way for sinners to enter into the Kingdom of God and thus to be able to truly worship God.
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MacArthur - Both groups focused on external factors. They conformed outwardly to regulations, observed rituals, and offered sacrifices. But the time had arrived, since the Messiah had come, when true worshipers would no longer be identified by where they worshiped. True worshipers are those who worship the Father in spirit and truth. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) God is spirit - Note NAS does not capitalize spirit, whereas it is capitalized in other translations (NLT, KJV YLT), the latter suggesting the Holy Spirit, but the former is a more reasonable interpretation. God (Father, Son, Spirit) is not material but spiritual. Grant Osborne adds that "The KJV has “God is a Spirit,” but that is clearly wrong. First, the indefinite article is not mandated by the Greek (cf. Jn 1:1 on this), and even more, it could hardly mean “God is one of the spirits” in this context." (See The Gospel of John)
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MacArthur - The phrase God is spirit is the classic biblical definition of the nature of God. Despite the heretical teaching of false cults, God is not an exalted man (Num. 23:19), “for a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). He is “the invisible God” (Col. 1:15; cf. 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27), who “dwells in unapproachable light [cf. Ps. 104:2], whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim. 6:16; cf. Ex. 33:20; John 1:18; 6:46). Had He not revealed Himself in Scripture and in Jesus Christ, God would be utterly incomprehensible. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) And those who worship Him must (dei) worship in spirit and truth - Worship is proskuneo as in v21-23. Must (dei) is not just something desirable but speaks of an absolute necessity or stated another way the only worship acceptable to the Father is that which is in spirit and truth. The question arises as to what is the meaning of spirit? Is this a reference to the Holy Spirit or to the spirit of a human being (those whose spirits are alive because of their new birth)? Commentators are divided, but one reasonable interpretation is that spiritual beings filled with the Spirit (or "in the Spirit") are those who are able to truly worship God. "In....truth" would be in the bounds of what the Word of God says about worship of God. Whatever Scripture says regarding worship is acceptable worship to God. Note that "must" means this is not optional. This is the ONLY way to truly worship God! MacArthur - True worship does not consist of mere outward conformity to religious standards and duties (Isa. 29:13; 48:1; Jer. 12:1–2; Matt. 15:7–9), but emanates from the inner spirit. It must also be consistent with the truth God has revealed about Himself in His Word. The extremes of dead orthodoxy (truth and no spirit) and zealous heterodoxy (spirit and no truth) must be avoided. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Robertson on must worship - Here is the real necessity (dei), not the one used by the woman about the right place of worship (Jn 4:20). (John 4 Word Pictures in the NT) MacArthur however feels that "Spirit does not refer to the Holy Spirit but the human spirit. Worship must be internal, not external conformity to ceremonies and rituals. It must be from the heart." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) While I would agree with MacArthur, the truth is that worship is by nature a supernatural endeavor, so the Spirit Himself must supernaturally "energize" one's worship, giving him or her first the desire (to worship) and then the power (to worship)(cf Php 2:13NLT+). Grant Osborne's assessment is more balanced - This first (THE IDENTIFICATION OF SPIRIT) involves whether it has (1) an external force, in which pneuma refers to the Holy Spirit and the phrase can be taken as “the Spirit of truth” (so Barrett, Schnackenburg, Brown, Michaels, Burge, Thompson [2001:214], Keener); or (2) an internal force pointing to spiritual worship in one’s spirit or with the whole heart (so Hendriksen, Morris, Whitacre, Blomberg, Köstenberger). But is only an “either-or” approach viable, or is there a “both-and” option? In the context of John, the latter is more likely. The Spirit is certainly connoted, for it is the Spirit that makes worship possible. At the same time, worship is to be an inner, spiritual act. (See The Gospel of John) (Bolding added) Osborne goes on to add a related excellent comment on worship in spirit and truth - This “expresses the transcendence and holiness of God” (Schnackenburg 1990:1.438) and means that God is “life-giving and unknowable to human beings unless He chooses to reveal Himself (cf. Jn 1:18+)” (Carson 1991:225). Since God is Spirit, there is only one way to worship that is acceptable to Him—“in spirit and in truth.” There is double meaning in this. In one sense, it refers to a worship that centers on the whole inner being of the person, deeply spiritual and wholehearted. In another sense, such worship is only made possible by the power of the Spirit. The new birth is “from above” (Jn 3:3), and Jesus is “from above” (Jn 3:31); true worship has a heavenly component and occurs only when one is seeking and thinking “about the things of heaven” (Col 3:1–2+). Moreover, it is both in spirit and truth that “true worshipers” worship: first in the Spirit, Who is truth (as Christ is truth, Jn 14:6), and then in genuine, real worship. Those in the Spirit truly worship with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Note also the divine necessity (dei, “must,” Jn 4:24; cf. Jn 3:7, 14, 30; 4:4, 20) of worship. Thompson (2001:214–215) believes this culminates the emphasis in chapters 3–4, which is the centrality of the work of the Spirit and of the individual as recipient of the life-giving Spirit. Worship then is intertwined with the gift of the Spirit. (See The Gospel of John) J C
