GOSPEL OF JOHN

1. Palestine: Galilee, Samaria, Judah, and also crossed Jordan River.

Jn.4:

Galilee was the beginning ministry of Jesus,
Nazareth caparnahum,Cana, macbella, and Bethesda

Ch.1:45. 45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses* and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

There are many person named Jesus. So he was called Jesus of Nazareth foe theidentification.
Ch.2: 12. 12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples.
Ch. 6: 17, 59. Jesus Walks on Water 16 That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. 17 But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 18 Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19 They had rowed three or four miles* when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!*” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” 59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Ch.20: 1. The Resurrection 1 Early on Sunday morning,* while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Ch.19:25
25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” 27 And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Synoptic Gospel
SYNOPTIC GOSPELS The phrase “Synoptic Gospels” is a term applied to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This is because they describe the ministry of Jesus from generally the same point of view, which is quite different from John’s Gospel. The phrase “Synoptic Gospels” literally means “same view.” There are many similarities among these three Gospels. They all include the use of a common outline, beginning for example with an introduction; ministry of John the Baptist and the baptism and temptation of Jesus. Also, they all include Jesus’ greater Galilean ministry; his journey and ministry through Samaria, Perea, and rural Judea; and the Passion week, death, and resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem. The books also record the same emphasis in the teaching of Jesus—the presence, nature, and fulfillment of the kingdom of God. Furthermore, these three Gospels relate much of the same material, usually in the same order, and often with similar or identical words. In addition to similarities, there are also striking differences among the three Gospels. These fall into the same general categories as do the similarities—outline, material, organization, and wording. Matthew and Luke also have considerable common material not found in Mark. Except for the healing of the centurion’s slave, Mark is composed exclusively of the words and teachings of Jesus. Each Gospel also contains accounts and teachings that are unique. The result is a rich diversity within the unity of the Gospels. Each provides portrayals of Jesus from a variety of viewpoints. Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ Jewishness and the continuity of his person and work with the message of the Old Testament. Mark’s fast-moving account presents Jesus as a man of action, the Son of Man who was a servant among men. Luke, in Greek literary style, addresses cultured Gentiles and shows Jesus as a friend of underprivileged groups. Attempts to account for both the similarities and differences within these Gospels makes up the “synoptic problem.” Solutions have been sought in many ways. As early as the second century, Tatian combined the four accounts into one. Additional “harmonies” of the Gospel accounts have been continually produced. Since the seventeenth century, scholars have attempted to account for the similarities and differences by examining the stages through which the Gospel material is assumed to have passed before coming into its present form. Form criticism attempts to identify the influences from the period of oral transmission. Source or literary criticism considers the alleged written documents from which the evangelists drew information. Redaction (or editorial) criticism seeks to determine the nature or purposes and personalities of the final editor-authors upon the accounts of the activities and teachings of Jesus. Other suggestions have called attention to the adaptation of material for a specific audience. Another looks at the similarities between the synoptic accounts of Jesus’ teachings and the parallel accounts of the Jewish rabbis in the Talmud. No completely satisfactory solution to the synoptic problem is at hand. The fact remains that the Scriptures present Jesus in various perspectives. The conscientious reader must seek the divine purpose of both the similarities and the differences of these proclamations of “the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1).

Bethany 1:28.( Bethesda,*)
28 This encounter took place in Bethany, an area east of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.
Jesus Heals a Lame Man 1 Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. 2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda,* with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches.* 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”


Ch.4
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.


PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES The Pharisees and Sadducees were two Jewish religious groups that were mentioned in the New Testament. They met with Jesus and sometimes tried to trick him by asking him difficult questions. Many people today who study the Bible still do not know everything about the Pharisees and the Sadducees. No one is sure when these groups started. In addition, scholars are not absolutely sure about everything the Pharisees and Sadducees believed. Even though it is impossible to know everything about them, when we look at what the Bible tells us, we can have a better understanding of the two groups and the main differences between them. PHARISEES The Pharisees were a group of religious leaders who lived in Palestine during the time of Jesus’ life and the beginnings of the Christian church. SADDUCEES Like the Pharisees, the Sadducees were a Jewish group that is mentioned many times in the New Testament but not in the Old Testament. JEW A Jew in biblical times was a Judean, a person belonging to Judah which is a kingdom that is based on the descendants of one of the twelve sons of Israel (named Judah). The term “Jew” comes from an underlying Hebrew word that was used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the Judeans or Jews were sent into exile in the late sixth century BC (Jeremiah 32:12). In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual citizen had the right to freedom from slavery uses the term “Jew.” In Jeremiah 52:28 it is used in giving the number of deported citizens. Once the people were in exile, the term’s national meaning was expanded with a religious one. The Jews were different from surrounding peoples in that they preserved a living religious tradition of one true God. A Jewish-Gentile polarization developed. Thus in Daniel 3:8-12 certain Jews were accused of deviating from otherwise acceptable Babylonian religious practices. The book of Esther is concerned with the problem of Jewish identity and survival in a hostile environment. Esther 8:17 speaks of Gentiles declaring themselves Jews in the religious sense of becoming proselytes. After the exile, the strongly religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in the prophecy of Zechariah 8:23 that the Jew would be courted by Gentiles because God was with him. In Ezra 4:12 the term “Jews” is the national designation of the returned exiles, as it is in the book of Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 1:2; Nehemiah 4:2). In Nehemiah 13:24, there is a reference to the social exclusiveness of the Jews: on religious grounds, marriage to foreigners is deplored. In the New Testament, “Jew” continues to have the same national and/or religious meaning. Culturally, Jews have religious and other customs that New Testament documents addressed to Gentiles find it necessary to explain (Mark 7:3; John 5:1). Jews are contrasted with Gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (John 4:9, 22), and proselytes (Acts 2:10). Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Galatians 2:13), but there is an increasing stress on the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian. In Romans 2:17-29, Paul gives an interesting theological analysis of the term “Jew.” He is at pains to emphasize that the true meaning of the word lies not in outward religious profession but in an inward attitude to God. Paul was doubtless thinking of the inadequacy of his own life as a Jew before he was converted to the Christian faith (Philippians 3:3-6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is a play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means praise (Genesis 29:35; Genesis 49:8). The apostle Paul is here regarding Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the Old Testament. Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9 express similar sentiments: to be truly a Jew is much more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance. Underlying these passages in both Revelation and Romans is obviously the issue of the messianic claims of Jesus (Romans 10:1-4). The New Testament bears sad testimony to the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel proved a cause of offense to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul himself, despite his claim of impeccable Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4-7), found himself the object of bitter Jewish attacks (Acts 21:11; Acts 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9 describe the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan. These negative overtones are especially attached to the use of the word “Jew” in John’s Gospel. It is found many more times than in any of the other Gospels. In some passages, the word is not associated with hostility, but in most cases the fourth Gospel uses “Jews” for the religious authorities, especially those in Jerusalem, who were hostile to Jesus (John 5:18; John 9:18; John 18:36). In John 9:22, the parents of the blind man, clearly Jews themselves, are said, literally, to fear the investigating Jews. In John 18:14 “Jews” stands for the chief priests and Pharisees of John 18:3. The author, who was obviously a Jew himself, was not expressing an anti-Semitic viewpoint. He condemned not race or people but those who opposed Jesus. He gladly acknowledged that some Jews put their faith in Jesus (John 8:31; John 11:45: John 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a type of the Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom is no guile” (John 1:47; see also Genesis 27:35; Genesis 32:28).







