John · Chapter 4

V. 1. The Lord knew-Though none informed him of it.

Verse 1. Jesus made and baptized, &c.] These seem to be quoted as the very words which were brought to the Pharisees; and, from our Lord’s conduct after this information, we may take it for granted that they were so irritated that they were determined to seek an occasion to take away his life; in consequence of which, leaving Judea, he withdrew into Galilee.

Verses 1-3. When the Lord knew — Without receiving information from any one; how the Pharisees — Whose interest in the sanhedrim was very great; had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John — To shun the effects of their envy and malice, which were hereby excited; he left Judea — After having continued there, it seems, about eight months; and departed again into Galilee — His former place of abode, where the influence and power of the council were not so great, and where his presence was necessary, as the ministry of his forerunner in that country was now brought to a period. It seems the testimony which the Baptist had given to Christ, together with the miracles which he himself had wrought at Jerusalem during the passover, had greatly impressed the minds of the people; so that vast numbers, during his abode in those parts, were continually flocking around him, and many attached themselves to him as his followers; a circumstance which gave great umbrage to the Pharisees. For these men claimed it as the privilege of their sect to direct the consciences of the people, and were therefore enraged to find such numbers of them acknowledging, as the Messiah, one whose birth and fortune so little suited the notions which they had taught concerning the great deliverer of the nation. The evangelist informs us, that Jesus himself baptized not — Perhaps because it was not proper to baptize in his own name, and because it was of more importance to preach than to baptize, 1 Corinthians 1:17. Besides, it might have given those who were baptized by him occasion to value themselves above others, as happened in the church of Corinth, where the brethren valued themselves upon the character of the persons who had baptized them. Indeed the baptism properly Christ’s was that of the Holy Ghost, with which Spirit John had foretold he should baptize his followers. See Macknight.

Verse 1. When therefore the Lord knew how the pharisees, chiefly priests, and many of them principal members of the council, had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. The priesthood was then powerful, as they had always been in the more prosperous ages of judaism. This order, with few exceptions, had ever been either indifferent or hostile towards the prophets. And in that very age they had winked at the murder of John, and probably had moved Herod to arrest him, as a person dangerous to the state; and now they cast a jealous eye on the Saviour. But why so? Did either the prophets or Christ do wrong to the altar? Did not Christ send the ten lepers, and others, to bring their gifts to the altar? Did they make a schism? Did they not aid the sons of Levi by preaching righteousness? True. But it was objected, “that the harm they did by irregularity was more than all the good they did by preaching; therefore it was hallowed policy to stone the prophets, and put them to death. By the acquisition of so much popularity, they tarnish the reputation of us the lawful priests, and reprove our habits by their sanctity of life.” — All this is the ever-subsisting enmity of the serpent, which prompted Cain to kill his brother. If God had a right to call Aaron to be his priest, why had he not a right to call Moses to be his prophet? Our Lord therefore withdrew from the gathering storm, to finish the work which the Father had given him to do in the cities and villages of Israel.

1. Lord knew… Pharisees had heard—Jesus may have heard of the question between the disciples of John and the Jew, (John 3:25,) who was evidently of the party of the Pharisees. The Pharisees are the unbelieving ruling class, who at first rejected John; and then when Jesus appeared, and announced himself by the purifying of the temple at the Passover, grew jealous of him. They saw that his claims were bolder than those of John; and following him with their eyes as he retired to baptize, they learned that the popularity of his baptism flung John’s into the shade. The intelligence which Jesus now receives decides two things; 1. He, more than John, is now the prominent object of the ruling odium, although even John was about to be cast into prison. 2. His baptism is decisively rejected by the Jewish representative government. Correspondently he does two things: he withdraws himself from their jurisdiction and view by departing to Galilee; and he henceforth entirely withholds baptism until its renovation after his resurrection. See note on John 3:23.

Verse 2. Jesus himself baptized not] See Clarke on “John 3:22”.

Verses 1-3. When the Lord knew — Without receiving information from any one; how the Pharisees — Whose interest in the sanhedrim was very great; had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John — To shun the effects of their envy and malice, which were hereby excited; he left Judea — After having continued there, it seems, about eight months; and departed again into Galilee — His former place of abode, where the influence and power of the council were not so great, and where his presence was necessary, as the ministry of his forerunner in that country was now brought to a period. It seems the testimony which the Baptist had given to Christ, together with the miracles which he himself had wrought at Jerusalem during the passover, had greatly impressed the minds of the people; so that vast numbers, during his abode in those parts, were continually flocking around him, and many attached themselves to him as his followers; a circumstance which gave great umbrage to the Pharisees. For these men claimed it as the privilege of their sect to direct the consciences of the people, and were therefore enraged to find such numbers of them acknowledging, as the Messiah, one whose birth and fortune so little suited the notions which they had taught concerning the great deliverer of the nation. The evangelist informs us, that Jesus himself baptized not — Perhaps because it was not proper to baptize in his own name, and because it was of more importance to preach than to baptize, 1 Corinthians 1:17. Besides, it might have given those who were baptized by him occasion to value themselves above others, as happened in the church of Corinth, where the brethren valued themselves upon the character of the persons who had baptized them. Indeed the baptism properly Christ’s was that of the Holy Ghost, with which Spirit John had foretold he should baptize his followers. See Macknight.

Ver. 2. Jesus himself baptized not. The baptism of water conferred by others is nevertheless called the baptism of Christ, being administered by his authority and command.

2. Jesus… baptized not—As baptism was a lower and external ministry, Jesus (as Paul subsequently) reserved himself for preaching and teaching. John does not say this to show that what the Pharisees heard was false; but to inform us that Jesus baptized by agents, according to the maxim Qui facit per alium facit per se, Whoso does by another does by himself. It was the office of Jesus to baptize with the Spirit; of his ministers to baptize with water. His was the real, theirs the symbolical baptism.

V. 3. He left Judea-To shun the effects of their resentment.

Verses 1-3. When the Lord knew — Without receiving information from any one; how the Pharisees — Whose interest in the sanhedrim was very great; had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John — To shun the effects of their envy and malice, which were hereby excited; he left Judea — After having continued there, it seems, about eight months; and departed again into Galilee — His former place of abode, where the influence and power of the council were not so great, and where his presence was necessary, as the ministry of his forerunner in that country was now brought to a period. It seems the testimony which the Baptist had given to Christ, together with the miracles which he himself had wrought at Jerusalem during the passover, had greatly impressed the minds of the people; so that vast numbers, during his abode in those parts, were continually flocking around him, and many attached themselves to him as his followers; a circumstance which gave great umbrage to the Pharisees. For these men claimed it as the privilege of their sect to direct the consciences of the people, and were therefore enraged to find such numbers of them acknowledging, as the Messiah, one whose birth and fortune so little suited the notions which they had taught concerning the great deliverer of the nation. The evangelist informs us, that Jesus himself baptized not — Perhaps because it was not proper to baptize in his own name, and because it was of more importance to preach than to baptize, 1 Corinthians 1:17. Besides, it might have given those who were baptized by him occasion to value themselves above others, as happened in the church of Corinth, where the brethren valued themselves upon the character of the persons who had baptized them. Indeed the baptism properly Christ’s was that of the Holy Ghost, with which Spirit John had foretold he should baptize his followers. See Macknight.

3. Departed again into Galilee—Where he remained until his second Passover. See Synopsis. Again—Because he had journeyed to Galilee before, immediately after his temptation and baptism. See Synopsis, §§ 18, 19.

V. 4. And he must needs go through Samaria-The road lying directly through it.

Verse 4. And he must needs go through Samaria.] Or, It was necessary for him to pass through Samaria: for this plain reason, and no other, because it was the only proper road. Samaria lay northward of Judea, and between the great sea, Galilee, and Jordan; and there was therefore no going from Galilee to Jerusalem but through this province. See Clarke’s note on “Luke 17:11”. From Jerusalem to Galilee through Samaria, according to Josephus, was three days’ journey. See his own life.

Verses 4-6. And he must needs go through Samaria — The road from Judea to Galilee lying directly through it. Then cometh he — In the progress of his journey; to a city of Samaria, called Sychar — The original name of the place was Sichem, or Shechem, but now the Jews called it Sychar, which name they used as a term of reproach, intimating thereby that it was the seat of drunkards, see Isaiah 28:1; near to the parcel of ground that Jacob — Having purchased it of the children of Hamor, Genesis 33:19; gave to his son Joseph — By a particular grant. See Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32. The word cwrion, here rendered parcel, is translated by Dr. Campbell, heritage, as meaning, he observes, an estate in land; and that, since the estate here spoken of was given by the patriarch to his son Joseph, to be possessed by him and his posterity, it may be properly denominated heritage. Now Jacob’s well was there — A well so called, as having been used by Jacob and his family, while he dwelt in those parts. See Genesis 33:18; 35:4. Jesus, being wearied with his journey — For he was subject to all the innocent infirmities of human nature; sat thus — Weary as he was, on the side of the well; and it was about the sixth hour — Or just high noon: so that the heat co-operated with the fatigue of the journey to increase both his thirst and faintness. It must be observed, that in the latitude in which Judea lies, the weather is sometimes exceeding hot at noon, even in December, and on days when the cold has been very severe in the morning.

Ver. 4. He must needs go through Samaria, which was the best and shortest road to Galilee. After Salmanezer had destroyed the city of Samaria for rebellion, a colony of Chuthians were introduced, who had intermarried with the poor and apostate jews. On this account the jews, on their return from Babylon, would not acknowledge them. Add to this, for human affairs are always unstable, in the time of Jadua, the highpriest, Alexander, his brother, who had been banished from Jerusalem and had married a relative of Sanballat the governor, obtained leave of the emperor Alexander to build a temple on mount Gerizzim, where Moses had commanded the blessing to be pronounced. Deuteronomy 11:29. This became the rival temple of Jerusalem, and one altar was opposed to the other. They retained the pentateuch, or five books of Moses, written in the original text, but rejected the prophets, because those books defended Jerusalem as the place where God had chosen to put his great and holy name. This schism was the grand cause of the peculiar animosity between the two nations. — Onias did the same at Heliopolis in Egypt. Isaiah 19:18.