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MacArthur - In Judaism it was believed that for a rabbi to speak with a woman was at best a waste of time, and at worst a distraction from studying the Torah—which could lead to eternal damnation. That she was a Samaritan made the Lord’s action even more astonishing. And had they known the woman’s immoral background, the disciples would have been completely stunned. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) There were sayings of the rabbis like "Let no one talk with a woman in the street, no, not with his own wife” or “A man shall not be alone with a woman in an inn, not even with his sister or his daughter, on account of what men may think. A man shall not talk with a woman in the street, not even with his own wife, and especially not with another woman, on account of what men may say." Were amazed (imperfect tense - over and over)(2296) (thaumazo from thauma [from thaomai = to wonder] = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, marvel, be struck with admiration or astonishment. To be surprised by the unexpected. Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form (Mt 9.33). Be surprised (Gal 1:6). It denotes incredulous surprise. Thaumazo was a rhetorical device used in law courts and politics to attack things done by the opposition party. Thaumazo - Jn. 3:7; Jn. 4:27; Jn. 5:20; Jn. 5:28; Jn. 7:15; Jn. 7:21 43 verses in the NT - Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:27; Matt. 9:33; Matt. 15:31; Matt. 21:20; Matt. 22:22; Matt. 27:14; Mk. 5:20; Mk. 6:6; Mk. 15:5; Mk. 15:44; Lk. 1:21; Lk. 1:63; Lk. 2:18; Lk. 2:33; Lk. 4:22; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 8:25; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:38; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 24:12; Lk. 24:41; Jn. 3:7; Jn. 4:27; Jn. 5:20; Jn. 5:28; Jn. 7:15; Jn. 7:21; Acts 2:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:13; Acts 7:31; Acts 13:41; Gal. 1:6; 2 Thess. 1:10; 1 Jn. 3:13; Jude 1:16; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 17:6; Rev. 17:7; Rev. 17:8 Cyril Hocking - John 4:27–30 COME, SEE A MAN FOR ENTIRELY different reasons, both the disciples and the woman of Samaria were startled by His conversation with her. The disciples were surprised that Jesus said anything to the woman at all, v. 27. In their sight, Jesus was, among many other things, a ‘Rabbi’, v. 31 lit. No doubt they marvelled because normally the ‘Rabbis’ neither spoke to women in public nor taught them spiritual truths. ‘A man should not salute a woman in a public place, not even his own wife’ typified the rules which governed the Rabbis. The disciples were probably further surprised because this particular woman was a Samaritan, v. 9. We rejoice to know that, when it comes to salvation’s blessings, ‘there is neither Jew nor Greek … neither male nor female’, Gal. 3:28. The woman was surprised by what He had said to her, v. 29. The disciples arrived at the very moment when Jesus revealed Himself to her as Messiah. This (for her, untimely) interruption meant that she was unable to ask Him concerning the ‘all things’ which she expected Messiah to reveal, v. 25. Nevertheless He had already, in a brief but comprehensive manner, revealed to her the ‘all things’ of her own past life, vv. 16–18, 29. She had discovered that no disguise was proof against His piercing gaze and, as in the earlier case of Nathaniel, Jesus’ supernatural knowledge produced a conviction of who He was, 1:47–49; 4:29. With befitting respect, she submitted her conviction to the judgement of the men of Sychar; ‘Can this be the Christ?’, v. 29 lit. It seemed altogether too wonderful to be true! She left her waterpot, and went her way, v. 28. The abandoned waterpot signified her thoughtfulness—kindly, she left it behind for Jesus to quench His thirst and enjoy a drink with His food. Her intention—she could afford to be relaxed about leaving the pot because she purposed to return; ‘Come’ not ‘go’ was her message, v. 29. Her haste—unburdened, she would be able to get to Sychar and return the faster. She may have feared that, as Jews normally passed through Samaria only if they were in a hurry to travel between Judaea and Galilee, Jesus would soon pass on from the well. Her priority—she had discovered the secret of a deeper satisfaction than could ever come out of either well or waterpot. John 4:28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men, BGT John 4:28 ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις· NET John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, NLT John 4:28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ESV John 4:28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, NIV John 4:28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, GNT John 4:28 ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, KJV