John 4

1. Jesus made and baptised, etc. A continuation of the narrative from iii. 22, 23. “Than John” must mean, than John had done, before being cast into prison.

2. Jesus Himself baptised not. Perhaps lest any should pride themselves upon having been baptised by Him; as well as to show that the preaching of the word was of higher importance than any outward rite: cp. 1 Cor. i. 17.

4 through Samaria. A traveller from this part of Judæa to Galileo must pass through Samaria, unless he crossed the Jordan, and went round by Peræa, as Jewish travellers often did: see Luke ix. 52, 53. But the sequel shows that the shortness of the route was not the only reason why our Lord chose it.

5. Sychar. It is now generally held that Sychar was a village near Shechem (Askar, two miles E. of Nablous), though it was formerly supposed to be Shechem. G. A. Smith (Historical Geography of the Holy Land) devotes a whole chapter to the question of its site, confuting some modern writers who said that there was no such place as Sychar.

that Jacob gave, etc. See Gen. xxxiii. 19; xlviii. 22, and note; Josh. xxiv. 32.

6. Jacob’s well. A spring (‘Ain), called a “cistern” in vers. 11, 12. Called “Jacob’s” from the tradition mentioned in ver. 12. G. A. Smith (op. cit.) has no hesitation in identifying.

thus. Simply sat. See the line of the old Latin hymn: “Quærens me sedisti lassus.”

the sixth hour. Noon, according to the Jewish time. But some think that it was six in the evening.

7 woman of Samaria. Not of the city of Samaria, which was several miles distant, but of the nation. She lived at Sychar.

8 meat. That is, “food” (of any kind). The Greek word here means simply nourishment.

9. How is it, etc.? Perhaps the words imply not only surprise, but also something of triumph, that even a Jew could humble himself in his necessity to ask drink of a Samaritan woman.

For the Jews, etc. The evangelist’s remark, not the woman’s. But some high authorities omit the clause.

Samaritans. On the origin of the Samaritans, and the bitter enmity between them and the Jews, see note on Matt. x. 5, and other passages referred to there.

10 the gift of God. The blessings which God is now giving to the world. Our Lord’s reference is plainly to salvation, and to Himself as the Author of it.

living water. That is, springing water, like that of a fountain; as opposed to the stagnant water of a cistern. The phrase, long ago used to describe the pure, life-giving, healthful blessings of Divine grace (Psa. xxxvi. 8; Isa. xli. 17, 18; Jer. ii. 13), is here figuratively employed, with reference to the special character of this well, fed by living springs. You come hither to get living water, but the true living water, that which fully answers to its name, is what only I can give.

12. Art thou greater, etc.? The Samaritans, although a mixed race, claimed to be descended from Ephraim and Manasseh. Hence the woman’s emphasis on “our father.”

14 shall never thirst, etc. Shall never be unsatisfied.

in him. His well, therefore, is always at hand. a well of water springing up, etc. Very vivid in the original: “a spring of water leaping up.”

16. Go, call thy husband, etc. Our Lord turns to the facts of her life, so as at once to arouse her conscience and to convince her of His Divine authority.

20. Our fathers, etc. There is no reason to suppose that this was a frivolous remark on the woman’s part, to divert attention from more serious things. It is much more likely that her awakened conscience led her to ask in earnest sincerity where she may seek God’s mercy with the assurance of obtaining it. By “our fathers,” she probably means her Samaritan ancestors, who built a temple on Mount Gerizim (see note on Neh. xiii. 28). This was destroyed about 129 B.C. by John Hyrcanus: but the Samaritans continued to worship on the mountain; and to this day the remnant of the people resort to it.

and ye say, etc. God had chosen Jerusalem as the site of the Temple, and the place for offering sacrifices: see 1 Kings viii. 48; ix. 3; xi. 13; Psa. lxxvii. 2. But the Samaritans contended that Gerizim had been indicated by Moses as the place of Divine worship: maintaining that, in Deut. xxvii. 4, Gerizim should be read, as in the Samaritan text, instead of “Ebal.” (Cp. Deut. xi. 29; xxvii. 11, 12.)

21 when ye shall, etc. That is, when ye shall worship the Father, but not only in this mountain, or in Jerusalem. It will no longer be a question whether Zion or Gerizim is the right place of worship; for the worship of the common Father of all nations will be restricted to no place.