4. Needs go through Samaria—As the province of Samaria spread its broad territories from Jordan to the Mediterranean sea, between Judea and Galilee, it was necessary to cross it, (see map, and note on Matthew 2:1,) unless he would take a circuit around through Peraea on the east side of Jordan. It was, therefore, purely a geographical necessity. Starting from Jerusalem, (at the present day he would pass through the Damascus gate,) our Lord, with his disciples, proceeds northward, and after a journey of nearly forty miles arrives near the very ancient city of Sychar, Shechem, or Nablous. “Well mounted Europeans,” says Tristam, “ride in one day from Nablous to Jerusalem; but their muleteers and baggage often occupy two days.” Our Lord’s route lay through historic ground. He passed doubtless through Gibeah, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Saul; through Bethel, where Jacob had his dream of the ladder and the angels; near Shiloh, the first dwelling-place of the tabernacle and the ark in Canaan, and the scene of the downfall of the house of Eli. At the terminus of this journey three objects of special interest occur in succession: Jacob’s well, Joseph’s tomb, and the ancient city of Shechem, between the mountains Gerizim and Ebal. (See cut of Shechem and Jacob’s Well.)

V. 5. Sychar-Formerly called Sichem or Shechem. Jacob gave-On his death bed, Genesis 48:22.

Verse 5. A city-called Sychar] This city was anciently called Shechem. It seems to have been situated at the foot of Mount Gerizim, in the province of Samaria, on which the temple of the Samaritans was built. After the ruin of Samaria by Salmanezer, Sychar, or Shechem, became the capital of the Samaritans; and it continued so, according to Josephus, Ant. l. xi. c. 8, in the time of Alexander the Great. It was about ten miles from Shiloh, forty from Jerusalem, and fifty-two from Jericho. It probably got the name of Sychar, which signifies drunken, from the drunkenness of its inhabitants. With this crime the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:1, 3, 7, 8) solemnly charges the Ephraimites, within whose limits the city stood. This place is remarkable in the Scriptures: 1. As being that where Abram first stopped on his coming from Haran to Canaan. 2. Where God first appeared to that patriarch, and promised to give the land to his seed. 3. The place where Abram first built an altar to the Lord, and called upon his name, Genesis 12:7. The present name of this city is Neapolis, or Naplouse. See Calmet.

That Jacob gave to his son Joseph.] Jacob had bought this field from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for a hundred pieces of silver, or lambs, Genesis 33:19; and in it he built an altar, which he dedicated to El Elohey Yishrael, the strong God, the covenant God of Israel, Genesis 33:20. This, Jacob left as a private or overplus inheritance to Joseph and his children. See Genesis 48:21, 22, and Joshua 24:32.

Verses 4-6. And he must needs go through Samaria — The road from Judea to Galilee lying directly through it. Then cometh he — In the progress of his journey; to a city of Samaria, called Sychar — The original name of the place was Sichem, or Shechem, but now the Jews called it Sychar, which name they used as a term of reproach, intimating thereby that it was the seat of drunkards, see Isaiah 28:1; near to the parcel of ground that Jacob — Having purchased it of the children of Hamor, Genesis 33:19; gave to his son Joseph — By a particular grant. See Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32. The word cwrion, here rendered parcel, is translated by Dr. Campbell, heritage, as meaning, he observes, an estate in land; and that, since the estate here spoken of was given by the patriarch to his son Joseph, to be possessed by him and his posterity, it may be properly denominated heritage. Now Jacob’s well was there — A well so called, as having been used by Jacob and his family, while he dwelt in those parts. See Genesis 33:18; 35:4. Jesus, being wearied with his journey — For he was subject to all the innocent infirmities of human nature; sat thus — Weary as he was, on the side of the well; and it was about the sixth hour — Or just high noon: so that the heat co-operated with the fatigue of the journey to increase both his thirst and faintness. It must be observed, that in the latitude in which Judea lies, the weather is sometimes exceeding hot at noon, even in December, and on days when the cold has been very severe in the morning.

Ver. 5. Then cometh he to a city — called Sychar. In 1601, the Rev. Mr. Bidduph, as mentioned by Lightfoot, travelled on horseback from Galilee to Jerusalem. On March 24th he rode seven miles along the sea of Galilee, which he computed to be eight leagues in length, and five in breadth. He then ascended a hill rather steep, but very pleasant, said to be the hill where Jesus fed the multitude. John 6:3. From this hill they could see Saphetta, the academy of the jews. All the way was extremely pleasant, diversified with fertile hills and dales. After a repast at Inel Tyger (merchant’s eye) they were eager to ascend mount Tabor, which was adjacent. On the 27th they came to Sychar, now Napolis, after riding twenty seven miles from Engannim. On their way to Jerusalem they crossed mount Ephraim, from which they could see the sea, and small vessels entering Joppa, (St. John d’ Acre) and thence they reached Samaria, now Sebaste. On coming within four miles of Jerusalem, they had a fine view of the city and adjacent country.

Of Sychar, and Jacob’s well, Mr. Maundrell speaks particularly. The well is situate about twenty minutes walk from the present city of Sychar; but from the remains of some very thick walls, he suspects that it once stood nearer. Perhaps these walls are the remains of the ancient Sichem. “Over this well once stood an ancient church, erected by that great patroness of the holy land, the empress Irene. But of this, the voracity of time, assisted by the hands of the Turks, has left nothing but a few of the foundations remaining.

“The well is covered, at present, with an old stone vault, into which you are let down through a hole, and then, on the removal of a broad flat stone, you discover the well itself. The mouth of the well is three yards diameter, dug through a firm rock; it is thirty five yards deep, five of which are filled with water.

“At this well, the narrow valley of Sichem ends, opening on a wide field, supposed to be the heritage of land which Jacob gave his son Joseph. Genesis 48:22. The field is watered by a fresh stream running through it, and watering Sichem. The field is very fruitful, and may be regarded as a standing token of the kindness of that good patriarch to the best of sons.”

5. Sychar—Some think that the Jews, after their custom, (see note on Matthew 10:25,) changed the name Shechem into Sychar, derived from sheker, a lie, in contemptuous allusion to the falsity of Samaritanism. Others derive it from shikkor, drunken. At the time of John’s using the word it may have lost the vulgarity of its original meaning. A third more respectable derivation makes it signify a town of the sepulchre, referring to Joseph’s tomb. When, in the time of Adrian, Shechem was rebuilt, it received the name Neapolis or New-city; whence the modern corruption Nablous.

Shechem stands in a vale between the mountain ranges of Ebal on the north, and Gerizim on the south. On Gerizim was the Samaritan temple. It was on these two mountains that the tribes, after their entrance into Canaan, (six tribes on one mountain and six on the other,) pronounced, responsively, the twelve solemn blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 27:11-26. That the two parties could hear and respond to each other from the opposite mountains, has, indeed, been hastily pronounced impossible. Yet such is the acoustic quality of the place that it could easily be done. Mr. Tristam, in his Palestine, (p. 150,) says: “In the early morning we could not only see from Gerizim a man driving his ass down a path on Mount Ebal, but could hear every word he uttered as he urged it on.” To fully test the matter his “party stationed themselves on opposite sides of the valley, and with perfect ease recited the commandments responsively.” Shechem is striking for both its position and history. It is the centre of Palestine; it is the pass through which the central thoroughfare, like an artery, runs between north and south. It was the spot where Abraham fixed when he first came from Chaldea. It was the first capital of the tribes, when Jerusalem was but Salem, a Jebusite stronghold. It is now, compared with other towns of Palestine, a flourishing and beautiful place. It is singular for its manufacture of cotton; and in fact its growth in this respect was for a time stimulated by our late American civil war. Ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph—This is traditional. Jacob bought the ground of Shechem, (Genesis 33:18-20;) and the bones of Joseph were brought by the tribes and buried there, (Joshua 24:32;) and the whole region was included in the tribal inheritance of Ephraim son of Joseph. The structure shown, within sight of the well, as Joseph’s tomb, if not really that patriarch’s, is of unknown antiquity.

V. 6. Jesus sat down-Weary as he was.

It was the sixth hour-Noon; the heat of the day.

Verse 6. Jacob’s well was there.] Of this well Mr. Maundrell gives the following account. “About one-third of an hour from Naplosa, the ancient Sychar and Sychem, stood Jacob’s well. If it be inquired, whether this be the very place, seeing it may be suspected to stand too remote from Sychar for the women to come and draw water, we may answer-that, in all probability, the city extended farther in former times than it does now, as may be conjectured from some pieces of a very thick wall, the remains perhaps of the ancient Sychem, still to be seen not far from hence. Over it stood formerly a large church, erected by the Empress Irene; but of this the voracity of time, assisted by the hands of the Turks, has left nothing but a few foundations remaining. The well is covered at present with an old stone vault, into which you are let down by a very strait hole; and then, removing a broad flat stone, you discover the well itself. It is dug in a firm rock, is about three yards in diameter, and thirty-five in depth, five of which we found full of water. This confutes a story frequently told to travellers, ‘That it is dry all the year round, except on the anniversary of that day on which our blessed Saviour sat upon it; but then bubbles up with abundance of water.’ At this well the narrow valley of Sychem ends, opening itself into a wide field, which probably is part of the ground given by Jacob to his son Joseph. It is watered by a fresh stream, running between it and Sychem, which makes it exceedingly verdant and fruitful.” See Maundrell’s Travels, 5th edit. p. 62.

Cutting pools, or making wells for public use, renders a man famous among the Hindoos. So this well had the name of Jacob, because he had digged it, and it was for public use.

Sat thus] Chrysostom inquires what the particle thus, outwv, means here? and answers, that it simply signifies, he sat not upon a throne, seat, or cushion; but (as the circumstances of the case required) upon the ground. This is a sense which is given to the word in the ancient Greek writers. See Raphelius, Wetstein, and Pearce. It is probably a mere expletive, and is often so used by Josephus. See several examples in Rosenmuller. The sixth hour.] About twelve o’clock: see Clarke’s notes on “John 1:31”. The time is noted here: 1. To account for Christ’s fatigue-he had already travelled several hours. 2. To account for his thirst-the sun had at this time waxed hot. 3. To account for the disciples going to buy food, John 4:8, because this was the ordinary time of dinner among the Jews. See the note referred to above. Dr. Macknight thinks the sixth hour to be the Roman six o’clock in the afternoon. See Clarke’s note on “John 1:29”.

