101 英翻中(約翰福音第四章) THE BAD SAMARITAN 犯罪的撒馬利亞婦人. 7/2/2025
愛我們的主耶穌基督, 求祢賜下宏恩, 赦免孩子犯的眼目的情慾和今生的驕傲的罪. 恩賜孩子祢的憐憫, 能夠繼續在翻譯英文聖經上不要犯驕傲的罪, 讓孩子手指不要太疼痛, 能夠繼續做榮耀主, 並祢的事工. 奉主耶穌基督的名禱告. 阿們.
CHAPTER FOUR 第四課 John 4 約翰福音第四章 THE BAD SAMARITAN 犯罪的撒馬利亞婦人.
In John 4, our Lord ministers to a variety of people: the sinful Samaritan woman, His own disciples, the many Samaritans who trusted in Him, and finally, a nobleman and his household. What did these have in common? Faith in Jesus Christ. John was fulfilling the purpose of his gospel in showing his readers how various kinds and classes of people came to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. 在約翰福音第四章中，我們的主服侍了形形色色的人：有罪的撒瑪利亞婦人、祂的門徒、眾多信靠祂的撒瑪利亞人，最後，還有一位貴冑和他的家人。這些人有什麼共同點？對耶穌基督的信心。約翰正在履行他福音書的使命，向讀者展示不同種類、不同階層的人是如何相信耶穌是神的兒子的。
Let’s meet these various persons and discover how their faith began, how it grew, and what it did for them and for others. 讓我們來認識這些形形色色的人，看看他們的信心是如何開始的、如何成長的，以及這信心對他們和他人產生了什麼影響。
The Samaritan Woman (4:1–30) 撒瑪利亞婦人（4:1-30） Because the Pharisees were trying to incite competition between Jesus and John the Baptist (John 3:25–30), Jesus left Judea and started north for Galilee. He could have taken one of three possible routes: along the coast, across the Jordan and up through Perea, or straight through Samaria. Orthodox Jews avoided Samaria because there was a longstanding, deep-seated hatred between them and the Samaritans. 由於法利賽人試圖挑起耶穌和施洗約翰之間的競爭（約翰福音3:25-30），耶穌離開猶大，向北前往加利利。祂可以選擇三條路線中的一條：沿著海岸，穿過約旦河，向北穿過比利亞，或直接穿過撒瑪利亞。正統派猶太人避開撒瑪利亞，因為他們與撒瑪利亞人之間有著長期根深蒂固的仇恨。
The Samaritans were a mixed race, part Jew and part Gentile, that grew out of the Assyrian captivity of the ten northern tribes in 727 BC. Rejected by the Jews because they could not prove their genealogy, the Samaritans established their own temple and religious services on Mount Gerizim. This only fanned the fires of prejudice. So intense was their dislike of the Samaritans that some of the Pharisees prayed that no Samaritan would be raised in the resurrection! When His enemies wanted to call Jesus an insulting name, they called Him a Samaritan (John 8:48). 撒瑪利亞人是一個混血民族，一半是猶太人，一半是外邦人，起源於公元前727年北方十個支派被亞述人擄掠之後。由於無法證明自己的家譜，撒瑪利亞人遭到猶太人的排斥，於是在基利心山上建立了自己的聖殿和宗教儀式。這只會加劇他們的偏見。他們對撒瑪利亞人的厭惡如此強烈，以至於有些法利賽人甚至祈禱，希望復活時沒有一個撒瑪利亞人復活！當耶穌的敵人想用侮辱性的名字稱呼他時，他們稱他為撒瑪利亞人（約翰福音8:48）。
Because He was on a divinely appointed schedule, it was necessary that Jesus go through Samaria. Why? Because He would meet a woman there and lead her into saving faith, the kind of true faith that would affect an entire village. Our Lord was no respecter of persons. Earlier, He counseled a moral Jewish man (John 3), and now He would witness to an immoral Samaritan woman! 因為耶穌有神所安排的行程，所以他必須經過撒瑪利亞。為什麼？因為他會在那裡遇見一個女人，並引導她獲得得救的信心，這種真正的信心會影響整個村莊。我們的主不偏待人。此前，他曾勸誡一位有道德的猶太人（約翰福音3章），現在祂要向一位不道德的撒瑪利亞女人作見證！
He arrived at Jacob’s well at six o’clock in the evening, the usual time for women to come for water. The disciples went to the nearby town for food while Jesus deliberately waited at the well. He was weary, hungry, and thirsty. John not only presents Jesus as the Son of God but also as true man. Our Lord entered into all the normal experiences of our lives and is able to identify with us in each of them. 傍晚六點，耶穌來到雅各井旁，正是婦女們平常來打水的時間。門徒們到附近的城鎮找吃的，耶穌則特意在井邊等候。他又累又餓又渴。約翰不只將耶穌呈現為神的兒子，也展現為一個真正的人。我們的主進入了我們生活中所有正常的體驗，並且能夠在每一種體驗中與我們感同身受。
As you read our Lord’s interview with this woman, notice how her knowledge of Jesus increases until she acknowledges that He is the Christ. There were four stages in this experience. 當你閱讀我們的主與這位婦女的訪談時，請注意她對耶穌的認識是如何不斷加深的，直到她承認祂是基督。這段經歷分為四個階段。
