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John 2–4

Introduction and Timeline

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles declared: “The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities” (“The Great Commandment,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 30). In New Testament times, individuals felt the Savior’s transforming power when they heard His words or saw the miracles He performed. He turned water into wine (see John 2:1–11). He cleansed the temple so that it would be revered as His “Father’s house” (John 2:16). He healed a nobleman’s son who was on “the point of death” by uttering these simple words, “Thy son liveth” (John 4:47, 50). He invited Nicodemus to experience spiritual rebirth (see John 3:1–21). He helped the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well grow in her understanding until she recognized Him as the Christ (see John 4:5–29).

Chapter Overviews

John 2

At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus Christ changed water into wine at a marriage celebration in Cana of Galilee. He attended Passover in Jerusalem and cleansed the temple. He foretold His death and Resurrection and worked miracles.

John 3

Jesus taught Nicodemus that all men must be born of water and of the Spirit to enter God’s kingdom and that He had been sent by God so that the world might be saved. John the Baptist testified that Jesus is the Son of God and that all must believe in Him to be saved.

John 4

Jesus Christ taught a Samaritan woman, who believed His words and recognized Him as the Messiah. Jesus Christ exhorted His disciples to preach the gospel. Many in Samaria believed Jesus to be the Savior. He healed a nobleman’s son who was near death.

Suggestions for Teaching

John 2:1–11

Jesus Christ Turned Water into Wine

Write the following question on the board: What do we learn about the Savior from the account of His first recorded miracle? Invite students to read John 2:1–11 and look for answers to the question on the board. As students find answers in their scriptures, have them write the answers under the question on the board. Possible answers include the following:

• Jesus Christ has power over the physical elements.

• The Savior knew He had a divine mission to fulfill.

• The Messiah manifested His divine power through miracles.

After the students have listed their responses, read with them the student manual commentary for John 2:1–11, “Jesus Christ’s First Miracle,” as well as the commentary for John 2:4. Ask students to add to the board any additional truths that were not included in the list. They might add statements such as these:

• Jesus Christ can change us from being a natural man to being a saint.

• The Son of God loved and respected His mother.

Invite a few students to share an experience when they witnessed the transforming power of Jesus Christ—in their life or in the life of someone they know.

John 2:13–22

Jesus Christ Cleansed the Temple

Using Pictures

As students examine the picture, ask questions like these: “What is happening in this picture?” “What details from the scripture text are included in the picture?” These types of questions can help students better understand scripture content and prepare them to apply the scriptures in their lives.

Show students the picture Jesus Cleansing the Temple (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 51; see also LDS.org). Ask a student to briefly summarize the event depicted in the picture.

Have a student read John 2:13–17, and have another student read the student manual commentary for John 2:16. Discuss answers to the following questions:

• How had the actions of those at the temple desecrated the temple before Jesus arrived? (In addition to discussing the people’s actions, you may want to discuss the people’s attitudes and motivations, as suggested by President Howard W. Hunter.)

• What do the Savior’s words and actions teach you about how He regarded the temple?

• In our lives today, how can we demonstrate our respect for the temple as a house of God? (Possible answers: We can live so we are worthy to enter the temple; we can pay tithing to help build and maintain temples; in the temple, we can dress and behave in ways that show respect for the house of the Lord.)

• What experiences have you had that have helped you better understand the sacred nature of temples?

Conclude this portion of the lesson by telling students that after cleansing the temple, Jesus used the temple as a backdrop to teach of His future Resurrection. Like the temple, His body would be destroyed. But unlike the Jerusalem temple, three days after His death, He would rise again; He would be resurrected (see John 2:18–22).

John 3:1–8

The Savior Taught Nicodemus about Spiritual Rebirth

Have students read John 3:1–2 and look for what Nicodemus and some of his colleagues believed about Jesus Christ at that point. (Jesus was a teacher from God. God was with Jesus. Jesus was respected, being called “Rabbi,” which means “Master.”)

Read the following quotation from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:

“Christ loves us where we are, even if that is not yet where we ought to be” (“Lift Up Your Eyes,” Ensign, July 1983, 13).

Encourage students to consider Elder Holland’s statement as they search John 3 and notice how the Savior helped Nicodemus move closer to understanding who He was. Have a student read John 3:3, and ask:

• What did Jesus say to Nicodemus to help him move a step closer to where he needed to be spiritually?

• What do the Savior’s words in John 3:3 imply about what still needed to happen to Nicodemus?