Verses 4-6. And he must needs go through Samaria — The road from Judea to Galilee lying directly through it. Then cometh he — In the progress of his journey; to a city of Samaria, called Sychar — The original name of the place was Sichem, or Shechem, but now the Jews called it Sychar, which name they used as a term of reproach, intimating thereby that it was the seat of drunkards, see Isaiah 28:1; near to the parcel of ground that Jacob — Having purchased it of the children of Hamor, Genesis 33:19; gave to his son Joseph — By a particular grant. See Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32. The word cwrion, here rendered parcel, is translated by Dr. Campbell, heritage, as meaning, he observes, an estate in land; and that, since the estate here spoken of was given by the patriarch to his son Joseph, to be possessed by him and his posterity, it may be properly denominated heritage. Now Jacob’s well was there — A well so called, as having been used by Jacob and his family, while he dwelt in those parts. See Genesis 33:18; 35:4. Jesus, being wearied with his journey — For he was subject to all the innocent infirmities of human nature; sat thus — Weary as he was, on the side of the well; and it was about the sixth hour — Or just high noon: so that the heat co-operated with the fatigue of the journey to increase both his thirst and faintness. It must be observed, that in the latitude in which Judea lies, the weather is sometimes exceeding hot at noon, even in December, and on days when the cold has been very severe in the morning.

Ver. 6. Jesus being wearied, sat thus on the well: on the walls built around the well for general accommodation. Full of grace, he knew who was coming at the dinner hour to draw water.

6. Jacob’s well—Whether the well is Jacob’s or not, a well which no one doubts to be the one here described, still exists in the plain of Mukhnah, [see cut,] about two miles from Shechem. Says Dr. Newman: “Measuring seventy-five feet deep and nine in diameter, this patriarchal well is excavated in the solid rock, with regular and smoothly-hewn sides. Originally a vaulted chamber,” (like a curb sunk even with the ground,) “ten feet square and as many deep below the surface of the ground, formed the entrance to the well, the walls of which have fallen in, rendering access difficult. Leaping down into the ruined vault, I found two openings into the well through heaps of limestone blocks. Attaching a cord to a small tin bottle, I lowered it to the depth of sixty-five feet, but found no water. On lowering it, however, through the other aperture to the depth of seventy-five feet, I reached the water, which was from three to five feet deep.” Dr. Newman describes the water as clear and pleasant. “The week I spent at Nablous I never wearied in my journeyings to drink of these delicious waters.” Mr. Tristam at one visit found no water, but merely moist mud at the bottom. Mr. Wilson (1841) found the bottom so dry that by letting down combustibles and fire he lighted up a flame at the bottom completely illuminating its utmost depth. Sat thus—Thus wearied, as he was. Sixth hour—Noon of an autumn day; an hour at which there would seldom be any person at the well.

Conversation of Jesus with the woman of Samaria, 7-26.

Upon this memorable narrative we may remark: 1. It stands in striking comparison with the Lord’s discourse with Nicodemus. The one was indeed with a leading metropolitan Doctor of the Jews, the latter with a poor country woman, and a Samaritan at that. The former shows our Lord’s dealing with, and mastery over, and development of, the higher minds of the day, in bringing them from their proud half-scepticism to the deepest and most humbling heart-truths of his Gospel. The latter shows how he would take a rude mind of humble rank, and raise it to a knowledge of himself, and in himself to a grasp of the sublimest truths of eternity and God. 2. Modern rationalists have expressed much contempt at the want of dignity of Jesus’s holding this converse with a garrulous female at a country well. Still greater was the contempt of the Jewish rabbis for woman. “No man salutes a woman,” says one doctor. “He plays the fool who instructs his daughter in the law,” says another. This condescension of the Saviour, therefore, crosses alike the pride of the rationalist and of the rabbi. Doubtless it was Jesus’s intention to cross the pride of both. Those sublime truths which the philosophers of Greece could impart only to the schools, Christianity brings down to the masses of society; to its humblest ranks; to women and to children. 3. This female, however, evidently possessed great strength of womanly character; a strength of passion which had exposed her to the extraordinary guilt of her past life; strength, nevertheless, of religious conviction powerfully struggling with her guilty nature; and strength of intellect, exhibited not only in the keenness of her insight into his remarks in the dialogue, but displayed in the powerful effect of her report upon the action of her townsmen. 4. The successive steps by which the Lord reveals himself furnish a beautiful study into the operations of mind. He presents himself first as a man and a Jew, 7-9; he proposes himself to her faith as a spiritual life-giver, 10-15; he confirms the faith in his offer by proving himself a holy prophet, 16-19; he so unfolds the truths of God as to be accepted as Messias, 20-26. Through all this progress he carries also the thought of her sin and his salvation.

V. 7. Give me to drink-In this one conversation he brought her to that knowledge which the apostles were so long in attaining.

Verse 7. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water] That this was the employment of the females, we see in different parts of the Sacred Writings. See Genesis 24:11, &c.; Exodus 2:16, and the note at the end of that chapter. The Jews say that those who wished to get wives went to the wells where young women were accustomed to come and draw water; and it is supposed that women of ill fame frequented such places also. See several proofs in Schoettgen.

Verses 7, 8. There cometh — At the very juncture of time; a woman of Samaria to draw water — The providence of God so ordering it, that she might have an opportunity of hearing the truth, in order to her salvation. Jesus — With a view to introduce a discourse which he graciously intended should be the means of her conversion; saith to her, Give me to drink — And it is remarkable, that in this one conversation he brought her to that knowledge which the apostles were so long in attaining. For his disciples were gone unto the city — Otherwise they might have assisted him to get water, and he would not have needed to have asked her.

Ver. 7. Jesus saith unto her, give me to drink. A very unusual request of a Jew, whose nation had peculiar animosities against the Samaritans. No Jew would drink out of the bucket of the Samaritans.

7. Of Samaria—Not of the city of Samaria, the ancient capital, which lay upon a mountain-top eight miles distant, but of the province and race of Samaria. To draw water—Bringing her own cord and pitcher “to draw with.” As Shechem is two miles distant she probably came from the field of labour, probably the flourishing grain field of Mukhnah. The town may, however, have then stretched nearer to the well. Give me to drink— Making a request from which the whole revelations that follow could be gradually drawn.

V. 8. For his disciples were gone-Else he needed not have asked her.

Verses 7, 8. There cometh — At the very juncture of time; a woman of Samaria to draw water — The providence of God so ordering it, that she might have an opportunity of hearing the truth, in order to her salvation. Jesus — With a view to introduce a discourse which he graciously intended should be the means of her conversion; saith to her, Give me to drink — And it is remarkable, that in this one conversation he brought her to that knowledge which the apostles were so long in attaining. For his disciples were gone unto the city — Otherwise they might have assisted him to get water, and he would not have needed to have asked her.

8. Unto the city—Of Shechem, by the shorter route, for his midday refreshment. To buy—In Samaria they would find no hospitable entertainer; and they must purchase from the common purse, of which Judas was sooner or later the carrier.

V. 9. How dost thou-Her open simplicity appears from her very first words.

The Jews have no dealings-None by way of friendship. They would receive no kind of favour from them.

Verse 9. That thou, being a Jew] Probably the inhabitants of Judea distinguished themselves from those of Samaria by some peculiar mode of dress; and by this the Samaritan woman might have known Christ: but it is likely that our Lord spoke the Galilean dialect, by which we find, from Mark 14:70, a Jew of that district might easily be known. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.] Perhaps better, Jews have no communion with Samaritans. These words appear to be added by the evangelist himself, in explanation of the woman’s question. The original word, sugcrwntai, has been variously translated and understood. It comes from sun, together, and craomai, I use, or borrow: hence it has been understood to mean, the Jews will be under no kind of obligation to the Samaritans-will borrow nothing from them-will not drink out of the same cup or well with them-will not sit down to meals with them, nor eat out of the same vessel-will have no religious connection, no commercial dealings with them. The word communion, I think, fully expresses the sense of the original; and, being as extensive in its meaning as our word dealings, is capable of as general an interpretation. The deadly hatred that subsisted between these two nations is known to all. The Jews cursed them, and believed them to be accursed. Their most merciful wish to the Samaritans was, that they might have no part in the resurrection; or, in other words, that they might be annihilated.

Verse 9. Then saith the woman, How is it that thou, being a Jew — As it appears by thy habit and dialect thou art; askest drink of me, &c., for the Jews have no dealings — Or rather, no friendly intercourse; with the Samaritans — They would receive no kind of favour from them. That the expression, no dealings, as Dr. Campbell justly observes, “implies too much to suit the sense of this passage, is manifest from the preceding verse, where we are told, that the disciples were gone into the Samaritan city Sychar to buy food. The verb sugcraomai, is one of those called apax legomena, once used: it does not occur in any other place of the New Testament, or in the Septuagint. The Pharisees were in their traditions nice distinguishers. Buying and selling with the Samaritans were permitted, because that was considered as an intercourse merely of interest or convenience; borrowing and lending, much more asking or accepting any favour, was prohibited; because that was regarded as an intercourse of friendship, which they thought it impious to maintain with those whom they looked upon as the enemies of God.”

Ver. 9. How is it that thou, being a Jew, and apparently a sanctified person too, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? This was a question of irony.

9. Being a Jew—Jesus presents himself to her first as a Jew. If he shows himself by needing drink to be a man, doubtless, in his dress, his dialect, and his physiognomy, this Lord of all was a Jew. Askest drink of me— Some feeling of gratification there doubtless was in the woman’s mind, that a Jew should be obliged to ask a favour of a Samaritan. Yet this very fact both called attention to their religious differences and prepared her mind to listen with complacency. Moreover, his bland voice, serene aspect, and calm dignity, even in petitioning, present to her insight something of divine, and prepare her heart for faith. Jews have no dealings—It was the Jew who was the most positively hostile, and with some justice; for it was the Samaritan who was the mean and mendacious offender. See notes on Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:52-54. His religious system was an imitation and a mockery of Judaism, and yet claiming to be the genuine reality. He first plagiarized the Jew, and then audaciously boasted of being the true original. This woman has her misgivings that the Jew may be right, (verse 20;) and this, joined to the impression which the Lord’s appearance has made upon her, induces her to ask, not without surprise, the reason of his condescension.

V. 10. If thou hadst known the gift-The living water; and who it is-He who alone is able to give it:

thou wouldst have asked of him-On those words the stress lies. Water-In like manner he draws the allegory from bread, John 6:27, and from light, John 8:12; the first, the most simple, necessary, common, and salutary things in nature.

Living water-The Spirit and its fruits. But she might the more easily mistake his meaning, because living water was a common phrase among the Jews for spring water.