He is “a Jew” (vv. 7–10). In that day, it was not considered proper for any man, especially a rabbi, to speak in public to a strange woman (John 4:27). But our Lord set social customs aside because a soul’s eter nal salvation was at stake. It certainly surprised her when He asked for a drink of water. She surmised that He was a Jewish rabbi, and perhaps she tried to “read between the lines” to find another meaning to His request. What was He really seeking? 祂是「猶太人」（7-10節）。在那個時代，任何男人，尤其是拉比，在公共場合與陌生女人說話都是不合適的（約翰福音4:27）。但我們的主拋開了社會習俗，因為事關一個靈魂的永恆救贖。當祂向她要一杯水喝時，她無疑感到驚訝。她猜測耶穌是猶太拉比，或許她想從字裡行間尋找耶穌請求的真正意義。耶穌究竟在尋求什麼？ The information in John’s parenthesis at the end of John 4:9 was for the benefit of his Gentile readers. Since the disciples had gone into the city to purchase food, it is obvious that the Jews did have some “deal ings” with the Samaritans, so John was not trying to exaggerate. The phrase can be translated “ask no favors from the Samaritans” or “use no vessels in common with the Samaritans.” Why would Jesus, a Jew, want to use her “polluted” vessel to get a drink of water? 約翰在約翰福音4:9末尾的括號中的信息是為了他的外邦讀者。由於門徒進城買食物，顯然猶太人確實與撒瑪利亞人有一些“交易”，所以約翰並非有意誇大其詞。這句話可以翻譯為「不要向撒瑪利亞人求好處」或「不要與撒瑪利亞人共用器皿」。耶穌，一個猶太人，為什麼要用她那「污穢」的器皿來取水呢？
Of course, our Lord’s request was simply a way to open the conversation and share with her the truth about “living water.” Whenever He witnessed to peo ple, Jesus did not use a “sales talk” that He adapted to meet every situation. To Nicodemus, He spoke about new birth, but to this woman, He spoke about living water. 當然，我們主的請求只是為了開啟對話，並與她分享關於「活水」的真理。每當耶穌向人作見證時，他並沒有使用適應各種情況的「推銷話術」。對尼哥底母，他講的是新生，但對這個女人，他講的是活水。
Jesus pointed out to her that she was ignorant of three important facts: who He was, what He had to offer, and how she could receive it. Here was eternal God speaking to her, offering her eternal life! The Samaritans were as blind as the Jews (John 1:26). But our Lord’s words had aroused her interest, so she pursued the conversation. 耶穌向她指出，她對三個重要事實一無所知：他是誰，他能提供什麼，以及她如何才能得到活水。永恆的神正在對她說話，賜給她永生！撒瑪利亞人和猶太人一樣盲目（約翰福音1:26）。但我們主的話引起了她的興趣，於是她繼續說：
“Greater than Jacob” (vv. 11–15). 「比雅各更大」（11-15節）。Jesus was speaking about spiritual water, but she interpreted His words to mean literal water. Again, we see how easily people confuse the material and the spiritual. Furthermore, this woman was concerned about how He would obtain this water, instead of simply asking Him to give her a drink of it. 耶穌指的是屬靈的水，但她卻將祂的話理解為真正的水。我們再次看到，人們很容易混淆物質和屬靈。此外，這位婦人關心的是祂如何獲得這水，而不是簡單地求祂給她喝。
Of course Jesus is greater than Jacob—and greater than the well itself! To paraphrase His reply: “Whosoever continues to drink of this material water (or anything the world has to offer) will thirst again. But whosoever takes one drink of the water I give will never thirst again” (see John 4:13–14). How true it is that the things of this world never completely satisfy. In hell today, people are crying, “I thirst!” 耶穌當然比雅各更大──也比這口井本身更偉大！祂的回答是：「凡喝這物質之水（或任何世上之水）的，還要再渴；凡喝我所賜的水的，一口就永遠不渴。」（參考約翰福音4:13-14）世上之物永遠無法完全滿足人，這是多麼真實啊！在今天的地獄裡，人們都在喊著：「我渴了！」
We have noted before that life is one of John’s key concepts. He uses the word at least thirty-six times. Campbell Morgan has pointed out that mankind needs air, water, and food in order to have life. (We might also add that he needs light.) All of these are provided in Jesus Christ. He provides the “breath” (Spirit) of God (John 3:8; 20:22). He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48) and the Light of Life (John 1:4–5), and He gives us the water of life. 我們之前提到，生命是約翰的核心概念之一。他至少使用了三十六次這個字。坎貝爾摩根指出，人類需要空氣、水和食物才能生存。 （我們也可以補充說，人類需要光。）所有這些都在耶穌基督裡得到了滿足。祂賜下神的「氣息」（靈）（約3:8；20:22）。祂是生命的糧（約翰福音6:48），也是生命的光（約翰福音1:4-5），祂賜給我們生命的水。
