Chanukah in John Pt.5 - The Third Light

It seems odd to ignore some major stories in John, but we are looking for a clear and positive confession by a person or persons in their encounter with Jesus. Nicodemus does not do this and nor is there a clear confession at Cana, even the Samaritan woman (Woman at the Well)  asks the question,"Can this be the Christ?" after her encounter with Jesus. 

It is only at the end of the Samaritan Woman's story that we get a clear statement of belief about who Jesus is. It is unequivocal and it asserts that these Samaritans had come to believe that the Jew, Jesus, was the Jewish Messiah and the promised Saviour of the World.

John 4:39-42

English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

³⁹ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word. ⁴² They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.”

 This is a brief but remarkable statement by people who were generally regarded, with some justification, as being hostile to all things Jewish. It must have been an interesting encounter for the disciples as it would run contrary to all that they had been taught or had experienced.

Jesus is able to reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable when we believe and trust in Him. Most of all he reconciled God and the sinner by His death on the Cross.

Copyright G. I. Goodson 2013

As you can see, these really are Chanukah lights and we remember the Incarnation and these amazing witnesses in John at this season.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four