DIASPORA OF THE JEWS The Diaspora refers to the spreading out of the Jewish people from Israel to foreign lands. This occurred as the Jews were forced to leave their homeland due to war, captivity, or other persecution. It is also known as the Dispersion. The word means a “sowing” or “scattering.” It can also mean “exile.” The word occurs twice in the New Testament (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1). Both times it refers to Christian Jews living outside Palestine as a result of the several dispersions in Israel’s history. Diaspora sometimes refers to the exiled people, sometimes to the place of exile. MAJOR DIASPORAS From the end of the eighth century BC onward, Jewish history was marked by several major dispersions. DIASPORA OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM After Solomon’s death, his kingdom broke in two. The northern kingdom of Israel sunk deeper into idolatry and immorality (2 Kings 17:14-18). Jeroboam, the first king of the divided Israel, established a pattern of falling away from the faith. The Old Testament regularly records that succeeding kings “did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam” (10:31; 13:11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28, RSV). Assyria conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC. They took more than 27,000 Israelites into exile, as had been predicted (2 Kings 17:23). They were settled in cities near the Euphrates River and in Media, areas of ancient Asia. Assyrians from cities around Babylon, in turn, colonized Israel (17:6, 24). DIASPORA OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM The southern kingdom of Judah suffered exile to the east in Babylonia and to the south in Egypt. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar captured Judeans in several journeys from 605 BC to the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The first expedition to Babylon took Jerusalem’s treasures from the temple and palace. That included “all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths; none remained, except the poorest people of the land” (2 Kings 24:12-14, RSV; compare 2 Chronicles 36:10; Jeremiah 52:29-30). A year later a second expedition focused on the rebellious Jewish king Zedekiah and his sons (2 Kings 25:1, 6-7; Jeremiah 52:4-11). In the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Babylonia struck Judah again. This time the temple and the king’s palace were destroyed, and the city’s walls were broken down. All but the very poorest people were carried away captive (2 Kings 25:8-21; Jeremiah 52:12-16). In the 6th century BC, Johanan, a Judean, thought he could escape from Nebuchadnezzar by fleeing to Egypt. Johanan forced Jeremiah and a group of other Jews to go with him. They settled at Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis. Nevertheless, the Babylonians pursued them and took control of Egypt. Many Jews were executed there (Jeremiah 43:5-44:30). Records of property ownership and an altar suggest that the few surviving exiles established permanent colonies in Egypt (Isaiah 19:18-19).







OTHER DIASPORAS
The Egyptian king Ptolemy I (323-285 BC) captured many Jews and carried them off to Egypt about 300 BC. Those exiles populated Alexandria. Thereafter, the city was noted as a center of both Greek and Jewish learning. Large colonies of Jews were also sent out from Babylonia to Phrygia and Lydia by Antiochus III (the Great) of Syria (223-187 BC). The Romans sent a sizable group of Jews to Rome. The Roman general Pompey took many there as slaves in the first century BC.

The Jews were widely scattered. In the New Testament book of Acts, Luke listed Jerusalem’s visitors: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, and Egypt. The list also included the areas of Libya toward Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabians (Acts 2:9-11). Those Jews of “the Diaspora” were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. Other Jewish communities were located in the Macedonian cities visited by the apostle Paul. On his missionary journeys he visited Jews in Thessalonica, Berea, and Corinth (Acts 17:1, 10; 18:2-4). Around AD 50, the Roman emperor Claudius commanded all Jews to leave Rome (18:2). The Jewish population in Palestine at the time of Jesus’ birth is estimated from about four to six million. The dispersion population numbered several times that of Palestine. Communities with more than a million each flourished in Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, and Alexandria. Today, even with a national homeland, far more Jews still live outside Israel than inside. In spite of their scatterings, Jews of various diasporas retained a basic unity with Palestinian Jews through several practices. 1. The great national feasts—Passover, Harvest, and Tabernacles (Exodus 23:12-17; Deuteronomy 16:1-17)-continued to be observed abroad. 2. The temple tax used for the temple’s upkeep (Exodus 30:11-16) was collected in foreign Jewish communities even after the temple had been destroyed. 3. All Jews everywhere recognized the authority of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious council) over them. POSITIVE ASPECTS In exile the Jews tended to give up the idol worship that had in part kept them from God. Their exile led them to establish synagogues as places for prayer and education. Jews in Alexandria, Egypt, translated the Old Testament Scriptures into Greek, at that time the international language. From the Christian point of view, the network of dispersed Jewish communities had a special significance. They provided important bases for the spread of Christianity from these communities into the surrounding gentile world. Thus, God used the dispersions to bring the gospel to the Gentiles (Romans 1:11-15; 1 Corinthians 10:11-12). Finally, the arts, sciences, and humanities have been greatly enriched by the Jews scattered throughout Western culture. Few other peoples have endured so much ethnic prejudice as the Jews. Yet, they gave the world cultural gifts and excellence in many areas. The church of Jesus Christ has become a “new Israel” and a “chosen race” (1 Peter 2:9). But the testimony of history and of Scripture indicates that God still has a unique interest in the Jews.
GENTILES Gentiles are people belonging to any of the non-Jewish nations, known as goyim in Hebrew and ethnoi in Greek. According to the Old Testament perspective, there are but two categories of people, the Jews (God’s elect) and the nations. According to the New Testament perspective, salvation is offered to Jew and Gentile alike. Both Peter and Paul took the lead in bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul spent his entire ministry trying to unite Jewish and Gentile Christians into one body, the church.

