Results 1 - 2 of 2
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is the meaning of John 4:5-42? | John 4:42 | JCrichton | 125490 | ||
Hi, carol! Jesus encounter with the Samaritan woman seems to be extremely incidental, but there are crucial teachings that, at least from my perspective, prove that Jesus had orquestrated this meeting: It begins with the woman's recognition that Jesus was a Jew (Jews held themselves way above the Samaritans who to their views were no better than the pagans around them). Jesus ignores this division between the Jews and Samaritans and treats the woman with the same love and sympathy as He has treated all--it is the beginning of the two world's division being dissolved by God, so that the two will be one in Jesus! Then Jesus reveals to the woman that He is the Water of Life! This in itself is a new revelation one that is directly related to Israel's passage through the desert (the water provided by Yahweh to quench the people's thirst), the promise of the Holy Spirit (both in the Old and New Testaments), and the River of Life proceeding from the Throne in Revelation. Then Jesus reveals to the woman that He is the Prophet--in a nonjudgmental manner, Jesus exposes the woman's promiscuous life in terms that she readily undestands that He is a man of God. After this, Jesus introduces the changes that are to occur in the worship of God: God is Spirit and no longer would He be worshipped in the Temple, synagogues, mountains, or any other place of worship determined by men. God wants true worshippers to worship in spirit and truth! Though not totally revealing that we are the Temple of God, Jesus has set up the beginning of the end of the Mosaic format of worship. Jesus reveals to the woman that He is the Messiah, and as she has been thirsting for God, the Holy Spirit awakens in her Faith in Jesus, and as Jesus' disciples return she uses their interruption to run to her village/town to tell her neighbors the good news she has received! As the disciples query Jesus (they were puzzled by what they found: Jesus dealing with a Samaritan woman!) He reveals to them that His purpose sustains Him: to rescue humanity from eminent death! He informs them that the task ahead of them is huge and instructs them to pray to the Father for additonal helpers; in His use of metaphor He insinuates that their function is to bring life to the world as the crop that is to be gathered is for eternal life! He also defines the functions of both the planter and the reapers as a joint task for the purpose of bringing life to the world. Finally, this passage ends with many Samaritans believing in Jesus from the testimony presented to them by the Samaritan woman while others deciding to go directly to the source (Jesus) testefied that they did not believe from the woman's testimony but from hearing the Word for themselves. The Holy Spirit used the woman to bring the Good News to those in darkness and while some believed and were content, others, still thirsty, searched out Christ and were instructed by the Lord Himself! God Bless! Angel |
||||||
2 | What is the meaning of John 4:5-42? | John 4:42 | Country Girl | 125491 | ||
Very, very good post. Nice digest of the whole story. Good conclusion. Country Girl | ||||||