Read John 3:4–7 with your class and ask:

• What did Nicodemus ask that suggests he might not have understood the Savior’s teaching found in verse 3?

• How did Jesus answer Nicodemus’s questions? (He taught Nicodemus a basic gospel doctrine: We must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. He taught that being “born again” refers to a spiritual rebirth, not a physical one.)

Search Questions

Good search questions encourage students to search the scriptures for specific details. Such questions often begin with words such as who, what, when, where, why, and how. Notice that many of the questions in this section of the lesson are designed to encourage students to think about specific scriptures and to analyze them.

Write on the board:

“Born again”

“Born of water”

“Born of the Spirit”

Have students study the student manual commentary for John 3:3–5, individually or in pairs, and learn as much as they can about what it means to be “born again,” “born of water,” and “born of the Spirit.” After students have had time to study, ask them to share what they learned.

• Why do you think the word “born” is used to describe what needs to happen to us spiritually? What is there about physical birth that is comparable to this spiritual transformation? (Consider having students read Moses 6:59 for further insights.)

Ask a student to read John 3:8 and the student manual commentary for John 3:6–11.

• How does comparing the Spirit to the wind help you understand the process of being “born again”? (Possible answers: We cannot see the wind with our eyes, but we know it is real. We can feel it. We can see its effects. It can be very gentle or very strong and powerful.)

• How do you think this conversation with the Savior helped Nicodemus move closer to being born again?

Before moving on with the next part of the lesson, encourage student application by giving students a moment to ponder how the Holy Ghost has helped them draw closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ.

John 3:9–21

Jesus Christ Testified to Nicodemus of His Divine Sonship

Read John 3:9–13 and ask:

• Why do you think it was difficult for Nicodemus to understand the truths Jesus was teaching him?

Explain to students that the Savior was teaching Nicodemus important truths about the gospel, and He was also testifying to Nicodemus about His divine Sonship. To help Nicodemus understand these truths, the Savior used an example from the Old Testament that Nicodemus would have been very familiar with. Ask students to look at John 3:14–15 and identify the Old Testament example the Savior used. (Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.) You might ask students to turn to the student manual commentary for John 3:12 and look at the two pictures and the caption “Moses raised the serpent in the wilderness to symbolize the salvation offered through Jesus Christ (see John 3:14–15).” Ask a student to summarize the event represented in the first picture, or ask students to read the account in Numbers 21:6–9. Then ask:

• In what ways did the serpent symbolize Jesus Christ? (Possible answers: Both were “lifted up”; both were provided by the Lord to save His people; both were provided in response to people’s sins; the action required to be saved was simply to “look” or “believe.”)

Write the following phrases on the board and invite students to search John 3:14–21 for answers to fill in the blanks. (The words in parentheses are provided only as possible answers.) You may want to tell students they can also refer to Doctrine and Covenants 34:1–3 and John 14:15 to help them with this exercise.

God so loved the world that (He gave His Only Begotten Son).

Jesus so loved us that (He gave His life).

We love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much that we (believe in the Savior; come to the light by doing what God commands).

Invite students to share with the class what they found and then discuss their responses. Write the responses on the board. Have a student read the student manual commentary for John 3:14–17. Ask students to explain any similarities between the Savior’s message in John 3:16 and His message in John 3:14–15. (Both passages emphasize the importance of belief in order to receive eternal life; both passages teach that those who believe in the Savior will not perish.) Make sure that students understand this doctrine: God sent His Only Begotten Son to save those who believe in Him and obey Him. You may want to testify of this doctrine to the students.

Note to teacher: There is a supplemental teaching idea at the conclusion of this lesson that covers John 3:25–36. In order to meet the needs of your students, you might consider whether to use this idea in place of one of the main teaching ideas.

John 4:3–30

Jesus Christ Taught a Woman at Jacob’s Well in Samaria

To help students understand the strained relationship between the Samaritans and the Jews at the time of Christ, review with them the information in the student manual commentary for John 4:19–24. Invite students to reflect on this relationship as they read the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4:3–14. As they read, suggest that they mark in verse 10 what the Savior offered this woman.

• Why would the Savior use the words “living water” to represent what He could offer her?

Ask students to learn more about the Samaritan woman by reading John 4:15–19. Share with the students the statement by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin from the student manual commentary for John 4:10–14. Then ask the following questions to help students explore this doctrine: When we drink deeply of the living water offered by the Savior, He will bless us to find meaning and true joy in our lives.