John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, YLT John 4:28 The woman then left her water-jug, and went away to the city, and saith to the men, ASV John 4:28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, CSB John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men, NKJ John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, NRS John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, NAB John 4:28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, NJB John 4:28 The woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town to tell the people, GWN John 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back into the city. She told the people, John 4:7 Mt 28:8 Mk 16:8-10 Lu 24:9,33 John 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men - Don't miss this small detail that she left her waterpot! Waterpots were essential for survival in the arid climate. That is why she had come to the well. But the spiritual truths about the living water Jesus gave far surpassed her desire to obtain physical water. It also shows us that once gripped with the truth of Who Jesus really was and what He had to offer, she simply could not keep quiet. She had heard and received the Good News (the Gospel) and wanted everyone to hear about this incredible Living Water! Beloved, we all should have the same excitement about sharing the Gospel with our family, friends and associates! Brian Bell - The woman left her waterpot - The jar she came to fill stands empty, but the heart she had not come to fill now overflowing with living water! Earlier Jesus turned tepid water into the most festive of wines; He now takes the emptiest of lives & fills it full. He can do that with your life too! 1. No matter how stagnant the water...no matter how empty the pot. 2. All it takes is one sip of faith to be spiritually hydrated!!! a) He freed a Woman from habitual immorality; He freed Worship from the limitation of place. He desires to free you today from a dehydrated, parched, barren, sin filled life. Steven
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MacArthur observes that "Her zeal and enthusiasm provides the clinching piece of evidence that her conversion was genuine." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Come see (deute idete) is the identical invitation the angel gave to "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (who) came to look at the grave" of Jesus (Mt 28:1, 6) Who had been resurrected. This is not the Christ, is it? - She begins with the interrogative particle (mete) which in questions expects a negative answer.
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MacArthur points out that "Unlike Nicodemus, she knew nothing of any signs and miracles Jesus had performed. But merely because of what He knew about her the woman did not doubt the veracity of His claim. That was great, God-given trust. Indeed, she went and proclaimed it in her village, a fact that strongly suggests that she had genuinely come to saving faith. Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well illustrates three nonnegotiable truths about salvation. First, salvation comes only to those who recognize their desperate need for spiritual life they do not have. Living water will be received only by those who realize that they are spiritually thirsty. Second, salvation comes only to those who confess and repent of their sin and desire forgiveness. Before this promiscuous woman could embrace the Savior, she had to acknowledge the full weight of her iniquity. And, third, salvation comes only to those who embrace Jesus Christ as their Messiah and sin bearer. After all, salvation is found in no one else (cf. Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12)." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text)
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MacArthur writes that "Doing God’s will (cf. Jn 5:30; 6:38; Jn 8:29; Ps. 40:8; Matt. 26:39; Rom 15:3) by proclaiming the truth to a lost sinner gave the Lord far more satisfaction (cf. Luke 15:10; 19:10) than any physical food could provide." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) God's will is to be our food, our "daily bread." Jesus describes the will of His Father in John 6 John 6:38-40 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39“ This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” Again in John 5 we read John 5:30; “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. In Hebrews we see a parallel passage "Then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second." (Hebrews 10:9+) Quoting Ps 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.” The center of God's will is our only safety. —Betsie ten Boom Jim Elliot said "Thank God for "purpose" in life. So many contributive purposes come into existence when one works the will of God that there is no excuse for laziness or wasted time. He is redeeming our lives, as well as our souls. (The Journals of Jim Elliot) Seek your life’s nourishment in your life’s work. —Phillips Brooks Adoniram Judson spoke to Jesus' "food" in doing His Father's will when he said "The motto of every missionary, whether preacher, printer, or schoolmaster, ought to be "Devoted for life." Do what God calls you to do and you are a success. —Talmage In a passage I feel could well be the secret of Job's survival and sustenance in the midst of overwhelming trials, Job in a sense gives us a foreshadowing of the heart of the Messiah when he declared.... “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12+). Who sent Me - Jesus repeatedly refers to the Father's sending Him to the world - John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. Comment - See multiple additional passages - John 5:30, 36–37; Jn 6:38–39, 44, 57; Jn 7:16, 28, 29, 33; Jn 8:16, 18, 26, 29, 42; Jn 9:4; Jn 11:42; Jn 12:44–45, 49; Jn 13:20; Jn 14:24; Jn 15:21; Jn 16:5; Jn 17:8, 18, 21, 23, 25; Jn 20:21; Mt 10:40; Mk 9:37; Lk 4:18; Lk 9:48; Lk 10:16); Steven