SAMARIA Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. It is always identified with the hill where the village of Sebastieh is located. The hill was purchased by King Omri from Shemer, the clan who had lived there. King Omri built his new capital there (1 Kings 16:24). This became the center of the northern kingdom and it was prestigious because of King Omri’s family. However, it was also open to attacks. King Ben-hadad of Syria, along with an alliance of 32 kings, attacked Samaria (1 Kings 20), but the Israelites were able to drive them off. During the reign of King Ahab’s son, Joram, Ben-hadad attacked again (2 Kings 6:24-7:20) and almost conquered the city with a siege that lasted a long time. After a series of wars and King Jehu’s efforts to get rid of the priests of Baal in Samaria (2 Kings 10:18-28), the city returned to worshipping the true God while Jehu’s descendents were ruling. Nevertheless, people who worshipped the false god Asherah still lived in parts of Samaria under the leadership of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:6). During this time, Syria continued to attack the city and have the upper hand in battle (2 Kings 13:7). During the eighth century BC, the balance of power changed in Israel’s favor (2 Kings 13:14-25), and under King Jeroboam II, Samaria enjoyed great prosperity (2 Kings 14:23-28; Amos 3:10, 15; 4:1, and 6:1, 4-6). However, in the late eighth century BC, internal fighting in Israel allowed the kingdom to be vulnerable to Assyrian attacks (2 Kings 15). Finally, after Galilee, the Transjordan area, and the coastal plain were already conquered, Samaria fell to King Sargon II (2 Kings 18:9-12). During the next few decades, exiles from other countries were ordered by the Assyrians to move to Samaria. During the reign of the Persians in the sixth through fourth centuries B.C., Samaria was the center of an administrative district governed by a dynasty of rulers that included members of the Sanballat family (Nehemiah 2:10). The people who lived in Samaria during this time were called Samaritans. Even though they considered themselves to be part of Israel, they were rejected by the Judeans (Ezra 4:1-3). However, when the Jews of Elephantine wanted to rebuild a temple in Egypt, they asked the Samaritans for help. The ancient historian, Josephus, wrote that when Alexander the Great came to the Levant in 331 BC, the Samaritans gained his favor (Antiquities 11.8.4). Later, however, they rebelled against him and murdered his governor. The Samaritan leaders at this time took refuge in the Wadi Dalieh cave, where they were trapped with their personal documents written on papyrus. These leaders eventually suffocated in the cave. Samaria was taken in 108–107 B.C. (Antiquities 13.10.2 and War 1.2.7) by John Hyrcanus, who destroyed the city. It was rebuilt by Pompey and further restored by Gabinius. King Herod changed the name of the city to Sebaste in honor of Caesar Augustus and he built a large temple for Caesar there. At Sebaste, Herod entertained Agrippa, killed his wife Mariamne, and strangled his sons. During the first Jewish war, the people of Sebaste were conquered and enslaved by the Romans.
SAMARITANS The Samaritans were a sect or group that broke off from the Jews. The group resided north of Judea and south of Galilee. The Samaritans and their Jewish neighbors had a long history of tension and mutual hostility. Jesus’ attitude toward this hated group served as a contrast to the feelings and opinions generally held at that time. ORIGINS OF THE SECT It is difficult to determine precisely when the Samaritan sect arose and when the final break with Judaism occurred. The Old Testament indicates that the group stemmed from foreign peoples whose worship of God only covered up their underlying idolatry. According to 2 Kings 17, the Samaritan sect arose from the exchange of peoples following Israel’s defeat by Assyria in 722 BC The king of Assyria removed the Israelites from the land, and then brought into the land conquered peoples from Babylon, Cuthah, and various other nations. The Samaritans offer a vastly different interpretation of their origin. They claim they came from the Jewish tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (John 4:12). They hold that the exile of Israelites in 722 BC by Assyria was neither full-scale nor permanent. The Samaritan version holds that the Jews were guilty of apostasy because they set up heretical sanctuaries during the time of Eli. They should have stayed with the holy place on Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans therefore considered themselves true Israelites in heritage and worship. Assyrian records prove there was an exchange of population in the northern kingdom. Apparently a total expulsion from the land was not carried out (see 2 Chronicles 34:9). This would suggest that there were two groups in the land. First, there were the native Israelite remnant who had not been exiled. Second, there were foreign exiles who were gradually won over to the faith of the native residents. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SAMARITANS AND THE JEWS The Samaritans were situated in the north around Mount Gerizim (their holy mountain), Shechem, and Samaria. They had continual tensions with the Jewish populations in Judea and then later in Galilee. The ancient tension between the northern and southern kingdoms was revived with the return of exiles to Jerusalem under the Persian ruler Cyrus’s decree (538 BC). The entire southern area was at the time governed from Samaria in the north by Sanballat. He was a native ruler of Palestine under Persian authority. The return of exiles to Jerusalem, since they intended to rebuild the Jerusalem temple, posed an obvious political threat to his leadership in the north (Ezra 4:7-24; Nehemiah 4:1-9). Opposition was at first politically motivated. But it became religious when sometime later, possibly in the fifth century BC, a rival temple was erected on Mount Gerizim. An example of Jewish hostility toward the Samaritans can be seen about this time. The Samaritans are placed below the Edomites and Philistines in esteem and are called a “foolish people.” Jewish disregard for the Samaritans was increased by the Samaritans’ lack of resistance to Antiochus Epiphanes’s campaign (around 167 BC) to promote Greek worship in the area. Part of the Jewish community resisted the transforming of the Jerusalem temple to a temple for Zeus, and eventually followed the Maccabees in revolt, but sources suggest that the Samaritans were not among them. Poor relations came to a climax during the brief period of Jewish independence under the Hasmoneans. The Jewish ruler, John Hyrcanus, marched against Shechem, conquering and destroying the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim (about 128 BC). Under Herod the Great, Samaria’s fortunes improved. But hatred still continued between the Samaritans and Jews in Judea and Galilee. A group of Samaritans believed that the Jerusalem temple was a false cultic center. Because they were excluded from the inner courts by the Jerusalem authorities, they profaned the Jerusalem temple in approximately AD 6 by spreading human bones within the temple porches and sanctuary during Passover. Hostility toward Galilean Jews traveling through Samaria on the way to Jerusalem for various feasts was also not uncommon (Luke 9:51-53). This animosity continued in Jesus’ day. Both groups excluded the other from their respective centers, the Jerusalem temple and the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans, for example, were forbidden access to the inner courts of the temple in Jerusalem. Any offering they might give was considered as if it were from a Gentile. Though technically a sect, it appears Samaritans were in practice treated as Gentiles. All marriage between the groups was therefore forbidden and social relations were greatly restricted (John 4:9). Because of this separation, it is not surprising that any interaction between the two groups was strained. The mere term “Samaritan” was one of scorn on the lips of Jews (8:48). Among some scribes it possibly would not even be uttered. Luke 10:37 may be an example of this. The disciples’ reaction to the Samaritan refusal of lodging (9:51-55) is a good example of the animosity felt by Jews for Samaritans at the time. Although there is less evidence for similar attitudes from the Samaritan side, we can assume they existed. It is probable to suggest, therefore, that the Samaritan shunning of hospitality in Luke 9:51-55 was not uncommon toward other Jews who were heading toward Jerusalem. SAMARITAN BELIEFS The main beliefs of the Samaritans show how they both relate to and depart from mainstream Judaism. They held in common with Judaism a strong faith in the one God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In contrast, however, they elevated Mount Gerizim in the north as the only holy place for sacrifice. This was based on several passages in Deuteronomy and Exodus in the Samaritan text. Mount Gerizim came to be identified with the site of Abel’s first altar (Genesis 4:4) and the site of Noah’s sacrifice