The woman’s immediate response was to ask for this gift, but she did not know what she was saying. The seed of the Word fell on shallow soil, and the shoots that sprang up had no root (Matt. 13:20–21). She had made progress, but she still had a long way to go, so Jesus patiently dealt with her. 婦人立刻回應，想要得到這份禮物，但她並不知道自己在說什麼。道的種子落在淺土裡，長出來的嫩芽卻沒有根（太13:20-21）。她已經取得了進步，但還有很長的路要走，所以耶穌耐心地對待她。
“A prophet” (vv. 16–24). The only way to prepare the soil of the heart for the seed is to plow it up with conviction. That was why Jesus told her to go get her husband: He forced her to admit her sin. There can be no conversion without conviction. There must first be conviction and repentance, and then there can be sav ing faith. Jesus had aroused her mind and stirred her emotions, but He also had to touch her conscience, and that meant dealing with her sin . 「一位先知」（16-24節）。為種子準備好心靈土壤的唯一方法，就是用信念去耕耘。正因如此，耶穌才讓她去找她的丈夫：祂強迫她承認自己的罪。沒有信念，就不會有轉變。必須先有信念和悔改，然後才能有得救的信心。耶穌喚醒了她的思想，觸動了她的情感，但祂也必須觸動她的良心，這意味著要處理她的罪。
“I have no husband” was the shortest statement she made during the entire conversation! Why? Because now she was under conviction and her “mouth was stopped” (Rom. 3:19). But this was the best thing that could have happened to her! 「我沒有丈夫」是她在整個談話中說的最短的一句話！為什麼？因為現在她已經認罪了，她的嘴巴被塞住了（羅馬書3:19）。但這對她來說，卻是最好的事！ However, instead of listening to Jesus, she tried to get Him on a “detour” by discussing the differences between the Jewish and the Samaritan religions. It is much more comfortable to discuss religion than to face one’s sins! However, Jesus once again revealed her spir itual ignorance: she did not know who to worship, where to worship, or how to worship! He made it clear that all religions are not equally acceptable before God, that some worshippers act in ignorance and unbelief. The only faith that God will accept is that which came through the Jews. The Bible is of Jewish origin, and our Savior was a Jew. The first Christians were Jews. A religious worker in an airport told me that the world’s deliverer came from Korea, but Jesus said, “Salvation is of the Jews.” Only those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and who obey the truth, can worship God acceptably. It was a devastating statement to say that worship would no longer be limited to the Jewish temple. This ties in with John 2:19–21 and also Stephen’s statement in Acts 7:48–50. John’s gospel clearly reveals that there is a new sacrifice (John 1:29), a new temple (John 2:19–21; 4:20–24), a new birth (John 3:1–7), and a new water (John 4:11). Jews reading this gospel should realize that God has established in Jesus Christ a whole new economy. The old covenant law has been fulfilled and set aside. “The Christ” (vv. 25–30). In spite of her igno rance, there was one truth this woman did know: the Messiah was coming and would reveal the secrets of hearts. Where did she learn this truth? We do not know, but that seed had lain buried in her heart until that very hour, and now it was going to bear fruit. Our Lord’s response to her statement was, literally, “I that speak to thee, I am!” He dared to utter the holy name of God! At this point, the woman put her faith in Jesus Christ and was converted. Immediately she wanted to share her faith with others, so she went into the village and told the men she had met the Christ. When you consider how little spiritual truth this woman knew, her zeal and witness put us to shame. But God used her simple testimony, and many of the people came out to the well to meet Jesus. The rabbis said, “It is better that the words of