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MacArthur notes that "Jesus used the fact that they were surrounded by crops growing in the field and waiting to be harvested as an object lesson to illustrate His urgency about reaching the lost which the "harvest" symbolized. (BORROW MacArthur Study Bible) Behold (idou) is an command to pay very close attention to what I am going to say next. The principles of this teaching would be vitally important after Jesus ascended to the Father. Then the disciples would be "on their own" (empowered of course by the Spirit of Christ), and it would be a time of sowing and reaping of souls which would result in the birth, growth and spread of the Church, the Body of Christ. And so we see in Acts 2 with Peter's first sermon (sowing of seed) "there were added (reaping the harvest) that day about 3000 souls." (Acts 2:41+). This is why this principle was so important for the disciples to grasp. And is also probably why in this one passage there are in essence three commands Jesus uses to garner their full attention. I say to you, lift up (epairo) your eyes and look (theaomai) on the fields - Phillips =“open your eyes and look.” Jerusalem Bible = “Look around you, look” NAB = “Open your eyes and see!” He gave two commands (lift up...look) both in the aorist imperative calling for obedience without delay or procrastination. Do this now! Jesus is not saying look at the literal grain fields because they were not yet ripe for harvest. One would have to wait several months to harvest grain. But Jesus was calling the disciples to see with spiritual eyes a different kind of harvest, a harvest of souls, a harvest that was ripe for harvest.
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MacArthur - Truth for Today - JOHN 4:35 All believers are responsible to have a passion for the lost. John Harper had such a passion. He was a newly called pastor to the great Moody Memorial Church in Chicago in the early 1900s, but in 1912 He was a passenger on the ill–fated voyage of the Titanic. Four years later, a young Scotsman rose up in a meeting and said he was a survivor of the Titanic. As he drifted in the water on a piece of wood, he encountered a man who was afloat on a piece of wreckage. The man pleaded for the Scotsman to receive Christ. The young Scotsman refused. The tide brought the man around again, and he asked if the Scotsman was saved yet. Shortly after, the man disappeared into the water, and the Scotsman decided to trust Christ as Savior. At the meeting he identified the man as John Harper—the young Scotsman was John Harper’s last convert. Can you be one of the John Harpers of this generation? Robert
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MacArthur points out that "Such words were not intended to denigrate her testimony, but rather to indicate that their time with Jesus confirmed it." (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Merrill Tenney makes an excellent point that "These few verses indicate two necessary and interrelated bases for belief: (1) the testimony of others and (2) personal contact with Jesus...“No longer” implies that they maintained their belief in him, but not solely on the basis of the woman’s testimony. They had progressed from a faith built on the witness of another to a faith built on their own experience. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary scroll up and down for more pages) Testimony helps. But to “know,” we have to come to Jesus for ourselves. -- Larry Richards Leon
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MacArthur - The proverbial statement a prophet has no honor in his own country (cf. Luke 4:24) contrasts Jesus’ acceptance by the Samaritans with His general rejection by the Jewish people (1:11). It also explains His motive for returning to His home region of Galilee (as the conjunction gar [for] indicates). At first glance it seems somewhat perplexing that Jesus went to Galilee because, as He Himself testified, He would receive no honor there. The point, however, is that Jesus was not taken by surprise when many in His home region rejected Him. He went there knowing that He would be given a cold reception, especially at Nazareth, where He had been raised (Luke 4:16ff.). But some in Galilee would believe and, therefore, honor Him. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Blum - Generally Galilee was more favorable to Him, but even there men tried to kill Him (Luke 4:18–30+). (SEE Bible Knowledge Commentary - scroll up and down for more text)