after the Flood (8:20). It was also the meeting place of Abraham and Melchizedek (14:18) and the site of Isaac’s intended sacrifice (22). The Samaritans felt that only the first five biblical books (Pentateuch) were inspired. They based their beliefs and practice exclusively on these books. Such a narrow view not only determined the direction of Samaritan theology but further separated them from contemporary Jewish thought. Moses, for example, was more highly exalted by the Samaritans than by the Jews. He was considered not only the chief prophet but also, in later thought, was described as the choicest of men. He preexisted from Creation, interceded with God for Israel, and was known as “the light of the world.” A Messiah from the house of David could not be anticipated, as no evidence for such could be found in the Pentateuch. Rather, the Samaritans awaited a prophet like Moses based on Deuteronomy 18:15-18. This anticipated prophet was also designated the “Taheb” (the Restorer). In the last days he would restore proper worship on Mount Gerizim and bring the worship of the heathen to that site. It is clear, therefore, that it was primarily the claim of supremacy for Mount Gerizim that separated this group theologically and culturally from their Jewish neighbors. JESUS AND THE SAMARITANS The common Jewish perspective on Samaritans as being nearly Gentile was evidently held to some extent by Jesus as well. Jesus refers to the Samaritan leper as “this foreigner” (Luke 17:18). He prohibits his disciples, during their commissioning, from taking the message of the kingdom to either the Samaritans or the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5). Yet the overwhelming evidence in the Gospels is that Jesus’ attitude toward the Samaritans differed radically from the Jews of his day. When his disciples display the usual Jewish animosity in asking to have the “fire from heaven” rain down upon the inhospitable Samaritans, Jesus “rebuked them” (Luke 9:54-55). Moreover, he did not refuse to heal the Samaritan leper. Instead, he honored him as the only one of the ten who remembered to give glory to God (17:11-19). In the parable of the Good Samaritan (10:30-37) Jesus clearly breaks through the traditional prejudices in portraying the despised Samaritan, not the respected Jewish priest or Levite, as the true neighbor to the man in need. Here as elsewhere, Jesus confronts his audience with God’s demand. Again, he breaks through traditional definitions of “righteous” and “outcast.” John 4:4-43 records not only the fascinating exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman but also Jesus’ two-day stay in the town of Sychar, a Samaritan city. Here Jesus risks ritual uncleanness by contact with the Samaritan woman at the well (4:7-9). He also offers the gift of salvation to her (4:10) and the entire Samaritan town (4:39-41). Since Jesus knows about her marital life (4:16-18), the woman concludes he must be a “prophet.” The Samaritans were expecting a “prophet like Moses” in the last days. So it is possible that the woman was wondering if Jesus was their long-awaited prophetic Messiah (4:19, 25-26). Jesus breaks through the animosity of Jews toward Samaritans by doing the unthinkable in staying with this despised people. But he goes further by accepting their faith in him as “Messiah” (4:26) and “Savior of the world” (4:42). Here, Jesus redefines righteousness not according to background or religious practice but according to faith in himself. In so doing, he shatters the racial and cultural distinctions of his day and lays the foundation for the gospel’s subsequent spread to the entire Gentile world. SAMARIA IN THE MISSION OF THE EARLY CHURCH In the great commission given prior to his ascension, Jesus told his disciples to take the gospel to Samaria (Acts 1:8). The missionary activity of the early church did indeed include this region. Following the martyrdom of Stephen, many Christians were forced to leave Jerusalem (8:1). One such Christian, Philip, spread the gospel in the city of Samaria (8:5). The response was so great to the miracles performed that Peter and John (representing the apostles in Jerusalem) were sent to investigate and to confirm the presence of the Holy Spirit among them. Evidence from the second century AD suggests, however, that Christianity did not gain a strong foothold among the Samaritans. For the most part, the Samaritans kept their own religion. A small remnant of the Samaritan sect continues to exist to this day, living near Mount Gerizim (Shechem) and in various cities in Israel.

