Study the Bible

with Pastor Gregory

Would you like to ask Pastor Gregory a question?

1. The Penchant for Intolerance – 4:1-4
   
   
1. The Prejudice of Religion – vv. 1-3
   
   
1. The situation facing Jesus was tense – with the religious leadership of Jerusalem resenting the popularity first of John, and then this newest threat – Jesus of Nazareth.
2. We are told that "when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John . . ." He decided to avoid premature controversy and "left Judea and went away again into Galilee."
3. They were able to endure the ministry of John, because his father had been a principal leader of the priests.
4. However, this Jesus was the "illegitimate" son of a carpenter from Nazareth! – there was no way that they were going to be as patient with Jesus as they had been with John – even though "Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were."
5. Bigotry and self-righteous pride existed as the Jewish religious leadership rejected the validity of the teachings of Jesus.
1. They did not merely disagree, but they felt that he had no right to exist and Jesus responded by withdrawing Himself.
2. Jesus took His ministry away from the seat of pharisaism and ministered among those more interested in spiritual truth - demonstrating that there are times when you separate from those who differ reject the truth of God’s Word.
1. Notice, however where the responsibility rests – with the Pharisees who were militantly rejecting what Christ taught.
2. Jesus knew their heart and was able to diagnose it – we cannot.
3. Our response must never be to judge people as unworthy of the love of God and "curl our lips" at those who differ from us as though they are unclean.
4. The love of God exists for all men – and we have been commanded to love others – even those of other faiths.
5. What is it that causes a person to be willing to go to a foreign field to share the Gospel? – It is being convinced of the love of God for sinners.
3. Although there may be theological differences that cause you not to be able to agree with some, or even join hands together with them in ministry endeavor, there must never develop an attitude that they are the enemy.
4. We have only one enemy – Satan who has blinded the eyes of those in darkness – or has even ensnared some believers in a deception – cp. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
6. Let us remember that God so loved "the world" – that He sent His Son!
   
   
2. The Prejudice of Race – v. 4
   
   
1. We see another form of bigotry that was rampant in Jesus day and remains so today – racism: "And He had to pass through Samaria."
2. After Israel had been carried away captive by Assyria, Shalmaneser (King of Assyria) planted a colony of assorted pagans who, mingling with the few Jewish outcasts who were left, formed themselves into a strange hybrid of religion and race.
3. To the Jew, Samaritans were "half-breeds" who were completely heathenized in both genes and religion.
4. The consequence of this was that although Samaria was within the confines of Israel’s borders, Jewish people saw it as a place to be avoided at all costs.
5. Even though Samaria was located between Judea and Galilee, Jewish people would go way out of their way to avoid having to go through Samaria when traveling from one place to another.
6. They would cross the Jordan River into the region known as Decapolis to go around Samaria.
7. Their bigotry and prejudice was so great that, during the reign of Alexander the Great, the Samaritans had been forced to build their own place of worship – on Mt. Gerizim.
8. Today racism is tearing our Country apart as people reject one another on the basis of ethnic background or simply color of skin.
9. For the believer, there is no place for bigotry – consider Revelation 5:9-10.
1. I believe that originally, there were no races until Babel when God divided the sons of Noah and drove them from the plain of Shiner – Genesis 11:6-9
2. It is my understanding that they were divided according to the clans of Ham, Shem, and Japheth
1. Hamites went down into Egypt and became the blacks.
2. The Shemites settled in the Middle East and Asia and became the Orientals
3. The Japhethites migrated into Asia Minor and Europe – becoming the Caucasians
   
   
2. The Priority of Impartiality – 4:4
   
   
1. The Indispensability of Impartiality
   
   
1. Once again, v. 4 demonstrates some of the priority of God in crossing racial and religious prejudice – "and He had to pass through Samaria."
2. As we noted before, the "need" was not a geographical one because the standard Jewish route was through Decapolis (around Samaria).
3. The "need" was a moral one – John 6:37-40
4. If it were not for the fact that God is willing to save anyone in any circumstance in any place, we would all be lost.
5. God is only partial to One – His own Son and It is absolutely crucial that every man, woman, boy or girl be made acceptable in the beloved One - Christ Jesus – Ephesians 1:4-6; Colossian 1:11-12
6. Ultimately the only standard God will use is whether your life has been "hid in Christ" by faith – not whether you are a member of a Bible, Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, or any other church; or whether you are Black or White, rich or poor, socially cultured or crude, etc…
7. Clearly if God were a respecter of persons, there would be only One who would receive His affection.
   
   
2. The Inclusivism of Impartiality
   
   
1. However, God is not a respecter of persons – cp. Acts 10:34-35
2. We must always remember that since there is not merit in the man who receives the grace of God, there cannot be some artificial physical standard that evokes that grace.
3. It is because God is totally impartial that His grace is inclusive – reaching out to all men, everywhere – cp. Acts 17:30
4. Despite the air of superiority felt by the Jewish people, Christ came to save all men – cp. John 10:16.
5. Hence we are told to go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations – Matthew 28:19.
   
   
3. The Prospect for Intrusion – 4:5-6
   
   
1. The Occasion for the Parley
   
   
1. We are told that He "came to a city of Samaria call Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph."
2. This reference to the "parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph" interests us today:
1. Originally, it was "purchased" by Jacob from Shechem – Genesis 33:18-19
2. Subsequently, Jacob had to forcibly take back this portion of land from the Amorites who were trying to steal it – Genesis 48:21-22
3. Finally, it was given to Joseph (instead of Rueben who had forfeited his inheritance due to grievous sin)
3. It is fitting Jesus goes to Samaria to demonstrate His impartiality and affection for "non-Jews" and stops at a well that perfectly pictures His work of redemption:
1. Our redemption is "purchased" by His work at Calvary in the shedding of His own blood to pay for our sin – cp. Acts 20:28
2. We are constantly secured from the clutches of the enemy who is a thief and robber – despoiling us of the joy of our redemption – John 10:7-10
3. Finally, our redemption will be given to us as a free gift.
   
   
2. The Opportunity for Provisions
   
   
1. Thus the opportunity exists for Christ to present Himself to this woman - "and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour"
2. If the portion of land given to Joseph can symbolize the redemption that we enjoy in Christ Jesus, the "well" that is on that land can symbolize the Lord Jesus Himself to Whom we go for refreshing – cp. Isaiah 12:3.
3. It is when we come to the well of Christ Jesus and drink that we enjoy the cleansing power of the living water provided by Him and in Him – cp. John 4:10, 14; 7:37-38; Revelation 22:17

BCBC Home Page