So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. “Sychar” is thought by some to be another name for Schechem, but is more probably a separate village today named Askar. Eusebius and the Talmud both record that Sychar was a separate entity from Schechem. Sychar …
Author Archives: Tim Conrad
John 4:4
Now he had to go through Samaria. Samaria: a background (from Morris page 256) “The reason for the hostility of the Jews to the Samaritans goes back a long way. When the Assyrians took Samaria captive they deported large numbers of the inhabitants and replaced them by men from all over their empire (2Kings 17:23-24). These people brought …
John 4:3
When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. “knew” (KJV) is the Greek ginosko which menas to learn to know; to become acquainted with; to gain a knowledge of. NIV translates as “learned.” Jesus came into the knowledge that the Pharisees had heard about His increasing popularity either through divine knowledge or, more likely, through …
John 4:2
although in fact it was not Jesus who baptised, but his disciples. Why did Jesus have His disciples administer baptism and not do it Himself? Calvin comments, “He calls Christ’s Baptism that which He administered by the hands of others, to teach us that Baptism is not to be valued from the person of the minister, …
John 4:1
The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptising more disciples than John, “therefore” (KJV) is a reference to #3:22, the work of John the Baptist, and the jealousy of John’s disciples. “the Lord” (KJV) was used in an ordinary form of address much as our “sir” but was sometimes applied to God with great reverence. During His earthly …
John 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” There are 2 words here which are translated in the KJV as “believe.” The first is “pisteuo” which means to believe in and commit oneself unto; the second is “apeitho” which means to …
John 3:35
The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. “has placed” = the Father loves the Son and because of this love He has given all things to Him. This shows the dependence of Jesus on the Father. Even though He was the Logos and the Son of God, Jesus was really and completely …
John 3:34
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The words which Jesus speaks are not human, but divine. Why is this important? “without limit” = God has given the Holy Spirit in His absolute fullness to the Son. This again guarantees the truth of what He …
John 3:33
The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. “The man who has accepted it” is a once and for all action, a decisive act. “seal” (KJV) or “certified” (NIV) was much used in earlier times because there were many who could not read. A seal indicated possession but came to mean authentication, a personal guarantee …
John 3:32
He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no-one accepts his testimony. There is a change of tenses in the verse. “What he has seen and heard” points to the existence of Jesus while “he testifies” refers to His mission. The teaching of Jesus is not some great thoughts which He has derived from …
John 3:31
“The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. Who is it that comes from above? Jesus. Who is it that is of the earth? John the Baptist and everyone …
John 3:30
He must become greater; I must become less. “become greater” is to grow; the opposite is to “become less” (in authority or popularity). “These last words of St. John are the fulness of religious sacrifice and fitly close his work” (Westcott). Pride is the original sin, both in time, when Satan fell (Isaiah 14:12-14), and in the original …
John 3:29
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. “friend of the bridegroom” is similar to our “best man.” The friend of the bridegroom was responsible for many …
John 3:28
You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ John is saying, “You already have the answer if you would only remember that I have said all along that I am not the Christ but His forerunner.” “You yourselves” and “I” are both emphatic. John 1:20 He did …
John 3:27
To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. John’s reply may apply to 3 different groups of people: John himself. He has only received what God has given him. He cannot be anything more than the one to go before the Messiah so don’t try to make him …
John 3:26
They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptising, and everyone is going to him.” RWP points out, “These disciples of John are clearly jealous of Jesus as a rival of John and they distinctly …
John 3:25
An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. “Jews” (KJV) is actually singular and should read “a Jew.” A dispute arose about John’s baptism which either involved Jesus from the first or later came to, as indicated by the question of John’s disciples as posed to …
John 3:24
(This was before John was put in prison.) Between the baptism and temptation of Jesus and the arrest of John the Baptist there was a period of time when both were ministering. Since the ministry of Jesus was in full swing, the disciples of John could start following Jesus when John was killed and his …
John 3:23
Now John also was baptising at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptised. Aenon is an unknown location. One suggestion is 7 miles south of Beisan where there are 7 springs within a radius of a quarter of a mile. Another is 3 miles to the east of Shechem …
John 3:22
After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptised. Why did Jesus leave Jerusalem? Why did He go from the populated center of the Jewish nation into the desolate countryside? Perhaps for three reasons: His miracles and preaching got more attention in Jerusalem, …
John 3:21
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” “doeth truth” (KJV) or “lives by the truth” (NIV) means their actions reflect that they are walking in the truth; they know the truth and have incorporated it in their …