Verse 10. If thou knewest the gift of God] dwrean signifies a free gift. A gift is any thing that is given, for which no equivalent has been or is to be returned: a free gift is that which has been given without asking or entreaty. Such a gift of kindness was Jesus Christ to the world, John 3:16; and through him comes the gift of the Spirit, which those who believe on his name were to receive. Christ was not an object of desire to the world-no man asked for him; and God, moved thereto by his own eternal mercy, freely gave him. Through this great gift comes the Holy Spirit, and all other gifts which are necessary to the salvation of a lost world.

Living water.] By this expression, which was common to the inhabitants both of the east and of the west, is always meant spring water, in opposition to dead, stagnant water contained in ponds, pools, tanks, or cisterns; and what our Lord means by it is evidently the Holy Spirit, as may be seen, John 7:38, 39.

As water quenches the thirst, refreshes and invigorates the body, purifies things defiled, and renders the earth fruitful, so it is an apt emblem of the gift of the Holy Ghost, which so satisfies the souls that receive it that they thirst no more for earthly good: it purifies also from all spiritual defilement, on which account it is emphatically styled the Holy Spirit; and it makes those who receive it fruitful in every good word and work.

Verses 10-12. Jesus answered — And in his answer shows her that he was not under the power of such common prejudices; If thou knewest the gift of God — Which he is now bestowing on mankind by his Son; meaning the Holy Spirit and its fruits, styled, as here, dwrea tou Qeou, the gift of God, Acts 8:20, and h dwrea, the gift, Acts 11:17; and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink — How great a person he is who is now conversing with thee. Instead of scrupling to grant him so small a favour, thou wouldest have asked — Su an hthsav, thou surely wouldest have asked; of him, and he — Without objecting to thee on account of the people unto whom thou belongest; would readily have given thee living water — Water incomparably better than that which thou art drawing. By this our Lord intended to signify his ability and readiness to communicate those influences and graces of the Holy Spirit, which refresh the soul that earnestly desires them, as water refreshes a thirsty person. The influences of the Holy Spirit are termed living water also, John 8:38; and water of life, Revelation 21:6; and 22:1, 17; and clean water, Ezekiel 36:26,

27. The phrase, living water, frequently signifying, in the language of Judea, only springing water, or running water, in opposition to that which stagnates, the woman mistook his meaning and replied, Thou hast nothing to draw with — Oute antlhma eceiv, thou hast not a bucket, nor any other instrument wherewith thou canst draw the water; and this well — The only spring hereabout; is deep: from whence then hast thou — Whence canst thou obtain; that living water — Of which thou speakest? Or, what is the extraordinary supply which thou declarest may be had from thee? Mr. Maundrell tells us, that the well, now shown as Jacob’s, is thirty- five yards deep. Art thou greater — “Art thou a person of greater power, or more in favour with God; than our father Jacob — That thou canst procure water by supernatural means? He was obliged to dig this well, in order to provide drink for himself and his family: canst thou create water?” Although this woman speaks of Jacob as the father, or progenitor of the Samaritans, they were in truth not his progeny, but the descendants of those nations which the king of Assyria placed there in the room of the Israelites, whom he carried away captive, 2 Kings 17:24; who gave us the well — In Joseph their supposed father; and drank thereof himself — So even he, great and holy as he was, had no better water than this. Observe here, reader, the reason why men are indifferent about the inestimable gift of God here spoken of, the Holy Spirit, and either do not sincerely and earnestly apply to God in prayer for it, or apply without success, is not their knowledge, and their preservation thereby from enthusiasm, but their ignorance, and their being destitute of all true religion through that ignorance. If, as Jesus says of this woman, they knew this gift of God, knew its nature, excellence, necessity, and attainableness, and together therewith the way of attaining it; and that Christ has received it for them, and how willing, as well as able, he is to bestow it, they surely would ask it of him, and he would not fail to give them this living water.

Ver. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God. The woman’s Son, Abraham’s Seed, the promised Shiloh, as in your pentateuch: for the word, “gift of God,” can have no other import than that of the Messiah, of whom the Father had said, “I will give thee for a covenant of the people;” and whom Paul calls “the unspeakable gift.” — Again: if thou knewest who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. She might have understood him to speak of spiritual blessings, but being in darkness, her mind was full of national prejudices.

10. If thou knewest—Lange unworthily makes our Lord say this as a sort of contest or issue with her. On the contrary, here commences a train of suggestion and query by which the Lord directly leads her mind to the perception that he is not merely a soothsayer or clairvoyant, but a holy prophet of the true Jehovah. Verse 19. He does this, first, by (10-15) raising her thoughts from the material to the supernatural; and, second, by leading her, through a route which discloses to herself her sin, to himself as the prophetic searcher of guilt, 16-19. The gift of God—The divine gift of the draught of eternal life through the Messiah. Living water—By a suggestive double sense, living water may mean pure running water, or it may mean the water of divine life, thus forming a transition from the physical to the spiritual.

Verse 11. Thou hast nothing to draw with] oute antlhma eceiv, Thou hast no bucket. Good water is not plentiful in the east; and travellers are often obliged to carry leathern bottles or buckets with them, and a line also, to let them down into the deep wells, in order to draw up water. If the well was in our Lord’s time, as it was found by Mr. Maundrell, thirty-five yards deep, it would require a considerable line to reach it; and with such it is not likely that even the disciples of our Lord were provided. The woman might well say, The well is deep, and thou hast nothing to draw with; whence then hast thou that living water?

Verses 10-12. Jesus answered — And in his answer shows her that he was not under the power of such common prejudices; If thou knewest the gift of God — Which he is now bestowing on mankind by his Son; meaning the Holy Spirit and its fruits, styled, as here, dwrea tou Qeou, the gift of God, Acts 8:20, and h dwrea, the gift, Acts 11:17; and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink — How great a person he is who is now conversing with thee. Instead of scrupling to grant him so small a favour, thou wouldest have asked — Su an hthsav, thou surely wouldest have asked; of him, and he — Without objecting to thee on account of the people unto whom thou belongest; would readily have given thee living water — Water incomparably better than that which thou art drawing. By this our Lord intended to signify his ability and readiness to communicate those influences and graces of the Holy Spirit, which refresh the soul that earnestly desires them, as water refreshes a thirsty person. The influences of the Holy Spirit are termed living water also, John 8:38; and water of life, Revelation 21:6; and 22:1, 17; and clean water, Ezekiel 36:26,

27. The phrase, living water, frequently signifying, in the language of Judea, only springing water, or running water, in opposition to that which stagnates, the woman mistook his meaning and replied, Thou hast nothing to draw with — Oute antlhma eceiv, thou hast not a bucket, nor any other instrument wherewith thou canst draw the water; and this well — The only spring hereabout; is deep: from whence then hast thou — Whence canst thou obtain; that living water — Of which thou speakest? Or, what is the extraordinary supply which thou declarest may be had from thee? Mr. Maundrell tells us, that the well, now shown as Jacob’s, is thirty- five yards deep. Art thou greater — “Art thou a person of greater power, or more in favour with God; than our father Jacob — That thou canst procure water by supernatural means? He was obliged to dig this well, in order to provide drink for himself and his family: canst thou create water?” Although this woman speaks of Jacob as the father, or progenitor of the Samaritans, they were in truth not his progeny, but the descendants of those nations which the king of Assyria placed there in the room of the Israelites, whom he carried away captive, 2 Kings 17:24; who gave us the well — In Joseph their supposed father; and drank thereof himself — So even he, great and holy as he was, had no better water than this. Observe here, reader, the reason why men are indifferent about the inestimable gift of God here spoken of, the Holy Spirit, and either do not sincerely and earnestly apply to God in prayer for it, or apply without success, is not their knowledge, and their preservation thereby from enthusiasm, but their ignorance, and their being destitute of all true religion through that ignorance. If, as Jesus says of this woman, they knew this gift of God, knew its nature, excellence, necessity, and attainableness, and together therewith the way of attaining it; and that Christ has received it for them, and how willing, as well as able, he is to bestow it, they surely would ask it of him, and he would not fail to give them this living water.

Ver. 11, 12. Sir, said she, pert enough, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well? — The Lord resumed the subject, and kept to the point; for it is a great thing to fix an idea clear in a hearer’s mind. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. The woman, most critics think, spake ironically when she said, give me this water, that I thirst not, nor come hither to draw. But she might speak seriously, as seem rather implied in the next words, which indicate a desire to learn. For the Saviour said,

11. Woman saith—She perceives the double meaning, and queries which is the true sense. If it be the material water of this present well he means, he must make a deep draught with neither rope nor bucket. If it be some kind of transcendental, mystical, or immortalizing water he means, he must be greater than the father of the tribes himself who dug this wonderful well!

V. 12. Our father Jacob-So they fancied he was; whereas they were, in truth, a mixture of many nations, placed there by the king of Assyria, in the room of the Israelites whom he had carried away captive, 2 Kings 17:24.

Who gave us the well-In Joseph their supposed forefather: and drank thereof-So even he had no better water than this.

Verse 12. Our father Jacob] The ancient Samaritans were undoubtedly the descendants of Jacob; for they were the ten tribes that revolted in the reign of Rehoboam: but those in our Lord’s time were not genuine Israelites, but a corrupted race, sprung from a mixture of different nations, sent thither by Salmanezer, king of the Assyrians. See 2 Kings 17:24.

