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Discovering Jesus through the Gospels
Study 3:
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman
[Return to Introduction] [Go to Study 4] [Return to Home Page]
A. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Read the passage John's Gospel Chapter 3 verses 1 - 21
Check Answers1. Why do you think Nicodemus came to Jesus at night ?
(John 3: 1 - 2)#
2. What did Nicodemus think Jesus was ?
(John 3: 2)#
3. What did Jesus say was necessary to to see the Kingdom of God ?
(John 3: 3)#
4. Why was Nicodemus puzzled ?
(John 3: 4)#
5. What did Jesus mean ?
(John 3: 5 - 7)#
6. Did Nicodemus understand what was being said ?
(John 3: 8 - 12)#
7. How was the Son of Man lifted up ?
(John 3: 14 - 15)#
8. What is the result in believing in Jesus ?
(John 3: 15)#
9. Why did God send his Son ?
(John 3: 16a)#
10. What two things result from believing in him ?
(John 3:16b)#
11. Was Jesus sent to condemn the world ?
(John 3: 17)#
12. What is the result of believing ?
(John 3: 18a)#
13. What is the result of not believing ?
(John 3: 18b)#
14. How is Jesus described ?
(John 3: 19a)#
15. Why did/do men not come to the light ?
(John 3: 19 - 20)#
16. What does it show of people who come to the light ?
(John 3: 21)#
B. Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman
Read the passage John's Gospel Chapter 4 verses 1 - 42
Check Answers1. How does this verse show that Jesus was human ?
(John 4: 6 - 8)#
2. What time of day was this ?
(John 4: 6)#
3. What was unusual about the woman coming to the well at that time of day?
(John 4: 7)#
4. What was unusual about Jesus talking to the woman ?
(John 4: 7, 9)#
5. Was Jesus talking about water ?
(John 4: 10)#
6. Who was able to give this living water ?
(John 4: 10)#
7. What puzzled the womn ?
( John 4: 11 - 12)#
8. How was this water different from ordinary water ?
(John 4: 13 - 14a)#
9. What was this water ?
(John 4:14 - 15)#
10. What did this woman think was the benefit of having this water ?
(John 4: 16)#
11. What surprised the woman ?
(John 4: 15 - 19)#
12. This mountain or Jerusalem, which was the place where God should be worshipped ?
(John 4: 20 - 21)#
13. What should worship be ?
(John 4: 22 - 24)#
14. Who was the woman waiting for, and why ?
(John 4: 25)#
15. What did Jesus say ?
(John 4: 26)#
16. Why were the disciples surprised ?
Why did they say nothing ?
(John 4: 27) (see also John 4: 10)#
17. What did the woman forget ?
(John 4: 28)#
18. What did the woman do ?
Who did she say Jesus might be ?
(John 4: 29 - 30)#
19. What did Jesus mean by food ?
(John 4: 31 - 38)#
20. Why did many Samaritans believe in Jesus ?
(John 4: 39)#
21. What did the Samaritan towns-people ask Jesus to do ?
(John 4: 40)#
22. What was the result of Jesus agreeing to what they asked ?
(John 4: 41)#
23. Why did they believe ?
(John 4: 42) Note there are two answers#
24. What did the towns-people believe ?
(John 4: 42b)#
Summary
In the above two passages we have seen how Jesus revealed more of the Gospel message, what we would say today was how to become a Christian, in conversations with two very different people.
One a man of high social position and one a woman of low social position. It is important to remember that the Gospel message is for everyone. The only thing that can prevent us benefiting from the gospel message is our stubborness, our pride, our misplaced self-reliance and self-sufficiency, our sinful nature.....but not the sin itself, because no one is either too good not to need God's salvation or too bad, such that God will not accept them.Nicodemus was told of the need to be born-again, a bit of minor repairs, or "tuning" that one might do with an automobile would not be sufficient. The physical birth only reproduced man's sinful nature.
A new birth from God's spirit was required.The Samaritan woman was told of the new vital and everlasting life that being born-again results in.
believers would be in worship to God wherever they lived, and worship of God and belonging to God's people would not be limited to the Jewish people.The Samaritan woman also illustrates two ways how people come to know the truth and believe the Gospel message.
Through the woman's story or testimony and also through hearing Jesus for themselves.
People through the years continue to give testimony to how they have found Jesus Christ to be the Saviour for themselves.
People continue to hear God speaking to them today, through the Holy Spirit as they read the Bible.One question not asked above was: "What happened to the water jar ?"
The immediate, day to day chore, was left undone when the opportunity to hear God speaking to her. Much as you are doing by taking time to read these Bible passages and answer these questions.
Further reading (Optional)
Read the story of the Jesus healing the Official's Son, The Healing at the Pool and Life through the Son (John 4: 43 - 54, John 5: 1 - 45)
Note
Further studies are in the course of preparation.
Answers
A
1. (He was afraid of the other members of the Jewish ruling council knowing he was talking to Jesus.)2. (A teacher who has come from God)
3. (To be born again)
4. (He didn't see how he could be physically born again)
5. (Jesus talks of the physical birth and the spiritual birth and the need to be spiritually "born-again"
through being born again we become children of God)6. (This was something new to Nicodemus)
7. (Jesus was lifted up on the cross)
8. (Eternal Life)
9. (Because he loved the world)
10. (Not perishing, having eternal life)
11. (No, He was sent to save the world)
12. (The person is not condemned)
13. (The person is condemned because he has not believed in the Son of God)
14. (As Light)
15. (Because their deeds are evil and the Light of Jesus will expose them)
16. (They live by the truth, their actions have been done through God)
B
1. (Jesus was tired from the journey, he needed to rest, he was thirsty, and by inference he was
hungry)2. (The sixth hour was midday)
3. (It would seem that the other women came to draw water when it was cooler, perhaps she was
wanting to avoid the other women)4. (Jewish men did not normally talk to women, and the Jews did not associate with the Samaritans)
Note the significance of the only person who helped the robbed man in the parable of the Good
Samaritan, being a Samaritan.5. (No)
6. (Himself)
7. (He had nothing to draw water with, no bucket.)
8. (After drinking ordinary water, you would become thirsty again. Whoever drunk the water
Jesus offered would never be thirsty again.)9. (The Good News of the Kingdom, the Good News of salvation for eternal life.)
10. (That she would not need to come to draw water)
11. (That Jesus knew all about her life)
12. (Neither)
13. (Worshipping God in spirit and truth ???)
14. (For the Messiah, who would explain all things.)
15. (Jesus said that he was the Messiah)
16. (He had been talking to a woman, and a Samaritan woman. they said nothing because they
would know he had a good reason to talk to her.)17. (Her water jar)
18. (She told all the towns-people about Jesus, she said that he might be the Messiah)
19. (To preach God's word)
20. (Because of what the woman had said)
21. (To stay with them)
22. (Many more believed in Jesus)
23. (Not just because of what the woman said, but because they had heard Jesus for themselves.)
24. (They believed that Jesus was the Saviour of the World)
Author Michael Fowler October 1999
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