Relationship of The Head and The Body 
 
 

7. Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman: Salvation and Sanctification.

John 3:1-21: Nicodemus: Salvation 
John 4:1-45: Samaritan woman: Sanctification 

 The Contrasts and Similarities

Chapter 3                                                                         Chapter 4 

N I C O D E M U S                                                    S A M A R I T A N   W O M A N 

HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN:                                    HOW TO WORSHIP: 
Of Water and the Spirit (Joh. 3:5)                               In the SPIRIT and in Truth (Joh. 4:24) 

 By the WORD
(1Pet. 1:23) 

 1. Nicodemus  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . the woman 
 2. He has a name   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . she has no name 
 3. The head (spirit)   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   the body (soul) 
 4. A man   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a woman 
 5. Top of his social class   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .  bottom (of the well) 
 6. Pharisee   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . adultress 
 7. Religious   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . .  . . sinner 
 8. A Jew   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  a Samaritan 
 9. He came to Jesus   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Jesus came to her 
10. In the night   . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   during the day 
11.  Salvation   . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Sanctification 
12.  Birth (the new birth) . . . .   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   living (the new life) 
13. Wind that moves . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Water that satisfies 
14. God gave His Son   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Christ gives His Spirit 

Jesus said:
 To Nicodemus                                                                            To the Woman 
15. To enter into the kingdom ye must be born again.   . . . .  Whoever drink this water will never thirst again. 
16. Knowest not these things?  . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Ye worship ye know not. 
17. We do know and testify    . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  We know what we worship. 

Both did not understand, and like many do, took it literally. 

       Nicodemus asks:                                                                  The Woman asks: 
18.  How, when he is old?   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where, then hast thou that living water? 
19.  Must he return again to his mother’s womb?  . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   . . . . . . . . The well is deep. 
20.  Nicodemus: we know you are a teacher   . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . .  the woman: I see you are a prophet 

21. God gave His Son. .  . . . . . . . . . . .   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Christ gives His Spirit 
22. He left his sect . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   she left her water pot 
23. He brought himself to Jesus . . . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  She brought others to Him 
 

    These two chapters are really one in continuity; 
namely, salvation and sanctification. 
Chapter 4 speaks of
"the living water springing up into everlasting life" (v. 14). 
We must remember that salvation in fullness is completed in sanctification 
(set apart, once and for all in Christ, and progressively in our daily lives.) 

    Doctrinally, God has saved us and sanctified us once and for all, eternally,
but the realization of the fuller sanctification here in our earthly lives,
being set apart from the world and to Christ, is progressive 
and not fully attained until Christ comes for us. 
The meaning of 1 Corinthians 15:53-54 is realized, 
as the Apostle Paul says, 

    "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 
and this mortal must put on immortality, 
so, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption,
and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 
Death is swallowed up in victory". 

    Yes, 
the final victory and complete Salvation
will be fully realized when Jesus Christ comes for us. 

    The basic teaching of Chapter 3 is to show us 
how to see and enter into the kingdom of God. 
Regardless of how morally and socially upright one might be, 
religious and mentally bright,
( for Nicodemus was all of these,)
the only way one can enter into the Kingdom of God,
 

is through the new birth, by faith in the death,
burial, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
 

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