Verses 10-12. Jesus answered — And in his answer shows her that he was not under the power of such common prejudices; If thou knewest the gift of God — Which he is now bestowing on mankind by his Son; meaning the Holy Spirit and its fruits, styled, as here, dwrea tou Qeou, the gift of God, Acts 8:20, and h dwrea, the gift, Acts 11:17; and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink — How great a person he is who is now conversing with thee. Instead of scrupling to grant him so small a favour, thou wouldest have asked — Su an hthsav, thou surely wouldest have asked; of him, and he — Without objecting to thee on account of the people unto whom thou belongest; would readily have given thee living water — Water incomparably better than that which thou art drawing. By this our Lord intended to signify his ability and readiness to communicate those influences and graces of the Holy Spirit, which refresh the soul that earnestly desires them, as water refreshes a thirsty person. The influences of the Holy Spirit are termed living water also, John 8:38; and water of life, Revelation 21:6; and 22:1, 17; and clean water, Ezekiel 36:26,

27. The phrase, living water, frequently signifying, in the language of Judea, only springing water, or running water, in opposition to that which stagnates, the woman mistook his meaning and replied, Thou hast nothing to draw with — Oute antlhma eceiv, thou hast not a bucket, nor any other instrument wherewith thou canst draw the water; and this well — The only spring hereabout; is deep: from whence then hast thou — Whence canst thou obtain; that living water — Of which thou speakest? Or, what is the extraordinary supply which thou declarest may be had from thee? Mr. Maundrell tells us, that the well, now shown as Jacob’s, is thirty- five yards deep. Art thou greater — “Art thou a person of greater power, or more in favour with God; than our father Jacob — That thou canst procure water by supernatural means? He was obliged to dig this well, in order to provide drink for himself and his family: canst thou create water?” Although this woman speaks of Jacob as the father, or progenitor of the Samaritans, they were in truth not his progeny, but the descendants of those nations which the king of Assyria placed there in the room of the Israelites, whom he carried away captive, 2 Kings 17:24; who gave us the well — In Joseph their supposed father; and drank thereof himself — So even he, great and holy as he was, had no better water than this. Observe here, reader, the reason why men are indifferent about the inestimable gift of God here spoken of, the Holy Spirit, and either do not sincerely and earnestly apply to God in prayer for it, or apply without success, is not their knowledge, and their preservation thereby from enthusiasm, but their ignorance, and their being destitute of all true religion through that ignorance. If, as Jesus says of this woman, they knew this gift of God, knew its nature, excellence, necessity, and attainableness, and together therewith the way of attaining it; and that Christ has received it for them, and how willing, as well as able, he is to bestow it, they surely would ask it of him, and he would not fail to give them this living water.

Ver. 11, 12. Sir, said she, pert enough, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well? — The Lord resumed the subject, and kept to the point; for it is a great thing to fix an idea clear in a hearer’s mind. Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst. The woman, most critics think, spake ironically when she said, give me this water, that I thirst not, nor come hither to draw. But she might speak seriously, as seem rather implied in the next words, which indicate a desire to learn. For the Saviour said,

12. Greater than… Jacob—For Jacob could furnish his water only by digging a well, and no better water could he furnish for self and household. Our father Jacob—She ostentatiously claims to be in the true line of descent from the great father.

Verses 13-15. Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again — How much soever this water may be esteemed, and though it may refresh the body, and allay its thirst for a little while, yet the appetite will soon return, even if it be drunk ever so plentifully. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him — Will find it so reviving and satisfying to his soul; that he will never thirst — Be without refreshment, dissatisfied, or unhappy; that is, provided he continue to drink thereof. If ever his thirst, or his dissatisfaction and uneasiness return, it will be the fault of the man, not of the water. But the water that I shall give him — The Spirit of faith and love, hope and joy, of holiness and happiness; shall be in him — An inward, living principle; a well of water — A fountain, as phgh signifies. A well is soon exhausted. Springing — Allomenou, bubbling up, and flowing on into everlasting life, which is a continence, or rather an ocean of streams arising from this fountain. “Some would render the original expression, ou mh diyhsh eiv ton aiwna, (instead of shall never thirst,) shall not thirst for ever: but not to urge how much this spoils the antithesis, the expression used, John 6:35, ou mh diyhsh pwpote, is not liable to any such ambiguity. The force and truth of our Lord’s assertion seems to lie in this, that the most impatient and restless desires of the soul being satisfied, when it is fixed on God as its supreme happiness, other thirst was not worth being mentioned.” — Doddridge. The woman — Still ignorant of our Lord’s meaning, and understanding him as speaking only of natural water; saith unto him, Sir, give me this water — Extraordinary as it is, according to thy declaration; that I thirst not — Any more for ever, and may be saved the trouble of coming every day so far for water. She seems to have had a mind to turn Christ’s words into ridicule. It therefore became necessary that he should open to her a new scene, and, by bringing her besetting sin to remembrance, touch her in a tender part, as he does in the next words.

13. Whosoever drinketh—Jesus raises his words to their higher meaning. She has made the double supposition of the waters of this well or some transcendent water, and he finishes the parallel. This is but a temporal water; his is the perennial spring of eternal life. And he can furnish it, even though he is to be supposed, thereby, immeasurably greater than our father Jacob.

V. 14. Will never thirst-Will never (provided he continue to drink thereof) be miserable, dissatisfied, without refreshment. If ever that thirst returns, it will be the fault of the man, not the water. But the water that I shall give him-The spirit of faith working by love, shall become in him-An inward living principle,

a fountain-Not barely a well, which is soon exhausted, springing up into everlasting life-Which is a confluence, or rather an ocean of streams arising from this fountain.

Verse 14. Springing up into everlasting life.] On this account he can never thirst:-for how can he lack water who has in himself a living, eternal spring? By this water our Lord means also his doctrine, explaining and promising the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, which proceed from Jesus Christ their fountain, dwelling in a believing heart. There is no eternal life without the Spirit; no Spirit without Christ; and no Christ to give the Spirit, without dwelling in the heart: this his whole doctrine proclaims.

Verses 13-15. Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again — How much soever this water may be esteemed, and though it may refresh the body, and allay its thirst for a little while, yet the appetite will soon return, even if it be drunk ever so plentifully. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him — Will find it so reviving and satisfying to his soul; that he will never thirst — Be without refreshment, dissatisfied, or unhappy; that is, provided he continue to drink thereof. If ever his thirst, or his dissatisfaction and uneasiness return, it will be the fault of the man, not of the water. But the water that I shall give him — The Spirit of faith and love, hope and joy, of holiness and happiness; shall be in him — An inward, living principle; a well of water — A fountain, as phgh signifies. A well is soon exhausted. Springing — Allomenou, bubbling up, and flowing on into everlasting life, which is a continence, or rather an ocean of streams arising from this fountain. “Some would render the original expression, ou mh diyhsh eiv ton aiwna, (instead of shall never thirst,) shall not thirst for ever: but not to urge how much this spoils the antithesis, the expression used, John 6:35, ou mh diyhsh pwpote, is not liable to any such ambiguity. The force and truth of our Lord’s assertion seems to lie in this, that the most impatient and restless desires of the soul being satisfied, when it is fixed on God as its supreme happiness, other thirst was not worth being mentioned.” — Doddridge. The woman — Still ignorant of our Lord’s meaning, and understanding him as speaking only of natural water; saith unto him, Sir, give me this water — Extraordinary as it is, according to thy declaration; that I thirst not — Any more for ever, and may be saved the trouble of coming every day so far for water. She seems to have had a mind to turn Christ’s words into ridicule. It therefore became necessary that he should open to her a new scene, and, by bringing her besetting sin to remembrance, touch her in a tender part, as he does in the next words.

14. Shall never thirst—Will never thirst; the simple future. In him a well— The supply will not be, like the material water from an external and distant spring, but within. And while the well is there the ever-living water will incessantly spring up. The water can never die or dry; but the well may, by sin and apostacy, be removed. See notes on John 5:24; 6:40. By eating of the Tree of Life our first parents were made deathless, and so God, separated it from them for sin, and they became mortal. Springing up— Like a fountain jetting upwards. Into everlasting life—It is a water of spiritual life, but it jets up into an immortal life; the water of spiritual life, as it ascends, crystallizes into an eternal life.

V. 15. That I thirst not-She takes him still in a gross sense.

Verse 15. Give me this water] She did not as yet comprehend our Lord’s meaning; but her curiosity was much excited, and this was the design of our Lord, that he might have her mind properly prepared to receive the great truths which he was about to announce.

Verses 13-15. Jesus said, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again — How much soever this water may be esteemed, and though it may refresh the body, and allay its thirst for a little while, yet the appetite will soon return, even if it be drunk ever so plentifully. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him — Will find it so reviving and satisfying to his soul; that he will never thirst — Be without refreshment, dissatisfied, or unhappy; that is, provided he continue to drink thereof. If ever his thirst, or his dissatisfaction and uneasiness return, it will be the fault of the man, not of the water. But the water that I shall give him — The Spirit of faith and love, hope and joy, of holiness and happiness; shall be in him — An inward, living principle; a well of water — A fountain, as phgh signifies. A well is soon exhausted. Springing — Allomenou, bubbling up, and flowing on into everlasting life, which is a continence, or rather an ocean of streams arising from this fountain. “Some would render the original expression, ou mh diyhsh eiv ton aiwna, (instead of shall never thirst,) shall not thirst for ever: but not to urge how much this spoils the antithesis, the expression used, John 6:35, ou mh diyhsh pwpote, is not liable to any such ambiguity. The force and truth of our Lord’s assertion seems to lie in this, that the most impatient and restless desires of the soul being satisfied, when it is fixed on God as its supreme happiness, other thirst was not worth being mentioned.” — Doddridge. The woman — Still ignorant of our Lord’s meaning, and understanding him as speaking only of natural water; saith unto him, Sir, give me this water — Extraordinary as it is, according to thy declaration; that I thirst not — Any more for ever, and may be saved the trouble of coming every day so far for water. She seems to have had a mind to turn Christ’s words into ridicule. It therefore became necessary that he should open to her a new scene, and, by bringing her besetting sin to remembrance, touch her in a tender part, as he does in the next words.

15. Sir, give me this water—Her reverent Sir, or Lord, indicates that this is no feigned or sarcastic supplication. Yet there is scarce anything truly spiritual in her request. She asks only a divine draught that shall give exemption from bodily thirst, and from this labour of coming, drawing, and carrying. She is reluctant to rise to the full spirituality of his words or of his character. Jesus will now so direct the conversation as to furnish her proof that he is a prophet of God, and that his words express divine spiritual truth.

V. 16. Jesus saith to her-He now clears the way that he might give her a better kind of water than she asked for.

Go, call thy husband-He strikes directly at her bosom sin.

Verse 16. Call thy husband] Our Lord appears to have spoken these words for two purposes: 1. To make the woman consider her own state. 2. To show her that he knew her heart, and the secret actions of her life; and was therefore well qualified to teach her heavenly truths.

Verses 16-18. Jesus saith, Go call thy husband — What Christ had said to her concerning his grace and eternal life, he found had made little impression upon her, because she had not been convinced of sin; therefore, waiving the discourse about the living water, he sets himself to awaken her conscience, and proceeds to open the wounds of her depravity and guilt, that she might better understand, and more readily receive, the remedy provided by grace. The woman — Conscious of the sinfulness of the way in which she had lived, but desirous to evade conviction, and thinking to conceal her shame; said, I have no husband — She wished to be thought a maid or a widow; whereas, though she had no husband, she was neither. Jesus said, Thou hast well said — That is, thou hast spoken the truth, in saying, I have no husband; for, I well know, thou hast had five husbands — Doubtless it was not her affliction, the burying of so many husbands, but her sin, that Christ intended to upbraid her with. Either she had forsaken some of her husbands and married others, or by her undutiful, unchaste, or otherwise improper conduct, had provoked them to divorce her; or by indirect means, and contrary to the law, she had divorced them. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband — Either she was never married to him at all; or, which is more probable, one or more of her former husbands were living, so that, in fact, she lived in adultery.