John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. RWP states that the light hurts the eyes of the sinner and makes him thoroughly uncomfortable, so that he refuses to come into it. Morris says, “The strife between good and evil is no …
John 3:19
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Light came into the world to bring men out of darkness. “condemnation” (KJV) or “verdict (NIV) is krisis in the Greek and means judgment, decision of condemnation, or verdict. Notice the continuation of usage of judicial language. How …
John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. What is the basis for our judgment? What is it that condemns men? It is unbelief in the Son of God and His redemptive act for us. The …
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. “condemn” is the Greek krino and literally means to judge, to pronounce an opinion as to right and wrong, particulary in a court of law. This verse says that Jesus did not come into the world to judge it …
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Does this verse sound familiar? It is mostly a repetition of the previous two verses. Again, God uses repetition in the Bible for two basic reasons: 1) emphasis and …
John 3:15
that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. “everyone” is everyone regardless of gender, nationality, class, race, standing, wealth, intelligence, or any other differences. “believes” is the Greek word pisteuo which means to think to be true; to be persuaded of and then to place one’s confidence in; to trust. This word involves belief in and commitment to that …
John 3:14
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, “the serpent in the wilderness” is in reference to an event that happened while the Israelites were journeying from Egypt to the Promised Land. After God had again answered the prayers of His people and given them …
John 3:13
No-one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. How can Jesus say that nobody has gone into heaven when Enoch and Elijah both did? He is speaking of raising oneself into heaven in order to see into these things and men cannot raise themselves to heaven. (Deut 30:12, …
John 3:12
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? Jesus has just told Nicodemus things that happen on the earth and he doesn’t understand so how can he understand things which happen in heaven? If the simpler cannot be understood, then …
John 3:11
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. Jesus opens with “verily, verily” again for emphasis, but this time the focus of the message is different. “We speak of what we know” means “We know what we are …
John 3:10
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? “His Pharisaic theology had made it almost impossible for him to apprehend new (to him) spiritual truths. It was outside of his groove (rote, rut, rot, the three terrible r’s of mere traditionalism).” (RWP) He could have understood the concept of a new …
John 3:9
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. Nicodemus expresses a need to know how these things can happen before he will put his faith in them.
John 3:7-8
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” The Greek word “pneuma” translated here as “wind” in the …
John 3:6
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. That which is from the earthly can only give rise to the earthly and that which is of the spiritual can only come from a Spiritual source. Rebirth is a recurring theme throughout the New Testament. (1Peter 1:3, 22-23; James 1:18; Titus 3:5; …
John 3:5
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Jesus prefaces His response to Nicodemus’s misunderstanding by the attention-getter, “verily, verily” (KJV). The thrust of Jesus’ message is that we must be born again from God and that rebirth comes by the Holy Spirit. In this answer …
John 3:4
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Nicodemus does not understand. The principle Jesus is stating goes against everything Nicodemus has ever been taught. The Jews, by obeying the Law, tried to attain conformity and thus …
John 3:3
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Jesus “knew what was in man” and didn’t mess around with courteous exchanges but immediately drove to the heart of the reason Nicodemus had come. Jesus recognized that Nicodemus was really seeking after truth and wanted instruction in the …
John 3:2
He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” The reason of the visit being at night may have been twofold: fear of what others may think to …
John 3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. “a man of the Pharisees” is an unusual expression and is used by John intentionally to link to the preceding verse. Jesus knew what was in this man Nicodemus and acted accordingly. The personal application of this fact is …
John 2:25
He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man. As the people were wise in trusting in Jesus because of what He did and Who these signs pointed to, so was Jesus wise in not trusting in the people, who would have made Him their earthly king. His knowledge …
John 2:24
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. Jesus did not commit Himself to them; “He looked for genuine conversion, not enthusiasm for the spectacular.” (Morris 207) Compare this chapter with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Lloyd states, “(i) He will not turn stones into bread to satisfy His …
John 2:23
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. The people believed because they saw the signs Jesus did. This is only a first attraction to the Lord and not a deep faith, but it is certainly a wise decision on the …
John 2:22
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. “the scripture” probably refers to Psalm 16:10 which is interpreted in Acts 2:31, 13:35 as indicating the resurrection, but it could refer to Isa 53:12 which apparently speaks of …
John 2:21
But the temple he had spoken of was his body. The Temple was just a figure of the true Temple that was to come, which is Jesus Himself. He is greater than the Temple (Matt 12:6). The Temple was where the Presence of God dwelt, but only as the shekinah glory between the wings of the seraphim. …