the law be burned than be delivered to a woman!” But Jesus did not agree with that narrow prejudice. Why did she leave her waterpot when she hurried into the city? For one thing, she had the living water within and was now satisfied. Also, she intended to come back, and perhaps in the interim, the disciples and Jesus could use the vessel to satisfy their thirst. Gone were the racial barriers and battles that had existed before! They were all one in faith and love! This woman did not come to faith in Christ imme diately. Jesus was patient with her, and in this, He sets a good example for us in our own personal work. Certainly she was the least likely prospect for salvation, yet God used her to win almost an entire village!
The Disciples (4:31–38) When the disciples returned from obtaining food, they were shocked that Jesus was conversing with a woman, and especially a Samaritan, but they did not interrupt. They were learning that their Master knew what He was doing and did not need their counsel. But, after the woman left, they urged Jesus to share the meal with them, because they knew that He was hungry. “I have food to eat that ye know not of” was His reply, and, as usual, they did not understand it. They thought He was speaking of literal food, and they won dered where He got it. Then He explained that doing the Father’s will—in this case, leading the woman to salvation—was true nourishment for His soul. The dis ciples were satisfied with bread, but He was satisfied with accomplishing the Father’s work. “Seek your life’s nourishment in your life’s work,” said Phillips Brooks. The will of God ought to be a source of strength and satisfaction to the child of God, just as if he sat down to a sumptuous feast. If what we are doing tears us down instead of builds us up, then we may well question whether it is the will of God for us. Our Lord did not look on the Father’s will as a heavy burden or a distasteful task. He viewed His work as the very nourishment of His soul. Doing the Father’s will fed Him and satisfied Him inwardly. “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Ps. 40:8). The Samaritan woman was now doing the Father’s will and finding excitement and enrichment in it. Jesus then changed the image from that of food to that of the harvest, which is the source of the food. He quoted the familiar Jewish proverb about waiting for the harvest, and then pointed to the villagers even then coming out to the well to meet Him, thanks to the wit ness of the woman. The disciples went into the village to get food for themselves, but they did no evangeliz ing. The woman took their place! The image of the harvest is a familiar one in the Bible and is often applied to the ministry of winning lost souls. Both the parable of the sower and the para ble of the tares (Matt. 13:1–30) relate to this theme, and Paul used it in his letters (Rom. 1:13; 1 Cor. 3:6–9; Gal. 6:9). We plant the seed of God’s Word in the hearts of people who hear it, and we seek to cultivate that seed by our love and prayers. In due time, that seed may bear fruit to the glory of God. No doubt the disciples had said, as they approached the city of Sychar, “There can be no harvest here! These people despise us Jews and would have no use for our message.” But just the opposite was true: the harvest was ready and only needed faithful workers to claim it. For some reason, when it comes to witnessing for Christ, it is always the wrong time and the wrong place! It takes faith to sow the seed, and we must do it even when the circumstances look discouraging. Read Ecclesiastes 11:4 and take