Jhn 4:10-11 I've been asked to talk about these two verses can you help?

Question

In 13 hours I will speaking to people who are depending on me. Just looking for some insight and how I may expound on these two verses and perhaps some connecting verses. Trying to make a point or two with a conclusion.

I'm trying to figure out how to get my email to youhmchrch.

What a faithful God we have, faithful in every way.

Answer 1

The context is that Jesus is going back to Galilee through Samaria, having attended the Passover. The Pharisees were already beginning to notice him, even though his ministry was still young, and he, no doubt, wished to minister to the people unhindered by controversy at this stage, so he left Judaea (Jn. 4:1-3).

The disciples have departed to get food, so there is Jesus, sitting at Jacob's well, wearied from his journey, and suddenly a woman comes along who intrigues him. She turns out to be rather an intelligent woman and - given a bit of encouragement - starts to ask deep questions.

She saw that he was a Jew (guess what, he must have looked Jewish!) and she couldn't make out why he should be so willing to even speak to her. He asked of her water, and she responded with a question (v9). I have often wondered whether Jesus ever actually got a drink from her!

However, it seems that getting a drink is not actually Jesus' priority here, either. At any time, under any circumstances, he must be about his Father's business. In v.10 Jesus broadens the scope of the question about water by talking about 'living water'. He didn't have to do that - he was not at his best physically and emotionally - but he knew that the Spirit was prompting, and he always obeyed Father (John 8:28,38), so he encourages her. Jesus' spirit was always strong enough for any occasion, if a person in need stood before him.

'If you knew the gift of God' he says. This whets anyone's appetite to know, when someone says 'if you knew ...'

'If you knew what God has to give you (yes YOU, you unclean woman, for he loves even you most dearly!),

and 'if you knew who it is that is requesting of you a drink of water' (nb. 'Who it is' was not lost on her, either (v29)),

'you would have asked of him the gift that only he can give - 'the living water''. The 'living water' - the water of life - that is what Jesus, and only he, can give to a person who truly thirsts.

The woman has a problem grasping this spiritual language and takes refuge in the natural things with which she has always been occupied - how to get the 'living water' out of the well? She is perplexed and doesn't really know what response to make. Jesus is turning her thinking (and her life) around.

Interestingly, Nicodemus gave a similar response to Jesus when he told him about being 'born again' (ch3:3-4). 'How can I go back into my mother's womb?' he asked.

Both received a spiritual idea from Jesus and both could only see it in a material sense. As St. Paul says:
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

So, what is this 'living water'? I think it is 2 things:

it is the words that he spoke, and it is the Comforter whom he sent.

Water washes, and 'living' is a reference to spiritual washing - ie. inner cleansing. St. Paul speaks of 'the washing of water by the word' (Eph. 5:26). Jesus' words cleanse and wash the whole person, so he is clean before God. He told Nicodemus that 'except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God' (Jn. 3:5)

Just before he suffered, Jesus admonished his disciples to keep his words, for his words would perfect them (Jn. 14:23-24).

Then follows on the promise of the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, whom the Father would send in Jesus' name (his authority), who would teach them all things needful for them to know and bring back to them the complete memory of all the words he had spoken to them (14:26).

The Holy Spirit is the giver of life (ie. the regenerator), proceeding from the glorified Son in heaven, unto all who ask in his name (because they belong to him). Only he knows how to live the Christian life, for he proceeds from the Father and Son and as co-creator, only he can direct the life of his created beings. What a wonder it is to discover that life and let him lead you in it - new depths, new joys as you walk day by day with him!

Scripture speaks of one occasion, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, at the time of the 'water oblation' (pouring out of the water) when Jesus raised his voice to appeal to the worshippers around him to go to him for the gift of these living waters:

Joh 7:37-38: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Jesus was anxious to get this message out, of the life-giving Spirit who would proceed from him; this is so apparent from both the occasion of the woman at the well and this one at Tabernacles.

Jesus is very anxious to give you LIFE - in all its fulness. He does not want you to be miserable Christians, nor does he want you to come behind in any gift. He rejoiced in his life and he desires to give it to each one of us.

The Jewish people, when they drink a toast, they say l'haim! - to life!

Answer 2

Please be courteous to those who want to give you an answer and post the verses with your comments.

10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

Well, you picked a couple of verses that are in the middle of the story. There is no conclusion here, other than Jesus was making a reference to the truth, and to the Spirit.

In these two verses, there is no finality to what He was saying.

So I wonder who picked these two?

The woman wasn't a Jew, yet she was a descendant of Jacob. She was probably an Israelite from the northern tribes of Israel.

Jesus claimed to have that truth, and the water which one would never be needful of trying to find the truth anywhere else. That's why Christians do not need to study other religions, they can if they want to, but they don't have to wonder if the other religions have the truth that brings salvation any more when they know that Jesus was the one who brought the truth and salvation to the world.


I hope that helps you.

Answer 3

The living waters is God word. As long as you study and listen to Gods words then you will know how and when you should act at most times. Gods words living waters will help you throu life at the worse of times and be like you have just had a fresh drink by knowing what you should do.

Answer 4

Jesus' goal on earth was to show people how to attain eternal life. This was his consuming passion, one could say. It was more important to him than than food/drink. We are told to follow that example.People all around are ready to hear God;s Word. We must speak to them of their spiritual need and of Jesus, who can meet that need.

Answer 5

Revelation of John 22:17

I Corinthians 12:13, and in one Spirit we have all been made to drink. (DRC)

Isaiah 55:1, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. (ASV)

Answer 6

"What a faithful "God" we have, faithful in every way"

So, this faithful "God" has never let you down then? Never broken any of "Its" commandments. Like: Thou Shalt not kill? Ooops, Thou shalt not covert, Ooops (coveted Mary), Though shalt not commit adultery, (Oops Mary again. This "God" has committed Rape, (Mary was not ask if she cfoncented), Murder, (People die every day. etc, etc, etc. Yes I can fully see just how faithful this "God" truly is. Wake up folks

Answer 7

I think it's talking about charity and kindness to strangers