Ch.4;7-9
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.* She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”



JEW A Jew in biblical times was a Judean, a person belonging to Judah which is a kingdom that is based on the descendants of one of the twelve sons of Israel (named Judah). The term “Jew” comes from an underlying Hebrew word that was used first in 2 Kings 16:6 as a national term, meaning citizens of Judah. It came into general use in the period of Jeremiah just before the Judeans or Jews were sent into exile in the late sixth century BC (Jeremiah 32:12). In Jeremiah 34:9, a statement concerning the national principle that an individual citizen had the right to freedom from slavery uses the term “Jew.” In Jeremiah 52:28 it is used in giving the number of deported citizens. Once the people were in exile, the term’s national meaning was expanded with a religious one. The Jews were different from surrounding peoples in that they preserved a living religious tradition of one true God. A Jewish-Gentile polarization developed. Thus in Daniel 3:8-12 certain Jews were accused of deviating from otherwise acceptable Babylonian religious practices. The book of Esther is concerned with the problem of Jewish identity and survival in a hostile environment. Esther 8:17 speaks of Gentiles declaring themselves Jews in the religious sense of becoming proselytes. After the exile, the strongly religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in the prophecy of Zechariah 8:23 that the Jew would be courted by Gentiles because God was with him. In Ezra 4:12 the term “Jews” is the national designation of the returned exiles, as it is in the book of Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 1:2; Nehemiah 4:2). In Nehemiah 13:24, there is a reference to the social exclusiveness of the Jews: on religious grounds, marriage to foreigners is deplored. In the New Testament, “Jew” continues to have the same national and/or religious meaning. Culturally, Jews have religious and other customs that New Testament documents addressed to Gentiles find it necessary to explain (Mark 7:3; John 5:1). Jews are contrasted with Gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (John 4:9, 22), and proselytes (Acts 2:10). Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Galatians 2:13), but there is an increasing stress on the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian. In Romans 2:17-29, Paul gives an interesting theological analysis of the term “Jew.” He is at pains to emphasize that the true meaning of the word lies not in outward religious profession but in an inward attitude to God. Paul was doubtless thinking of the inadequacy of his own life as a Jew before he was converted to the Christian faith (Philippians 3:3-6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is a play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means praise (Genesis 29:35; Genesis 49:8). The apostle Paul is here regarding Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the Old Testament. Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9 express similar sentiments: to be truly a Jew is much more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance. Underlying these passages in both Revelation and Romans is obviously the issue of the messianic claims of Jesus (Romans 10:1-4). The New Testament bears sad testimony to the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel proved a cause of offense to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul himself, despite his claim of impeccable Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4-7), found himself the object of bitter Jewish attacks (Acts 21:11; Acts 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and Revelation 3:9 describe the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan. These negative overtones are especially attached to the use of the word “Jew” in John’s Gospel. It is found many more times than in any of the other Gospels. In some passages, the word is not associated with hostility, but in most cases the fourth Gospel uses “Jews” for the religious authorities, especially those in Jerusalem, who were hostile to Jesus (John 5:18; John 9:18; John 18:36). In John 9:22, the parents of the blind man, clearly Jews themselves, are said, literally, to fear the investigating Jews. In John 18:14 “Jews” stands for the chief priests and Pharisees of John 18:3. The author, who was obviously a Jew himself, was not expressing an anti-Semitic viewpoint. He condemned not race or people but those who opposed Jesus. He gladly acknowledged that some Jews put their faith in Jesus (John 8:31; John 11:45: John 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a type of the Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom is no guile” (John 1:47; see also Genesis 27:35; Genesis 32:28).