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MacArthur - They were curiosity seekers, eagerly hoping to see Jesus perform some more sensational feats. Thus the apostle John writes with a sense of irony; the Galileans’ reception of Jesus was not genuine, but superficial and shallow....As this incident demonstrates, the reception of the Galileans, like that of most Judeans (Jn 2:23–25), was superficial, curious, thrill-seeking, non-saving, sign-based interest. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Blum adds that "the people’s enthusiasm for the Healer (cf. Mark 5:21, 24b) did not always indicate they had faith in Him (Mark 6:1–6)." (SEE Bible Knowledge Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) For they themselves also went to the feast - In other words, these Galileans who welcomed Jesus had been at the Passover Feast. "The miracles of Jesus at that first passover made a stir." (Robertson John 4 Word Pictures in the NT) John 4:46 Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. BGT John 4:46 Ἦλθεν οὖν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ὅπου ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον. Καὶ ἦν τις βασιλικὸς οὗ ὁ υἱὸς ἠσθένει ἐν Καφαρναούμ. NET John 4:46 Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine. In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. NLT John 4:46 As he traveled through Galilee, he came to Cana, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a government official in nearby Capernaum whose son was very sick. ESV John 4:46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. NIV John 4:46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. GNT John 4:46 Ἦλθεν οὖν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ὅπου ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον. καὶ ἦν τις βασιλικὸς οὗ ὁ υἱὸς ἠσθένει ἐν Καφαρναούμ. KJV John 4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. YLT John 4:46 Jesus came, therefore, again to Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine, and there was a certain courtier, whose son was ailing in Capernaum, ASV John 4:46 He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. CSB John 4:46 Then He went again to Cana of Galilee, where He had turned the water into wine. There was a certain royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum. NKJ John 4:46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. NRS John 4:46 Then he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. NAB John 4:46 Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. NJB John 4:46 He went again to Cana in Galilee, where he had changed the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son was ill at Capernaum; GWN John 4:46 Jesus returned to the city of Cana in Galilee, where he had changed water into wine. A government official was in Cana. His son was sick in Capernaum. Cana: Joh 2:1-11 21:2 Jos 19:28 whose: Ps 50:15 78:34 Ho 5:15 Mt 9:18 15:22 17:14,15 Lu 7:2 8:42 John 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries POSSIBLE LOCATION OF CANA AN OFFICIAL WITH AN URGENT NEED Jesus is good with "urgent needs." Do you have one? Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine - This is His second visit to Cana of Galilee. John 2:11+ said this was the "beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. (More on Cana - see also clickable map)
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MacArthur - Swallowing his pride, this respected member of Herod’s court begged for help from a carpenter’s son (cf. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). At this point, the official’s faith was little more than a desperate hope that led him to ask for Jesus’ intervention....his belief in Jesus was not yet driven by a desire for salvation for his own soul, but by desperation for his son. The feebleness of his faith in Jesus’ ability to heal is underscored by two erroneous assumptions that he made about Him. First, unlike the centurion (Luke 7:6–7) and the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24–30), he assumed Jesus had to be physically present to heal his son. Second, he hoped Jesus had the power to heal his son’s illness, but had no hope that He could raise him from the dead. Those two assumptions were behind his insistence that Jesus come at once before it was too late. Unlike the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17–22), he was not seeking spiritual truth, but was instead driven by an overwhelming physical and emotional need. His goal in coming to Jesus was not to obtain eternal salvation for himself, but physical healing for his dying child. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Rod Mattoon points out that "His money cannot help him here. He has nowhere to turn except to Jesus. We find a man with a crisis faith. God allowed a crisis in his life to bring him to Jesus. He does the same thing today. Don't give up on a lost person who seems unreasonable. A crisis can soften his heart. The first miracle at Cana came at the request of His mother (Jn 2:1-5), and the second miracle at Cana comes at the request of a father. The nobleman demonstrated wisdom in taking advantage of the opportunities placed before him. He sought out the Lord while He was near in Cana. The Bible stresses repeatedly the importance of seeking out the Lord in our life and using opportunities of service to glorify Him. Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. For (term of explanation = here reason for urgency) he was at the point of death - Literally "he was about (mello) to die." This idiom is used of the impending death of Jesus (John 11:51; Jn 12:33; Jn 18:32). John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.” BGT John 4:48 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἴδητε, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε. NET John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders you will never believe!" NLT John 4:48 Jesus asked, "Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?" ESV John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." NIV John 4:48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe." GNT John 4:48 εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς αὐτόν, Ἐὰν μὴ σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα ἴδητε, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσητε. KJV John 4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. YLT John 4:48 Jesus then said unto him, 'If signs and wonders ye may not see, ye will not believe.' ASV John 4:48 Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. CSB John 4:48 Jesus told him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." NKJ John 4:48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe." NRS John 4:48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." NAB John 4:48 Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe." NJB John 4:48 Jesus said to him, 'Unless you see signs and portents you will not believe!' GWN John 4:48 Jesus told the official, "If people don't see miracles and amazing things, they won't believe." Unless: Joh 4:41,42 2:18 12:37 15:24 20:29 Nu 14:11 Mt 16:1 27:42 Lu 10:18 Lu 16:31 Ac 2:22 1Co 1:22 John 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS LAMENTS THE SPIRITUAL CLIMATE IN GALILEE So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders - In His address of the nobleman as you people Jesus clearly is making reference to the Galilean population of which the royal official was representative. He addressed their "Seeing is Believing" mentality of this world. We saw the fruit of this type of inadequate faith in John 2:23+ where their belief was only profession, not true possession (Jn 2:24-25+)! Note that the royal official was not deterred by Jesus' somewhat harsh remark. Tenney - They were disappointed to discover that Jesus had no intention of exhibiting his powers to satisfy their curiosity. In Nazareth he performed few miracles, and it was probably the attitude of these people that caused him to rebuff the nobleman (v. 48)
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MacArthur - By healing his son physically, the Great Physician moved to heal the father spiritually. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Tenney - By dismissing the official with the statement that his son was alive, Jesus created a dilemma of faith. If the father refused to return to Capernaum without taking Jesus with him, he would show that he did not believe Jesus’ word and would consequently receive no benefit because of his distrust. On the other hand, if he followed Jesus’ order, he would be returning to the dying boy with no outward assurance that the lad would recover. He was forced to make the difficult choice between insisting on evidence and thus showing disbelief and of exercising faith without any tangible proof to encourage him. The official chose the second horn of the dilemma; he “took Jesus at his word” (ASV “believed the word”) and set out on his return journey. He learned faith by the compulsion of necessity. (EBC) (Bold added) The man believed (pisteuo) the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off - The official manifests an instantaneous faith based on the word of Jesus. There is no argument from the official. He simply believes and obeys (Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey!) Faith without works is dead faith. Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone as this man's response demonstrated. And watch his faith grow into full bloom as he is met by his servants on the way back to Capernaum. John MacArthur has an interesting note on this man's faith writing that "The Lord’s words to him had moved him from the third level of unbelief (which needs miracles) to the second (which believes Christ’s word). Without any tangible proof that his son was healed, he took Jesus at His word and started off for home. (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Grant Osborne - The man’s focus finally shifted to Jesus, and “the man believed what Jesus said.” His faith became properly centered on the power of Jesus’ words, and he started home. This is the key to a burgeoning faith, one that combines belief with response. The royal official proved the reality of his belief by beginning the journey back to Capernaum. (See The Gospel of John) A T Robertson on started off - Inchoative imperfect middle, “started on his way,” acted on his faith. (John 4 Word Pictures in the NT) Blum - On the way back the official must have pondered Jesus’ promise every step of his journey. (SEE Bible Knowledge Commentary - scroll up and down for more text) Mattoon - We are to respond the same way toward God's Word. We are to trust and love God's Word and let it impact our lives. Psalm 119:105—Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:97—O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:140—Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
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MacArthur - The seventh hour would have been early afternoon, sometime between 1 and 3 P.M. in the broadest reckoning. By the time he left Cana and arrived in the vicinity of Capernaum, it was after midnight (yesterday) (SEE The MacArthur New Testament Commentary - scroll up and down for more text)