Essay on "Exegesis of John 4 6 14 12 20 26"

Essay 6 pages (1820 words) Sources: 6

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Exegesis of John 4: 6-14 and John 12: 20 -26

The scripture will be presented first in verse by verse exegetical form, then a summary for each passage and the meaning of these verses in context of: society, culture, and both literal, physical parameters and spiritual meanings will be considered:

John 4: 6 -- 14

Jesus talks with a Samaritan Woman at the well:

verse 6: Jesus was tired from a long journey, and sat down at Jacob's well.

"It was about the sixth hour."

Usually women draw water earlier or later in the day to avoid the blazing noonday heat. Perhaps this particular woman comes at noon to avoid women whose scathing remarks and coolness would marginalize her even more. She is most likely very lonely.

A woman of Samaria cam to draw water "Give me a drink.," Jesus says to her. This woman expresses surprise that Jesus would ask a woman of Samaria for a drink.

His disciples had gone on into town to get food.

"How can you ask me for a drink?," the Samaritan woman said.

Both "woman" and "Samaria" are important.

Samaritans are descendants of two groups:

1) the remnant Israelites who were deported after the fall of the northern kingdom .

2) the foreign colonists brought in from Babylonia and Medea by Assyrian conquerors to settle land with Assyrian loyalists.

There was theological opposition between Samaritans and Jews, after the Samaritans refused to worship in Jerusalem. After being exiled, the Samaritans warred against the Jews with Syrian allies. Jewish high priests retaliated in 128 BC, by burning down the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerazim.

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Jesus was trying to make efforts to reconcile the two cultures, namely a syncretism.

Syncretism is defined as a coherence of dissenters in spite of their different opinions, especially theological. (Catholic Encyclopedia)

It is surprising that a Jew would ask hospitality of a Samaritan, as the Jews considered them to be religiously inferior.

Also, it is not considered proper for a man, especially a rabbi, to initiate public conversation with a woman.

10-15: "If you knew… he would have given you living water."

The phrase "living water" can mean running water, as in a stream. The woman understands it this way, and takes Jesus' comment as a slight against Jacob, who has provided the well water.

Water is a common Old Testament metaphor for the satisfaction of spiritual needs

(Psalm 23:2, 42:1; Isaiah 12:3)

Jesus use of the phrase "living water" has it's roots in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 2: 13; 17:13)

Jesus use of "living water" is paralleled by his later reference to the "bread of life" (John 6:35) and "living bread" (John 6:51)

"but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (v14b)

Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:33; 3:34; 6:63; 6:13)

"Sir, give me this water, so that I don't get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw." (v.15)

The woman misses the point completely, asking only for the equivalent of getting a convenience of a faucet in her kitchen.

There has to be a distinction between the physical parameters and the spiritual one the two are speaking to each other about.

16: Jesus told her, "Go call your husband and come back."

He is giving her a 'reality check'. He has taken the initiative in leading the woman to recognize who he really is by referring to her personal life.

(She has had 5 husbands, and is now living with a man that she is not married to.)

This woman is in need of the "life giving water," indeed.

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Summary:

This passage takes place at Jacob's well, in Sychar, Samaria. This is the place where Jacob met Rachel, and they wed. At that time, the Jews and Samaritans were one people. As the exegesis detailed, these two groups went their separate ways, and were not even on speaking terms.

Jesus major purpose in going to Samaria was to reconcile the Jews with the Samaritans. This was the syncretism that would eventually have the Samaritans saying: He is not just the savior of the Jews. He is the Savior of all mankind.

The Samaritans did not traditionally touch anything that Jews touch, much less sharing a drinking cup. This woman was ostracized by the locals, and was vulnerable, being alone. She was actually very receptive to Jesus "bridging" the gap between her day-to-day life understanding of bare essentials, such as the physical water at the well, and the spiritual water of the life giving and eternal Holy Spirit.

This was a truly richer life in all it's abundance: life in the Holy Spirit.

At first, the woman was taken up with telling him things like "why are you bothering to speak with me, a woman, and a Samaritan?" Jesus let her know that this "living water" was for all mankind, for all time. He did not care what others thought about himself, a rabbi, speaking to her. This had an impact on her. He let her know something about her personal life that few knew. This really got to her. She was alert and listening now.

John 12: 20-26

Jesus Predicts his Death:

verse 20: "Greeks that worship at the Feast."

These Greeks who had come to worship at the feast were probably "God-fearers," rather than proselytes.

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(a proselyte is defined as one who converts from one religion to another) Many came to worship at Jewish festivals without being Jewish proselytes -- e.g., the Ethiopian eunich in Acts 8: 27, who could not be a proselyte if he were a eunich.

21: They approached Philip, and asked for Jesus.

These Greeks approached Philip, perhaps as they identified with his Greek name. It is not clear as to why they did so. By saying "see" it is clear that they meant "speak with" Jesus.

22: Philip and Andrew went to tell Jesus.

Philip is a bit unclear as to how to handle their requests, so he goes to ask Andrew.

Together, they went to speak with Jesus.

23: Jesus replies, "the hour has come…"

Jesus reply is interesting: he totally ignores the Greeks and makes no further reference to them.

It would appear that his words are addressed to Andrew and Philip, but in fact he must have had a wider audience, including the Greeks who had been seeking him. There is no doubt, in light of this verse, that Jesus is referring to his death here. On his pathway to glorification lies the cross, and it is just ahead of him.

There are three earlier references in this Gospel to Jesus hour.(2:4; 7:30; 8:20) Finally, Jesus announces that his hour has come. The turning point was the raising of Lazarus, in response to which the world (including these Greeks) comes seeking Jesus, also causing the opposition against Jesus to harden. (v.19)

24:"unless a grain of wheat falls..."

As St. Augustine said, "He spoke of himself. He himself was the grain that had to die, and be multiplied; to suffer death through the unbelief of the Jews, and to be multiplied by the faith of many nations."

25: "He who loves his life will lose it."

This is an excellent example of a hyperbole -- an exaggeration for effect.

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Jesus is not saying that happy people will lose their lives and depressed people will keep them. He is saying that people whose lives are centered on self will lose them. because the Father will not honor them. People whose lives are centered on service to others, even at the cost of sacrifice will keep them, because the Father will bless them with eternal life.

26: "If anyone serves me, let him follow me."

The Synoptic expression of this is found in Jesus' challenge to take up the cross and follow him. (Mark 8:34; Matthew 16:24; Luke 9: 23)

"…my servant will also be." Jesus ultimate destiny is to return to the Father, so this constitutes Jesus' promise that his servant-disciple will join him in that glorious place. However, the path to his glory will begin with the cross, so Jesus is also saying that the servant-disciple can expect suffering along the way.

"If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." This is the third expression of the divine paradox. God will honor the servant rather than the ruler.

Summary

This passage is set in the context of the Jewish festival of Passover, one of the high Holy days of the Jewish faith. Tens of thousands of the faithful pilgrims flock to the temple from all over the Mediterranean to celebrate, and make sacrifices to God. They come from as far away as Persia, Syria, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Here we find that a group of Greeks, who had heard about Jesus teachings and miracles is seeking him.

They sought out Philip, most likely because of his Greek name, and that he is from Bethsaida, a fishing village… READ MORE

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