22. Ye worship ye know not what. Rather, as R.V., “Ye worship that which ye know not; we worship that which we know.” Though you worship Jehovah, your ideas of Him are incorrect.

salvation is of the Jews. Lit., “the (expected and promised) salvation is from the Jews.”

24. God is a Spirit. Or, “God is Spirit,” essentially and absolutely; and therefore He

“seeks” or desires that that part of man’s nature which most nearly corresponds with His own should be especially devoted to His worship. This alone will give the value of “truth” to any outward form of service; and it is quite independent of forms and places (21, 23): cp. Acts vii. 48; xvii. 24, 25. “Dost thou wish to pray in a temple? Pray in thyself; but first become a temple of God” (Augustine).

25. I know that Messias cometh. The Samaritans, as well as the Jews, expected the Messiah; resting their expectation on such passages in the books of Moses as Deut. xviii. 15-20 (see Westcott: Introduction to the Study of the Gospels, ch. ii., note ii.). The woman’s feeling seems to have been, I cannot understand these things; but they will all be made clear when the Christ shall come. And she perhaps already had some suspicion that He who had “told her all things” (see ver. 20) might be the Christ (see ver. 20). It is at any rate a wonderful confession of faith.

26. I that speak unto thee am [He]. This appears to have been the first, and it is one of the clearest, of our Lord’s declarations that He was the Messiah. Perhaps He made this disclosure on this occasion partly to show that He was to be the “Saviour of all men.” One reason for not declaring His Messiah openly to the Jews is given in vi. 15. In Samaria there was no such danger. Besides which, He discerned in this woman the moral preparation for such an announcement.

27 with the woman. Or, “with a woman,” contrary to the precepts and habits of the Rabbis.

28 the men. Rather, “the people.”

29 is not this the Christ? Rather, as R.V., “Can this be the Christ?”

30 came. Rather, “were coming.” They had not yet arrived.

32. I have meat, etc. In fulfilling my Father’s will I find refreshment and strength, and I have done so now by teaching this ignorant sinner. Food “that ye know not,” R.V. A source of strength to which as yet you are but strangers.

35. Say not ye. “Ye” is emphatic. Such is human computation.

There are yet four months, etc. Some think that our Lord here refers to the actual period of the year, as being four months before harvest-time, or about the beginning of January. But it is much more likely that He uses a proverbial saying, derived from the period which usually elapsed between seed-time and harvest, and designed to inculcate patience in waiting for the results of labour. In this case, says our Lord, the spiritual harvest immediately follows the sowing. “Already he that reaped receiveeth wages”: R.V. marg.

37. And herein is that saying true. Rather, “For in this case the true saying [is applicable].”

38 other men. The prophets, my forerunner, and myself.

42 not because of thy saying. Rather, “no longer because of thy speaking.” The woman’s report led many at once to believe, who afterwards found a still surer ground of faith, when they heard Him themselves. It is remarkable that, though the Jews, who saw many miracles, were constantly demanding a sign, and even the disciples were sometimes in doubt, these Samaritans, who witnessed no miracle, readily received our Lord’s words as convincingly true.

43 after two days. Rather, “after the two days”: see ver. 40.

44. For. Bethlehem of Judæa was His birthplace. And as Judæa contained the religious centre of the people to whom our Lord “came” (i. 11), it is the region most probably meant by “His own country.” The Gospel of John deals especially with our Lord’s Judæan ministry. As in His human nature Christ was an Israelite, Jerusalem was “His own” metropolis.

46 a certain nobleman (“king’s officer”). Probably an officer of the court of Herod the tetrarch (Antipas).

48 ye will not believe. This general charge, which was most just (in great contrast with the ready faith of the Samaritans), was apparently designed to test the courtier’s sincerity. The reply shows that he made the request, not because he wanted to see a sign, but because he believed that Jesus could grant his earnest desire and heal his son.

52 at the seventh hour. On the Jewish reckoning, 1 p.m.; on the Roman, 7 p.m. See on i. 39; iv. 6.

53 and his whole house. “The first converted family.”

54 second. That is, the second miracle which our Lord wrought in Galilee: see ii. 11.