• When have you seen some of the effects of the gospel’s “living water” that Elder Wirthlin talked about?

• How can we drink more deeply from the Savior’s “living water,” rather than just going through the motions, as Elder Wirthlin described?

Ask students to read John 4:20 and restate the Samaritan woman’s concern or question in their own words. Then ask them to silently read John 4:21–24 and then restate the Savior’s answer in their own words. To help them understand the Savior’s response, you may want to read and discuss the student manual commentary for John 4:19–24 and for John 4:20–24. Then ask questions like the following:

• How could the Samaritan woman’s religion have been an obstacle to her acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah? (Since the Samaritans and Jews had religious disagreements, the Samaritan woman may have been reluctant to believe in a Jewish Messiah.)

• How do you think President Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s counsel would help people who are struggling with conflicts between their traditions and the teachings of Jesus Christ?

• What did you learn from Elder Bruce R. McConkie’s statement that helped you better understand how to worship the Father?

Ask students to look at John 4:9, 11, 19, 29 and identify the words the Samaritan woman used when referring to the Savior. As they find the answers, write them on the board: “a Jew,” “Sir,” “a prophet,” “the Christ.” Ask students:

• What do these terms indicate about the growth of the woman’s understanding of the Savior?

• What have you learned from studying the experience of the Savior and the Samaritan woman that helps you better understand the Savior and how He can bless you?

Invite the students to share experiences when the Savior met their needs and how those experiences affected their feelings for Him and His gospel. Testify to the students that the Savior can satisfy all of our needs if we will drink deeply of the living water He offers to us.

Note to teacher: Because of time constraints, you will probably not have time to teach John 4:31–54. You might quickly summarize these verses by telling students that after the woman’s conversation with the Savior, she went to the city and told others about Jesus, returning after a short while accompanied by some of the inhabitants of the town. Jesus abode in that city for two days and taught the gospel. Many Samaritans believed His words. He then departed and a few days later healed a nobleman’s son.

Supplemental Teaching Ideas

John 3:25–36. John the Baptist Willingly Deferred to the Savior

Draw the following diagram on the board. Invite students to read John 3:25–30 and ask them to identify a verse that teaches what is illustrated in this diagram:

If students have difficulty identifying how the diagram relates to the verses, point them to verse 30. Then ask:

• What do you think John the Baptist meant by saying, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I [John] must decrease”?

Have a student read the student manual commentary for John 3:25–36. Then invite students to search John 3:31–36 and identify how John the Baptist’s testimony led his disciples to the Savior rather than to himself. Ask students to share with the class what they identified. Write this principle on the board: John the Baptist’s humble testimony shows us how we can point others to the Savior. Ask students to explain how someone in their life has pointed them to the Savior, just as John the Baptist did for the disciples of Christ. Invite students to discuss specific ways they can use the principles they learned from John 3:25–36 as they point others to the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 4:28–42. Many Samaritans Believed in Jesus Christ

Ask students to quickly list on the board as many different ways to share the gospel with others as they can think of. (Possible answers: Sharing Church literature, bearing testimony, inviting someone to a Church activity, or forwarding something from LDS.org to a friend.) Invite students to read John 4:35–38 and then explain what the Savior taught His disciples about sharing the gospel with others. Help them understand this principle: We can find joy in sharing the gospel when we realize we are helping others come to know the Savior. Then invite the students to search John 4:27–30, 39–42 to see how the Samaritan woman shared the gospel with others. You may want to have students cross-reference John 4:42 with Doctrine and Covenants 15:6 and 18:15–16. Invite students to share experiences they have had with helping someone else come to know the Savior and accept His gospel. Consider reading the statement by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin from the student manual commentary for John 4:28–42.

John 4:43–54. Jesus Christ Healed a Nobleman’s Son

Have students locate Cana and Capernaum on a map. (You might use Bible Maps, no. 11, “The Holy Land in New Testament Times,” in the Bible appendix.) Ask students to determine the distance between these two locations (approximately 20 miles or 32 km). Invite them to study John 4:43–54 and consider why this distance is important to the story. Help students understand this doctrine: Jesus Christ’s power to heal is not restricted by physical distance. After students have read the account of this miracle, ask them how the nobleman from Capernaum exercised faith.

You may want to share with students the statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie from the student manual commentary for John 4:46–54.

Invite students to explain how this miracle can encourage them to exercise greater faith in Jesus Christ.