John 2:20
The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” According to Josephus, Herod had started the rebuilding of the Temple in the eighteenth year of his reign, which was about 20-19 B.C. Work continued on it until its completion in 64 A.D. The Jews …
John 2:19
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” Jesus usually refused to give a sign to those who requested one, or He would point to His coming resurrection as the only sign they would get. Here, He gives the sign of his resurrection, but said in a parable …
John 2:18
Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Notice that the Jews do not dispute the rightness of Jesus’ actions, but they do demand a sign to prove His Messianic claim which they fully understood. Jesus had already given them 2 signs: …
John 2:17
His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Psalm 69:9 is a Messianic passage. The action of Jesus was not as a reformer but as the Messiah. Psalms 69:9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. “remembered” = God’s Word …
John 2:16
To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” “my Father’s house” = a messianic claim by Jesus. In the Old Testament the Temple is often called the “house of God” and Jesus referred to the owner of the Temple as being His …
John 2:15
So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. It was necessary for every male Israelite 20 years of age or older to pay the Temple tax which was a half of a Temple …
John 2:14
In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. The selling of animals in the Temple was for the convenience of having the prescribed sacrifices available for those who came from afar. The moneychangers had a trade because monetary offerings could only be made in approved …
John 2:13
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. John refers to 3 different Passovers celebrated during the ministry of Jesus (John 2:23, 6:4, 11:55). Thus the ministry of Jesus was at a minimum 2 years in length. The Law required all males to go to Jerusalem to the Temple for the Passover, …
John 2:12
After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. “his . . . brothers” = “his brethern” (KJV) were the children of Mary and Joseph, which is called the Helvidian view. Catholics hold that the brethern were either the children of Joseph by a former marriage …
John 2:11
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. Compare the beginning of the miracles of Jesus with the beginning of the miracles Moses did. One of the first of Moses’ miracles was changing water into blood Ex 7:10, 20 and the …
John 2:10
and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” The 6 waterpots were all filled to the brim with good and thus expensive wine. This would be from 120 to 180 gallons of …
John 2:9
and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside The master of the banquet was the man in charge of the seating of the guests …
John 2:8
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, The servants obey even though it may seem foolish to them. Their obedience is going to be the vehicle through which they and many others get blessed. Sometimes, the things we do are like drawing …
John 2:7
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. John relates that they were filled to the brim. This proves that there could be nothing added to them; the transformation of the water into wine was truly a miracle. Jesus did not pray for the water to be …
John 2:6
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Water was used for two purposes (besides drinking): washing the feet upon entry into the house and the ceremonial washing of the hands before the meal and before each concourse. The method of …
John 2:5
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” As previously noted, Mary apparently has a part in the preparations of the wedding because she has the authority to order the servants to follow the directions of Jesus. Even though Mary had no idea what Jesus was going to do and though it …
John 2:4
“Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” Note that Jesus does not address Mary as “mother” but instead as “woman.” The latter term is not one of disrespect; it is the same one He uses toward her from the cross in John 19:26, but it is very unusual …
John 2:3
When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” Wine was an important part of the wedding feast. In fact, the Rabbis would say, “there is no rejoicing save with wine.” (qt’d in Morris p. 179) Jesus had not done any miracles up to this point in His life. Although …
John 2:1-2
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. Cana was the hometown of Nathanael. John 21:2 John 21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Marriage was preceded by …
John 1:51
He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” “heaven open” is the symbol of free intercourse between God and man (Mt 3:16; Lu 3:21; Isa 64:1; Ac 7:56) which was accomplished by Christ (Heb 10:19-22). Matt 3:16 As soon as …
John 1:50
Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig-tree. You shall see greater things than that.” Note that as immature as the faith of Nathanael was, Jesus accepted it. We don’t need to be spiritual giants to get saved. It was probably not a revelation from Jesus of seeing you under …
John 1:49
Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” When Nathanael becomes convinced, he is totally, completely convinced. He is a student of the scriptures, and he immediately puts it all together and knows Jesus to be the Messiah. The Son of God and the King of Israel are both Messianic …
John 1:48
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.” We may not know exactly what experience Jesus was referring to, but Nathanael certainly did. Jesus possessed knowledge which no man could have apart from God. This miracle accomplished its purpose: notice the result …