John 4:11-14 (NIV)
Indeed, says Jesus, it is the spring of water which will take us into eternal life. Praise Him! Jesus knows that apart from this we are all thirsty and are all in need of this “living water”. We try to fill what is drawn from our wells with all sorts of things that will never totally satisfy.
In the Bible, those who do not know Christ are called "workers of lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23). Unbelievers are marked by lawlessness (Matthew 23:28), and will increase in the end times (Matthew 24:12). Lawlessness was associated with those who broke the Law of Moses (the Torah) and were therefore sinners.
The second phrase of this verse is sometimes translated as "the darkness did not overcome it," or "the darkness did not comprehend it." The original Greek root word is katalambanō, which can mean "acquire," "grasp," or "lay hold of." Since light is associated with knowledge, this means that Jesus was not—is not— ...
Since He loved us by sacrificially giving His Son, His Best, we who have His nature (His Spirit) are morally obligated to do the same! His great love for us should MOTIVATE a grateful heart in us to dispense His love to others.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. 12No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. 13* This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit.
John 4:1–4 explains Jesus' decision to travel away from Jerusalem, heading back towards Galilee. The primary reason is to avoid conflict with the Pharisees, for now. The shortest path is through Samaria. Yet most Jews would have chosen to detour east, avoiding the hated Samaritans entirely.
If light symbolizes God, darkness connotes everything that is anti-God: the wicked ( Prov 2:13-14 ; 1 Thess 5:4-7 ), judgment ( Exod 10:21 ; Matt 25:30 ), and death ( Psalm 88:12 ). Salvation brings light to those in darkness ( Isa 9:2 ). Although darkness is opaque to man, it is transparent to God ( Psalm 139:12 ).
— John 1:5
John 1:5 says, “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” The word “comprehended” is the Greek word katalambano. It is a compound of the words kata and lambano. The word kata carries the force of something that is dominating or subjugating.
“It's a reference first and foremost to all the light we literally cannot see: that is, the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that are beyond the ability of human eyes to detect (radio waves, of course, being the most relevant).
Gospel of Matthew
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
ESV So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. NIV If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.
Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God's law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will].
This story tells us, God does know and care – He loves Martha and Mary and Lazarus – the word is agape – He had a deep and strong love for them. But, in the midst of that love, and I would suggest because of that love and for the glory of God, Lazarus was not only sick, but he was going to die.
Jonah 4:11 Should Lead Us to Question our Self-Centeredness
Not that God doesn't care about the details of my life or your life. That's part of the beauty. He does pity us. And at the same time, He has pity for people who don't know Him, who need His grace and His mercy.
Sober-mindedness, according to Peter, means living with a single-minded focus. What is that focus? “Being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” It means this; sober-mindedness is living with eternity in view.
Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life." NLT Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, 'I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.
Psalm 97:2 – “Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;” Deuteronomy 5:22 – “'These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more.
The Bible also speaks of spiritual darkness that represents ignorance, evil, and separation from God's grace. It is a state of being devoid of the light of Christ, which represents truth, righteousness, and salvation.
In Hebrew philosophy, "light" was the ultimate ideal, and a symbol of wisdom, goodness, and knowledge. There is powerful symbolism in God's choice to create light among the darkness of the universe.
A Christian who says he is in fellowship with God (who “is Light”) but is disobeying Him (walking “in the darkness”) is lying. Ten times John used darkness to refer to sin (John 1:5; 3:19; 12:35 [twice]; 1 John 1:5–6; 2:8–9, 11 [twice]).6.
Popular Bible Verses from John 4. Share
Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well , of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
76 While the Samaritans represented themselves as real Jews with the authentic worship of Yahweh, the Jews insisted on the status of Samaritans as foreigners. It was a situation of conflict which as history reveals had degenerated to the point of each seeking to eliminate leaders in the opposing camps.
Heavenly Father, we come today thirsty for You and the living water that only You can provide. Help us to set aside the things that don't satisfy our souls. Open and prepare our hearts to encounter You. Lord Jesus, open our eyes to the fields that are ripe for harvest.