Daily Scripture Reading John 4:39 - 5:4

It has been common throughout history in all parts of the world for different groups of people to create stigmas against associating with other groups of people. The stigmas might be the result of conflict, different social statuses, or ethnic variances. One example is the conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. They have been at odds with each other for decades.

Their conflict creates a dilemma for missionaries. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven. Jesus was a Jew. That means the only way a muslim can go to heaven is through believing in a Jew. That is not a palatable message for missionaries to deliver to muslims.

It may seem like sharing the gospel with muslims is hopeless. Some missionaries try to avoid the topic of Jesus. However, today’s passage gives us hope it is not pointless. Furthermore, we see that it is not necessary to avoid talking about Jesus when evangelizing muslims.

Jesus and His disciples stopped in a Samaritan city on their way from Jerusalem to Galilee. Jesus talked with a woman at the well and revealed that He knew about her five husbands. When the disciples arrived with food from the city, the woman went into the city and told the men she had met the Christ. As the men came out from the city, Jesus told His disciples that the fields were ripe for harvest.

John 4:39 ¶ From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who bore witness, “He told me all the things that I have done.”

Notice the phrase “believed in Him.”

John 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

The Jews and Samaritans did not get along, and yet Jesus reached out to the Samaritan woman, the Samaritans asked Jesus to stay two days, and Jesus agreed to do so.

It has been common throughout history in all parts of the world for different groups of people to create stigmas against associating with other groups of people. The stigmas might be the result of conflict, different social statuses, or ethnic variances.

As Christians, we need to be willing to break through stigmas in order to spread the news of Jesus to all parts of the world, just as Jesus broke through the barrier that separated the Jews and Samaritans.

John 4:41 And many more believed because of His word;

John 4:42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is truly the Savior of the world.”

The word believe occurs in verses 41 and 42. John 3:16 teaches the necessity of believing in Jesus in order to be saved. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus even though He was a Jew and there was friction between Jews and Samaritans.

One of the dominant features of the Middle East today is the conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. In order for Arabs to be saved, they need to believe in Jesus, a Jew. That is difficult for them. However, it is necessary.

Some missionaries to Arab countries try to avoid the topic of Jesus. However, the Samaritans overcame their prejudices to believe in Jesus. Modern day Arabs can and must do the same. The fact that the Samaritans believed in Jesus even though they knew Jesus was a Jew gives us hope that muslims today can believe in Jesus even if they know He was a Jew.

John 4:43 ¶ And after the two days He went from there into Galilee.

John 4:44 For Jesus Himself bore witness that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

It is roughly 40 miles / 65 km from Sychar to Galilee. That would have been about a two day walk.

John 4:45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

John 4:46 ¶ Then 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.

It was 17 miles / 27 km from Cana to Capernaum. It would have taken at least half a day to walk from one to the other.

John 4:47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was asking Him to come down and heal his son; for he was about to die.

The royal official was at Capernaum. When he heard Jesus was in Cana, he spent half a day traveling to Cana to ask Jesus to help.

John 4:48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”

Once again we see the word “believe”. In His statement, Jesus communicated the importance of belief.

Jesus’ statement seems a little odd and out of place. I assume He meant it as a criticism. The official asked Jesus for help. I am not sure what prompted Jesus to somewhat complain that the people wanted to see signs and wonders. Perhaps Jesus believed He had already performed sufficient miracles in Galilee for them to believe.

John 4:49 The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

John 4:50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son lives.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.

The official asked Jesus to come in person, but when Jesus told the man his son would live, the man believed Jesus. Once again we see an example of someone demonstrating belief. The man also demonstrated faith because he had no proof his son had been healed, but he started on his way, believing that what Jesus said was true.

John 4:51 And while he was still going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was alive.

John 4:52 So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

John 4:53 So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives”; and he himself believed and his whole household.

Note again the word “believed”. This is the sixth time this word was used in today’s passage. John, the author of this gospel, emphasized the importance of belief.

Some people today present a so-called gospel message without explaining the necessity of belief, or more specifically, without being clear what people have to believe in order to be saved. That is a defect. John 3:16 is clear that belief leads to eternal life. When we present the gospel, we need to tell people they need to believe in Jesus and we need to explain what it means to believe in Jesus.

John 4:54 This is again a second sign that Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

John 5:1 ¶ After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

It was about 70 miles / 110 km from Cana to Jerusalem if they walked in a straight line. That would have been at least a two day walk, but it was more likely at least a three day journey.

John 5:2 ¶ Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.

John 5:3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [waiting for the moving of the waters;

John 5:4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever sickness with which he was afflicted.]

Tomorrow, we will read about a healing that took place at the pool.

It is common in all parts of the world for different groups of people to create stigmas against associating with other groups of people. Such a stigma existed between the Jews and Samaritans.

Despite that barrier, Jesus reached out to the Samaritans, and they responded by believing in Jesus. This demonstrates that we can overcome those kinds of barriers as we do ministry today. Ministry to muslims is one area of ministry where we need that hope that we can overcome prejudice.

What can we say to muslims to help them overcome their enmity to Jews so that they can believe in Jesus?

What are some people groups that your people group is at odds with, that would require you to break through acrimony in order to share the gospel of Jesus?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”