it to heart! There is no competition in the Lord’s harvest. Each of us has an assigned task and we are all a part of each other’s labors (1 Cor. 3:6–9). One sows, one reaps, but each worker gets his honest reward for the work he has done. John 4:38 indicates that others had labored in Samaria and had prepared the way for this harvest. We do not know who these faithful workers were, nor do we need to know, for God will reward them. Perhaps some of these people had heard John the Baptist preach, or perhaps some of John’s followers had reached into this difficult field. Some archeologists have located “Aenon near Salim” where John baptized (John 3:23) near the biblical Shechem, which is close to Sychar and Jacob’s well. If this is the case, then John the Baptist prepared the soil and planted the seed, and Jesus and the disciples reaped the harvest. Of course, the woman herself planted some of the seed through her witness to the men. The disciples were learning a valuable lesson that would encourage them in the years to come. They were not alone in the work of the Lord, and they must never look on any opportunity for witness as wasted time and energy. It takes faith to plow the soil and plant the seed, but God has promised a harvest (Ps. 126:5–6; Gal. 6:9). In a few years, Peter and John would participate in another harvest among the Samaritans (Acts 8:5–25). Those who sow may not see the harvest, but those who reap will see it and give thanks for the faith ful labors of the sowers. The Greek word translated “labor” in John 4:38 is translated “wearied” in John 4:6. Sowing, cultivating, and harvesting are difficult tasks, not only in the phys ical realm, but also in the spiritual. There is no place in the harvest for lazy people. The work is too difficult and the laborers are too few.
The Samaritans (4:39–42) Many of the Samaritans believed because of the testi mony of the woman, and then many more believed when they heard Jesus personally. So excited were they about Him that they begged Him to stay with them, and He stayed for two days. During that short time, His word produced fruit in their lives. It is important that new converts be grounded in the Word—the Bible. These Samaritans began their spiritual walk by trusting in what the woman said, but they soon learned to trust the Word taught by the Savior. Theirs was no “secondhand” salvation. They knew that they were saved because they had believed His message. “Now we know!” was their happy testimony. You would have thought that these Samaritans would have been narrow in their faith, seeing Jesus as the Savior of the Jews and the Samaritans. But they declared that He was “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). They had been converted only a few days, but they already had a missionary vision! In fact, their vision was wider than that of the apostles! It is interesting to trace our Lord’s movements that brought Him to Samaria. He was in Jerusalem (John 2:23) and then came into Judea (John 3:22). From Judea He went into Samaria (John 4:4), and the Samaritans declared Him to be “the Savior of the world.” This is a perfect parallel to Acts 1:8—“And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Our Lord has set the example. If we follow, He will give us the harvest. This unnamed Samaritan woman was a fruitful believer: she bore fruit (“many believed”), more fruit (“many more believed”), and today continues to bear “much fruit” to the glory of God (see John 15:1–5). Nobody knows how many lost sinners have come to the Savior because of the witness of this woman recorded in John 4.
