Notes On John 4

by S. J. HILL | Category: General | May 1944

John chapter 4. follows chapter 3. morally; the latter shews the first man set aside, and a new creation with an extension of blessing to all men, "whosoever," through the lifting up of the Son of Man. Chapter 4. assumes all this and shews the necessity. for a new worship, and makes provision for the same in the gift of the living water, and, further, shews such blessing applying to outsiders like the Samaritan woman.

Let us consider the presentation 6f the Lord in this chapter as a Jew. In passing through Samaria He might think of the sin of Israel which had led to the central part of the land being occupied by an alien people, who had established a spurious worship with their mountain, their house and so forth. Through that unfriendly land Jews had often to pass on their journeys to and from Jerusalem; The Lord was wearied with His journey and sat by the well in the ground

once given by Jacob to Joseph, but which was now in the hands of strangers. He did not entertain the prejudices common to Jews against the Samaritans, but asked a drink from the Samaritan woman. But though He was free from Jewish prejudices He nevertheless insisted on the divine character of their worship and on the false character of that of the Samaritans. His words to the woman were, "Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know: for salvation is from the Jews." Now let us regard Him as a Soul Winner. Can we contemplate His dealings with the woman without being moved to admire the singular skill with which He dealt with her? In imitation of the example the Lord here gave Paul says of himself, "I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some " (1 Corinthians 9.22). Further, consider the Lord as a Worker. When the disciples returned from the city with food and prayed Him, saying "Rabbi, eat," His reply caused them to question amongst themselves whether any man had supplied His need. To dispel their doubts 6n this matter He said, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to accomplish His work."

Perhaps His words, "Give Me to drink," suggest not only bodily desire, but something deeper. God has made man for Himself and is in principle saying to him, "Give Me to drink," but sin having come in renders this impossible. Man in his ignorance knows not his true state; otherwise he would seek water from God, even as the Lord said to the woman, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water" The Lord's request was no doubt intended to elicit from her an expression of her need, and He was ready to supply that need, so that she could in turn refresh Him. It has to be observed that all worship is in the light of that word, "Of Thine own have we given Thee" (1 Chronicles 29.14). The gift of God referred to is the "living water" and this is to be understood in the light of John 7.37-39 as referring to the -work of - the Holy Spirit. The well, which the woman said was deep, may be an emblem of all that this world can give for the present life. Its supplies have to be obtained with much labour and pains. Jacob drank of the well in Canaan with his children and his cattle, for such water is for cattle as well as for man, but the "living water" is for man alone. "This water" of the well is for a time, but the drinker "shall thirst again" how true ! but the living water rises to its own level, it springeth up unto eternal life.

Conviction of sin is a necessary preliminary to the obtaining of the blessing, so the Lord put His finger on the spot and the woman acknowledged the truth of the charge. She seemed however to think that, whatever might be her deficiency in moral behaviour, she was still able to do all that God required, for - she was connected with an established form of worship. She said, "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain," shewing that her heart conceived that worship consisted in external observances; that she judged of God as she would of herself-; perhaps thinking that so long as the routine observances of worship were followed any deficiency in her behaviour would not be noticed. This is the thought so plainly to be observed in natural man, but, while the old worship was largely based on outward ritual, as suited to man in the flesh (although even then God Sought for heart service), yet in chapter 3. the old nature having been judged and - set aside, a new, essential, internal, spiritual worship was now to come into prominence, although truth was also to guide in it, yet the external element would be subordinate to the eternal and spiritual.

The Lord says, "Neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem shall ye worship the Father." This is significant as to the present time, and shews that now worship is unconnected with any earthly place. If this be appreciated it will shew how unscriptural is the expression, "place of worship," which is so- often heard applied to certain buildings and which betokens the existence of a condition of things utterly foreign to the character of the present time, a harking back to that which the Lord set aside.

Although we have instances in both the Old and New Testaments of individual worship, nevertheless worship is primarily a collective act, and truth must regulate it. This therefore requires some order and so forth, of which full particulars are given in the Word.

For fuller details we must go beyond the chapter under consideration from which, however, we are able to set forth the following principles,

(1)as to place,-neither here nor there, not on earth;

(2)as to time,-the present dispensation beginning with the

descent of the Holy Spirit;

(3)as to the worshippers,-the true worshippers,

(4)as to the worship,-in spirit and truth;

(5)all in the light of the revelation of God as the Father.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews particulars will be found as to place, priest, offering, worshipper and all else.

S. J. HILL | May 1944
General