Ver. 16. Go, call thy husband. Virgins and married women in the east were always distinguished by their dress. Our Lord intimated therefore that it was proper for her husband to come and learn, and drink of the well of life.

16. Go, call thy husband—Jesus knew that she had no living husband, just as God knew that Cain had no living brother. Genesis 4:9. A catechiser or teacher puts questions to his pupil, not because he cannot furnish the answer, but because, perhaps, his pupil cannot. See note on Matthew 5:31. Jesus by giving this order to her does not for a moment deceive her, making her think he does not know. She sees at the instant that he knows and is touching her guilty point of character.

V. 17. Thou hast well said-We may observe in all our Lord's discourses the utmost weightiness, and yet the utmost courtesy.

Verses 16-18. Jesus saith, Go call thy husband — What Christ had said to her concerning his grace and eternal life, he found had made little impression upon her, because she had not been convinced of sin; therefore, waiving the discourse about the living water, he sets himself to awaken her conscience, and proceeds to open the wounds of her depravity and guilt, that she might better understand, and more readily receive, the remedy provided by grace. The woman — Conscious of the sinfulness of the way in which she had lived, but desirous to evade conviction, and thinking to conceal her shame; said, I have no husband — She wished to be thought a maid or a widow; whereas, though she had no husband, she was neither. Jesus said, Thou hast well said — That is, thou hast spoken the truth, in saying, I have no husband; for, I well know, thou hast had five husbands — Doubtless it was not her affliction, the burying of so many husbands, but her sin, that Christ intended to upbraid her with. Either she had forsaken some of her husbands and married others, or by her undutiful, unchaste, or otherwise improper conduct, had provoked them to divorce her; or by indirect means, and contrary to the law, she had divorced them. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband — Either she was never married to him at all; or, which is more probable, one or more of her former husbands were living, so that, in fact, she lived in adultery.

Ver. 17. The woman said, I have no husband. Jesus answered, in that saidst thou truly, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. Three things are essential to a lawful and a holy marriage; — the consent of the parties, the blessing of the parents, and the sanction of the civil magistrate, who in office never dies. He is ever the widow’s husband, the orphan’s father, and the avenger of injured innocence.

17. I have no husband—How must she have shrunk from the glance of that pure eye with shame as she faltered forth these words!

V. 18. Thou hast had five husbands-Whether they were all dead or not, her own conscience now awakened would tell her.

Verse 18. Thou hast had five husbands] It is not clear that this woman was a prostitute: she might have been legally married to those five, and might have been divorced through some misbehaviour of her own, not amounting to adultery; for the adulteress was to be put to death, both by the Jewish and Samaritan law, not divorced: or she might have been cast off through some caprice of her husband; for, in the time of our Lord, divorces were very common among the Jews, so that a man put away his wife for any fault. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 5:31”. Some are so very fond of exaggerating that nothing can pass through their hands without an increase: hence Heracleon says she had six husbands, and Jerome modestly gives her twenty-two! Viginti duos habuisti maritos, et ille a quo sepelieris non est tuus. “Thou hast had twenty-two husbands and he by whom thou shalt be buried is not thine.” Epist. xi. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband] nun on eceiv, ouk esti sou anhr. Bishop Pearce would translate this clause in the following manner: There is no husband whom thou now hast-or, less literally, Thou hast no husband now: probably the meaning is, Thou art contracted to another, but not yet brought home: therefore he is not yet thy husband. See Rosenmuller. Bishop Pearce contends that our Lord did not speak these words to her by way of reproof: 1. Because it is not likely that a woman so far advanced in years as to have had five husbands should have now been found living in adultery with a sixth person. 2. Because it is not likely that our Lord would not, in some part of his discourse, have reproved her for her fornication, especially if guilty of it under such gross circumstances. 3. Nor is it likely that a woman of so bad a life should have had so much influence with the people of her city that they should, on her testimony, John 4:39-42, believe Jesus to be the Messiah. 4. Nor is it at all likely that when a discovery of her guilt was made to her, by one whom she acknowledged to be a prophet, John 4:19, the first thing which came into her thoughts should be the important question in religion, about the place appointed by God for his worship, so warmly contested between the Jews and Samaritans. 5. Nor is it at all probable that a person of such a bad life, without any mentioned sign of repentance, should have been the first (perhaps the only private person) to whom Jesus is recorded as declaring himself to be the Christ, as he does to her, John 4:26.

Verses 16-18. Jesus saith, Go call thy husband — What Christ had said to her concerning his grace and eternal life, he found had made little impression upon her, because she had not been convinced of sin; therefore, waiving the discourse about the living water, he sets himself to awaken her conscience, and proceeds to open the wounds of her depravity and guilt, that she might better understand, and more readily receive, the remedy provided by grace. The woman — Conscious of the sinfulness of the way in which she had lived, but desirous to evade conviction, and thinking to conceal her shame; said, I have no husband — She wished to be thought a maid or a widow; whereas, though she had no husband, she was neither. Jesus said, Thou hast well said — That is, thou hast spoken the truth, in saying, I have no husband; for, I well know, thou hast had five husbands — Doubtless it was not her affliction, the burying of so many husbands, but her sin, that Christ intended to upbraid her with. Either she had forsaken some of her husbands and married others, or by her undutiful, unchaste, or otherwise improper conduct, had provoked them to divorce her; or by indirect means, and contrary to the law, she had divorced them. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband — Either she was never married to him at all; or, which is more probable, one or more of her former husbands were living, so that, in fact, she lived in adultery.

18. Five… not thy husband—The Evangelist does not state the emotions of the woman now. But her own language, (verse 29,) “he told me all things that ever I did,” shows that at Jesus’s words her whole life’s history of guilt rises up so vividly to her view, that she verily believes that it was he who told her the whole! So it is said that men in the instant of drowning have seen at a glance, as in a picture, the whole of their lives, coexisting, as it were, before the mind at once.

V. 19. Sir, I perceive-So soon was her heart touched.

Verse 19. I perceive that thou art a prophet.] And therefore thought him well qualified to decide the grand question in dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans: but she did not perceive him to be the Messiah.

Verses 19, 20. The woman saith, Sir, I perceive thou art a prophet — “To find a person who was a perfect stranger, and who, on account of the national animosity, could not be suspected of having any intercourse with her townsmen, or with the Samaritans in general, discovering, nevertheless, the most secret particulars of her life, made so sensible an impression on her mind, that she could not but confess such a degree of knowledge more than natural; and consequently, that the person possessed of it was a prophet, and had it communicated to him by divine inspiration.” Our fathers worshipped, &c. — The instant she perceived that the person conversing with her was a prophet, being glad of the opportunity, and perhaps, also, desiring to shift the discourse to a subject less disagreeable to her, she proposes what she thought the most important of all questions; Our fathers worshipped on this mountain — As if she had said, True, I have been a sinful woman, and have not worshipped and served God as I ought, but if I wished to worship and serve him, I know not where I ought to do it, whether on this mountain, (pointing, probably, to mount Gerizim, at the foot of which Sychar was built,) as the Samaritans say, or in Jerusalem, which you Jews affirm to be the only place where God can be acceptably worshipped. It is well known, and necessary to be recollected here, that Sanballat, by the permission of Alexander the Great, had built a temple upon mount Gerizim, for Manasseh his son-in-law, who, for marrying Sanballat’s daughter, had been expelled from the priesthood and from Jerusalem, Nehemiah 13:28. This was the place where the Samaritans used to worship, in opposition to Jerusalem. The woman, in saying, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, plainly refers to Abraham and Jacob, (from whom the Samaritans pretended to deduce their genealogy,) who erected altars in this place, Genesis 12:6, 7; and 33:18, 20; and possibly to the whole congregation, who were directed, when they came into the land of Canaan, to put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, Deuteronomy 11:29. And though Hyrcanus, the son of Simon, who succeeded his father as high-priest, and prince of the Jews, had long ago destroyed the temple which Sanballat built here, (Jos. Antiq., 13:9,) yet it is plain that the Samaritans still resorted thither to worship, having, doubtless, rebuilt it, though probably in a meaner manner.

Ver. 19. Sir, I perceive thou art a prophet. This disclosure of the Redeemer’s omniscience showed the woman in whose presence she stood, and perfected her conversion. It was the same with Nathanael: his heart yielded to grace the moment he heard that voice, “When thou wast under the figtree, I saw thee.” Sinners, return in like manner to God. He has searched and known you; he understandeth your thoughts afar off. You cannot hide from him. Psalm 139.

19. Sir… art a prophet—Confessing thereby her own sins, and acknowledging him as a divine guide.

V. 20. The instant she perceived this, she proposes what she thought the most important of all questions.

This mountain-Pointing to Mount Gerizim. Sanballat, by the permission of Alexander the Great, had built a temple upon Mount Gerizim, for Manasseh, who for marrying Sanballat's daughter had been expelled from the priesthood and from Jerusalem, Nehemiah 13:28. This was the place where the Samaritans used to worship in opposition to Jerusalem. And it was so near Sychar, that a man's voice might be heard from the one to the other.

Our fathers worshipped-This plainly refers to Abraham and Jacob (from whom the Samaritans pretended to deduce their genealogy) who erected altars in this place: Genesis 12:6, 7, and Genesis 33:18, 20. And possibly to the whole congregation, who were directed when they came into the land of Canaan to put the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, Deuteronomy 11:29.

Ye Jews say, In Jerusalem is the place-Namely, the temple.

Verse 20. Worshipped in this mountain] Probably pointing to Mount Gerizim, at the foot of which Sychar was situated. The patriarchs had worshipped here-Jacob builded an altar on this mountain, and worshiped the true God: see Genesis 22:2; 33:20. Thus she could say, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. On this mountain Sanballat had built them a temple, about 332 years before our Lord’s incarnation. See Joseph. Antiq. xi. c. viii. s. 4, and 2 Macc. 6:2.