The Nobleman (4:43–54) Our Lord continued His journey to Galilee (John 4:3) and came again to Cana. Galilee was known as “Galil ha goyim—Galilee of the Gentiles.” Apparently Jesus had detected in Judea (His own country) the increasing hostility of the religious leaders, though the real oppo sition would not yet appear for some months. Our Lord was really never identified with Judea even though He had been born in Bethlehem. He was known as the prophet from Galilee (Matt. 21:11; John 7:52). Jesus knew that the public response to His min istry in Jerusalem had been insincere and shallow (John 2:23–25), and that it was not honoring to Him at all. Why did Jesus return to Cana? Perhaps He wanted to cultivate the “seed” He had planted there when He attended the wedding feast. Nathanael came from Cana, so perhaps there was a personal reason for this visit. Jesus was met at Cana by a nobleman from Capernaum, some twenty miles away. The man had heard about His miracles and came all that distance to intercede for his son, who was dying. The first miracle at Cana came at the request of His mother (John 2:1–5), and this second miracle at Cana at the request of a father (John 4:47). Was this man a Jew or a Gentile? We do not know. Nor do we know his exact position in the government. He may have been a member of Herod’s court, but whatever his national or social standing, he was clearly at his wit’s end and desperately needed the help of the Savior. He “kept beseeching him” to travel to Capernaum to heal his son. John 4:48 was not a rebuke of this nobleman. Rather, it was our Lord’s lament at the spiritual condi tion of the people in general, both in Judea and Galilee. “Seeing is believing” has always been the “pragmatic” philosophy of the lost world, even the religious world. The nobleman believed that Jesus could heal his son, but he made two mistakes in his thinking: that Jesus had to go to Capernaum to save the lad, and that if the boy died meanwhile, it was too late. We must admire this man’s faith. Jesus simply said, “Go thy way; thy son liveth” (John 4:50). And the man believed Jesus and started to return home! Both the Samaritan woman and this anonymous nobleman must have rejoiced the heart of Jesus as they believed the Word and acted on it. The boy was healed the instant Jesus spoke those words, so the man’s servants started out to find him so they could share the good news. (Again, it is the ser vants who know what is going on. See John 2:9; 15:15.) The boy had been healed at the seventh hour, which, in Roman time, would be seven o’clock in the evening. The father certainly would not have traveled at night, for that would have been dangerous; nor would the servants have taken that risk. The father’s faith was so strong that he was willing to delay going home, even though his heart yearned to see his beloved son. When the father and the servants met the next day, their report confirmed his faith. Note that the father thought the healing would be gradual (“began to improve”), but the servants reported a complete, instant recovery. This man began with crisis faith. He was about to lose his son and he had no other recourse but the Lord Jesus Christ. Many people came to Jesus with their crises, and He did not turn them away. The nobleman’s crisis faith became confident faith: he believed the Word and had peace in his heart. He was even able to delay his trip home, knowing that the boy was out of danger. His confident faith became confirmed faith. Indeed, the boy had been completely healed! And the healing took place at the very time when Jesus spoke the Word. It was this fact that made a believer out of the noble man and his household. He believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and he shared this faith with his family. He had contagious faith and shared his expe rience with others. This is one of serveral miracles that Jesus performed "at a distane. He healed the centurion's service from a distane (Matt. 8:5:13, and note that he too lived in Capernaum), and He healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman in the same manner (Matt. 15:21–28). These two were Gentiles and, spiritually speaking, were “at a distance” (Eph. 2:12–13). Perhaps this nobleman was also a Gentile. We do not know. John 4:54 does not state that this healing was the second miracle that Jesus ever performed, for that would contradict John 2:23 and 3:2. This was the sec ond miracle He performed in Cana of Galilee (see John 2:1, 11). He certainly gave those people special privileges. But we must note that both miracles were “private” rather than public. Mary, the disciples, and the servants knew where the excellent wine had come from, but the guests did not. (Of course, it is possible that the ser vants told the story to others.) The nobleman’s son was healed at Capernaum, not Cana, but news traveled rap idly in those days and certainly the word got out. Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding revealed His power over time. The Father is always making water into wine, but He takes a season or two to finish the work. Jesus made the wine instantly. In this sense, our Lord’s miracles were only instantaneous copies of what the Father is always doing. “My Father worketh hith erto, and I work” (John 5:17). The Father is constantly multiplying bread, season after season, but the Son multiplied it instantly. In the second recorded miracle, Jesus showed His power over space. He was not limited simply because He was in Cana and the sick boy was in Capernaum. The fact that the father believed the Word and did not know the results until the next day is evidence that he had confident faith. He trusted the word that Jesus spoke, and so should we.
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