Many heathens considered particular places as having a peculiar sanctity or fitness, for the worship of their deities, beyond others. Such places abound in Hindostan; and in them they think men ought to worship. In the Hebrew Pentateuch, Deuteronomy 27:4, &c., where the Israelites are commanded to build an altar on mount EBAL, and offer sacrifices, &c., the Samaritan Pentateuch has GERIZIM instead of Ebal; and Dr. Kennicott strongly contends, Dissert. vol. ii. p. 20, &c., that Gerizim is the genuine reading: but our blessed Lord, by the following answer, shows that the place was a matter of little importance, as the Divine worship was no longer to be confined to either: John 4:21. See Clarke’s note on “Deuteronomy 27:4”.

Verses 19, 20. The woman saith, Sir, I perceive thou art a prophet — “To find a person who was a perfect stranger, and who, on account of the national animosity, could not be suspected of having any intercourse with her townsmen, or with the Samaritans in general, discovering, nevertheless, the most secret particulars of her life, made so sensible an impression on her mind, that she could not but confess such a degree of knowledge more than natural; and consequently, that the person possessed of it was a prophet, and had it communicated to him by divine inspiration.” Our fathers worshipped, &c. — The instant she perceived that the person conversing with her was a prophet, being glad of the opportunity, and perhaps, also, desiring to shift the discourse to a subject less disagreeable to her, she proposes what she thought the most important of all questions; Our fathers worshipped on this mountain — As if she had said, True, I have been a sinful woman, and have not worshipped and served God as I ought, but if I wished to worship and serve him, I know not where I ought to do it, whether on this mountain, (pointing, probably, to mount Gerizim, at the foot of which Sychar was built,) as the Samaritans say, or in Jerusalem, which you Jews affirm to be the only place where God can be acceptably worshipped. It is well known, and necessary to be recollected here, that Sanballat, by the permission of Alexander the Great, had built a temple upon mount Gerizim, for Manasseh his son-in-law, who, for marrying Sanballat’s daughter, had been expelled from the priesthood and from Jerusalem, Nehemiah 13:28. This was the place where the Samaritans used to worship, in opposition to Jerusalem. The woman, in saying, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, plainly refers to Abraham and Jacob, (from whom the Samaritans pretended to deduce their genealogy,) who erected altars in this place, Genesis 12:6, 7; and 33:18, 20; and possibly to the whole congregation, who were directed, when they came into the land of Canaan, to put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, Deuteronomy 11:29. And though Hyrcanus, the son of Simon, who succeeded his father as high-priest, and prince of the Jews, had long ago destroyed the temple which Sanballat built here, (Jos. Antiq., 13:9,) yet it is plain that the Samaritans still resorted thither to worship, having, doubtless, rebuilt it, though probably in a meaner manner.

Ver. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, probably referring to mount Gerizzim, where their temple stood, but the jews say, that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. I am a poor sinful woman, but I wish to amend; tell me whither I must go, and I will worship there. Well did the Saviour say, ye worship ye know not what, joining idols with the worship of Jehovah.

20. Our fathers worshipped—It is a great mistake to suppose that she now, by “a womanly dexterity,” changes the discussion to avoid a disagreeable topic. Thou art a prophet, are her thoughts; and if a prophet truly sent from God, thou canst solve this great question between Moriah and Gerizim, of which I, with all Samaritans, have heard from our childhood up. Is salvation of the Jews or of the Samaritans? No expression of deep penitent emotion is indeed recorded; but her testimony in verse 29, and her intense action, 28-30, are full proof that the words of this verse are an earnest inquiry, Is salvation from Samaria or from the Jews? In this mountain—Pointing doubtless to Gerizim, rising in grandeur before them, and crowned with its ancient temple. Ye say—Here is then the great debate between Our fathers and Ye say; between this mountain and Jerusalem. But if even in this age, when prophecy has long ceased, a true prophet has appeared, then we may get at last some light. Jesus will show her (next verse) that the great debate is coming to an end. Neither Gerizim nor Moriah is the place.

V. 21. Believe me-Our Lord uses this expression in this manner but once; and that to a Samaritan. To his own people, the Jews, his usual language is, I say unto you.

The hour cometh when ye-Both Samaritans and Jews,

shall worship neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem-As preferable to any other place. True worship shall be no longer confined to any one place or nation.

Verse 21. The hour cometh, &c.] The time was now at hand in which the spiritual worship of God was about to be established in the earth, and all the Jewish rites and ceremonies entirely abolished.

Worship the Father.] This epithet shows the mild, benignant, and tender nature of the Gospel dispensation. Men are called to worship their heavenly Father, and to consider themselves as his children. In reference to this, our Lord’s prayer begins, Our FATHER, who art in heaven, &c. See John 4:23.

Verse 21. Jesus saith to her — In answer to this case of conscience; Believe me — Our Lord uses this expression only once, and that to a Samaritan. To his own people, the Jews, his usual language is, I say unto you. The hour cometh — Which will put an entire end to this controversy; when ye — Both Jews and Samaritans; shall neither worship in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem — As preferable to any other place: nay, when an end will be put to the worship at both places; and the true worship shall be no longer confined to any one place or nation. As if our Lord had said, Thou art expecting the hour to come, when either by some divine revelation, or some signal providence, this matter shall be decided in favour of Jerusalem or mount Gerizim; but I tell thee, the hour is at hand when it shall be no more a question: that which thou hast been taught to lay so much stress on, shall be set aside as a thing indifferent. Our Lord meant that the approaching dissolution of the Jewish economy, and the erection of the evangelical dispensation, should set this matter at rest, and lay all things respecting it in common, so that it should be perfectly indifferent whether in either of those places, or any other, men should worship God. Observe, reader, the worship of God is not now, under the gospel, appropriated to any place, as it was under the law: but it is his will that men should pray, give thanks, and worship and serve him everywhere. Our reason teaches us, indeed, to consult decency and convenience with respect to the places of our worship; but our religion enjoins that we give no preference to one place above another, in respect of holiness and acceptableness to God. They who prefer any act of worship merely for the sake of the house or building in which it is performed, (though it were as magnificent, and as solemnly consecrated as ever Solomon’s temple was,) forget that the hour is come when there should be no difference put in God’s account; no, not between Jerusalem, which had been so famous for sanctity, and the mount of Samaria, which had been so infamous for impiety.

21. Neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem—That is, in neither exclusively. Locality shall have nothing to do with religion. A universal God shall receive a universal worship. And so the hearts of Jew and Samaritan may blend together, and acceptable worship may ascend alike from either Jerusalem or Gerizim.

V. 22. Ye worship ye know not what-Ye Samaritans are ignorant, not only of the place, but of the very object of worship. Indeed, they feared the Lord after a fashion; but at the same time served their own gods, 2 Kings 17:33.

Salvation is from the Jews-So spake all the prophets, that the Saviour should arise out of the Jewish nation: and that from thence the knowledge of him should spread to all nations under heaven.

Verse 22. Ye worship ye know not what] The Samaritans believed in the same God with the Jews; but, as they rejected all the prophetical writings, they had but an imperfect knowledge of the Deity: besides, as they incorporated the worship of idols with his worship, they might be justly said to worship him whom they did not properly know. See the account of their motley worship, 2 Kings 17:26-34. But after Sanballat had built the temple on Mount Gerizim, the idolatrous worship of the Cutheans and Sepharvites, &c., was entirely laid aside; the same religious service being performed in the Samaritan temple which was performed in that at Jerusalem.

We know what we worship] We Jews acknowledge all the attributes of his nature, and offer to him only the sacrifices prescribed in the law. Salvation is of the Jews.] ek twn ioudaiwn estin, Salvation is from the Jews. Salvation seems here to mean the Saviour, the Messiah, as it does Luke 2:30; Acts 4:12: and so the woman appears to have understood it, John 4:25. The Messiah was to spring from the Jews-from them, the preaching of the Gospel, and the knowledge of the truth, were to go to all the nations of the world. It was to the Jews that the promises were made; and it was in their prophetic Scriptures, which the Samaritans rejected, that Jesus Christ was proclaimed and described. See Isaiah 11:3.

Verse 22. Ye worship ye know not what — Or rather, as the original words, umeiv proskuneite o ouk oidate, ye worship what ye know not, that is, ye Samaritans are ignorant, not only of the place, but, in a great measure, also of the very object of worship. They believed indeed, in a sense, in the one living and true God, as the Jews did; drawing their knowledge of him from the five books of Moses, the authority of which they acknowledged. But as they did not receive the writings of the prophets as canonical, or of divine inspiration, it is not to be supposed that they were, in general, so well acquainted with God, and the service he required, as the Jews were. On the contrary, it is probable that they were sunk into a state of gross ignorance in these respects. For, if the writings of the prophets were of importance for conveying to mankind the knowledge of the perfections and will of God, the Samaritans, who rejected all those writings, must, on this head, have been more ignorant than the Jews. Doubtless, many of them were like their progenitors, of whom we read, (2 Kings 17:32,) that they feared the Lord, namely, after a fashion; but, at the same time, served their own gods, that is, they joined the worship of idols with his worship: or worshipped him merely as a local deity, as is plainly intimated, verses 26 and 27 of that chapter, where they twice term him, the God of the land. We know what we worship — Or rather, as the Greek is, we worship what we know, or, we know the God we worship. Our Lord and his disciples, and such Jews as were pious, certainly knew the God they worshipped; and the Jews in general had much more correct ideas of the nature and attributes of God than the Samaritans had. Christ elsewhere condemns the corruptions of the Jewish worship; yet here defends their worship with regard to its object: for we may be right with respect to the object of our worship, even when there is much that is faulty and corrupt in the manner of it. For salvation is of the Jews — All the prophets spoke of the Saviour as one that should come out of the Jewish nation, and that through him the knowledge of the true God, and of the true way of worshipping and serving him, should be communicated to the rest of mankind. For, as the author of salvation came of the Jews, appeared among them, and was sent first to bless them, affording them, in an extraordinary way, the means of salvation; so the word of salvation was of them, and was delivered to them, to be derived from them to other nations. This was a sure guide to them in their worship, and they who followed it knew what they worshipped. As they, therefore, were thus privileged and advanced, it was presumption for the Samaritans to vie with them.

Ver. 22. Salvation is of the jews. They had the oracles of God, and from them the Messiah must descend. But the idols to which ye pray are all vanity.

22. Ye worship ye know not what—Ye worship; ye, in fact, worship God; but ye know not what is the true character of the God ye worship. It is a factitious, narrow, Samaritan deity you adore, standing in supposed special covenant relations to you, which relations are historically and really untrue. So that even if, through its ignorant sincerity, your prayer reaches through the mists and darkness to the true God, that true God which you thus successfully worship, ye do not truly know.

We know what we worship—The God worshipped by the Jews was the God of the Pentateuch and the prophets, standing truly in the historical relations in which the true Jews believed. Salvation is of—Rather from the Jews. For theirs was the covenanted and prophesied Christ, in whom salvation is embodied. And even if that salvation went forth to save the pious Samaritan in his twilight, it truly went forth from the Jews.

V. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father-Not here or there only, but at all times and in all places.

Verse 23. The true worshippers shall worship-in spirit] The worship of the Samaritans was a defective worship-they did not receive the prophetical writings: that of the Jews was a carnal worship, dealing only in the letter, and referring to the spirit and design, which were at a distance, by types and ceremonies. The Gospel of Christ showed the meaning of all these carnal ordinances, and the legal sacrifices, which had all their consummation in his offering of himself: thus a spiritual dispensation took the place of the carnal one which prefigured it. 2. The preaching of the Gospel discovered the true nature of God, of salvation, of the human soul, of earthly and of heavenly things; and, because of this, it is put in opposition to the defective Samaritan worship.

Verse 23. But the hour cometh and now is — The fixed and stated time, concerning which it was of old determined when it should come, even the accepted time and day of salvation. And when our Lord thus spoke, it was coming in its full strength, lustre, and perfection. As if he had said, The thing you are chiefly concerned to know is, that a dispensation of religion is now beginning, under which all languages, countries, and places being sanctified, men are to worship God, not in Jerusalem, but in their hearts, and by their lives; by offering the sacrifice, not of beasts, but of themselves; the thing signified by every sacrifice and service enjoined in the law, and what alone was acceptable to the Father, even under the legal dispensation; when the true worshippers — And what does it avail to be a false worshipper? shall worship the Father — Shall worship God as a Father, even as a reconciled Father in Christ, who hath made them his children through faith in him, (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26,) by adoption and regeneration, see note on Matthew 6:9; in spirit and truth — In spirit, and therefore in truth: that is, 1st, In our spirit, or inwardly in our minds and hearts, adoring his majesty, revering his power, humbled before his purity, confiding in his mercy, praising him for his benefits, loving him for his unspeakable love to us; being subject to his sway, obedient to his will, resigned under his dispensations, devoted to his glory, and aspiring after a closer union with him, and a more full conformity to him. And all this, 2d, Through the illuminating, quickening, and comforting influences of his Spirit; without which our worship is but a shadow without substance, a form without power, a body without a soul: the lifeless image of worship, without truth and reality: nay, a mere lie. For when we ask blessings, which we do not sincerely desire and expect to receive; thank God for favours for which we feel no gratitude; sit down to hear that word of which we neither intend nor desire to be doers, our worship is hypocrisy and a lie: as it is also when we have not within us, during our pretended worship, affections and dispositions suited to his divine attributes, and the relations in which he is pleased to stand to us. For to worship him without reverence and humility, is to say, in effect, that he is not great and glorious, just and holy; to do it without confidence and gratitude, is saying in our spirit that he is not merciful, kind, and beneficent; to worship him without love and obedience, subjection and resignation, is to deny his love to us, and his authority over us, as our Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, Redeemer, Saviour, Friend, and Father; and the wisdom, justice, and goodness of his dispensations: that is, it is to worship him in a lie. For whether we say, by our spirit and conduct, that he possesses these perfections or not, it is certain he does possess them, and our not acknowledging it, and being properly influenced thereby, is, in effect, to deny it, and to affirm he is not the being that he is, and does not possess the attributes that he does possess. For the Father seeketh such to worship him — Desires and approves of such worshippers, and sends his word and Spirit, his gospel and his grace, to form such. The expression implies, 1st, That such worshippers are very rare, and seldom found. The gate of spiritual worship is strait. 2d, That such worship is necessary, and what the God of heaven requires and insists upon. When God comes to inquire for worshippers, the question will not be, Who worshipped at Jerusalem? but, who worshipped in spirit and truth? That will be the touchstone, or test, whereby men’s religion will be tried, and whereby they will stand or fall in the day of final accounts.

23. And now is—It cometh in greater fulness; it now is in many a heart. In spirit—As opposed to mere bodily motions or ritual ceremonies and objects. In truth—As opposed to all unreality or insincerity.

V. 24. God is a Spirit-Not only remote from the body, and all the properties of it, but likewise full of all spiritual perfections, power, wisdom, love, holiness. And our worship should be suitable to his nature. We should worship him with the truly spiritual worship of faith, love, and holiness, animating all our tempers, thoughts, words, and actions.

Verse 24. God is a Spirit] This is one of the first, the greatest, the most sublime, and necessary truths in the compass of nature! There is a God, the cause of all things-the fountain of all perfection-without parts or dimensions, for he is ETERNAL-filling the heavens and the earth-pervading, governing, and upholding all things: for he is an infinite SPIRIT! This God can be pleased only with that which resembles himself: therefore he must hate sin and sinfulness; and can delight in those only who are made partakers of his own Divine nature. As all creatures were made by him, so all owe him obedience and reverence; but, to be acceptable to this infinite Spirit, the worship must be of a spiritual nature-must spring from the heart, through the influence of the Holy Ghost: and it must be in TRUTH, not only in sincerity, but performed according to that Divine revelation which he has given men of himself. A man worships God in spirit, when, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, he brings all his affections, appetites, and desires to the throne of God; and he worships him in truth, when every purpose and passion of his heart, and when every act of his religious worship, is guided and regulated by the word of God. “The enlightened part of mankind,” says Abu’l Fazel, “knows that true righteousness is an upright heart; and believe that God can only be worshipped in holiness of SPIRIT.” Ayeen Akbery, vol. iii. p. 254. “Of all worshippers,” says Creeshna, “I respect him as the most devout, who hath faith in me, and who serveth me with a soul possessed of my spirit.” Geeta, p. 68.

Verse 24. God is a Spirit. &c. — “As a further answer to the woman’s question, our Lord delivered a doctrine which may justly be called his own, as it exhibits an idea of God, and of the worship which is due to him, far more sublime than the best things said by the philosophers on that subject.” Christ came to declare God to us, and this he has declared concerning him, that he is a Spirit, and he declared it to this poor Samaritan woman, for the meanest are concerned to know God; and with this design, to rectify her mistakes concerning religious worship, to which nothing could contribute more than the right knowledge of God. 1st, God is a Spirit, for he is an infinite and eternal mind; an intelligent being, yea, the supreme Intelligence, who by one act sees the thoughts of all other intelligences whatever, and so may be worshipped in every place; he is incorporeal, immaterial, invisible, and incorruptible: for it is easier to say what he is not than what he is. If God were not a Spirit, he could not be perfect, nor infinite, nor eternal, nor independent, nor the Father of spirits. Now, 2d, on this spirituality of the divine nature is founded the necessity of the spirituality of divine worship; for the worship of God must partake of his nature: as his nature is spiritual, his worship, to be acceptable, must be so likewise. If we do not worship God, who is a Spirit, in spirit, we neither give him the glory due to his name, and so do not perform a real and proper act of worship, nor can we hope to attain his favour, and acceptance with him, and so we miss the end of worship. The exercise of faith and love, therefore, and of other graces, must constitute the true spiritual worship which we owe to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and which cannot but be acceptable to him, wherever it is offered, in whatever place, and by whatever person.

Ver. 24. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. His perfections are seen in his works. The worship we pay to him must correspond with his nature. We must love him with all our heart and mind, and serve him with all uprightness and delight. By the light of instruction and all the operations of grace, he draws and allures mankind to worship him aright. Very similar are the words of Cato to the young people of the Romans.

Si Deus est animus, nobis ut carmina dicunt,

Hic tibi præcipue sit purâ mente colendus.

If God, as poets say, a Spirit be,

Let him with upright mind be served by thee.

24. God is a Spirit—Herein God and incorporeal man agree—that both are mind, personality, or spirit. And being of the same nature, they are able to blend and commune, spirit with spirit, the inferior in worship of the Superior. In spirit and in truth—No bodily kneelings are sufficient; no ritual, no praying by machinery; nothing suffices unless our soul by strong grasp apprehends God; unless our inmost spirit commune with the divine Spirit. Father seeketh such—As the spirit of the devout worshipper thirsteth after God, so God’s Spirit thirsteth after, and seeks through all the earth for, the true devout spirit.

V. 25. The woman saith-With joy for what she had already learned, and desire of fuller instruction.

Verse 25. I know that Messias cometh] Instead of oida I know, several excellent MSS. and versions read, oidamen, we know; as if she had said that all the Samaritans expected the advent of the Messiah. Though they did not receive the prophetic writings, yet the tradition of the advent of the Messiah, which was common among the Jews, and founded on promises contained even in the books of Moses, was generally received among the Samaritans also.

Which is called Christ] This appears to be the evangelist’s explanation of the Hebrew word, according to his custom; John 1:38, 41, 42; 9:7, &c.; for we cannot suppose that the woman understood Greek, so as to translate the Hebrew word to our word; or that she should suppose that a person who was a Jew, John 4:9, and a prophet, John 4:19, could stand in need of this interpretation.

He will tell us all things.] Relative to the nature of God, the nature of his worship, and the proper place to adore him in. In a word, he will settle the great national question between Gerizim and Ebal; and we shall then know certainly where we ought to worship.

Verses 25, 26. The woman saith, I know that Messias cometh — She probably meant from among the Jews. The Jews and Samaritans, though so much at variance in other things, agreed in the expectation of the Messiah and his kingdom. This the Samaritans probably grounded on the writings of Moses, which, as has been observed, they received as of divine authority. It was also, doubtless, strengthened by the slight acquaintance which they had with the writings of the prophets, and by the hopes which they knew were entertained by the Jewish nation, not to mention the general expectation which now prevailed in many parts of the East, that a great prince was soon to arise in Judea; which is called Christ — It would appear from the manner in which this clause is expressed, that it was spoken by the woman; and yet it is manifest that could not have been the case. “Our Lord and the woman spoke a dialect of the Chaldee, at that time the language of the country, and in the New Testament called Hebrew, wherein Messiah was the proper term, and consequently needed not to be explained to either of them into Greek, which they were not speaking, and which was a foreign language to both. But it was very proper for the evangelist, who wrote in Greek, and in the midst of those who did not understand Chaldee, when introducing an oriental term, to explain it for the sake of his Greek readers.” — Campbell. When he is come, he will tell us all things — Relating to the service of God, which it is necessary for us to know: he will supply our defects of knowledge, rectify our mistakes, and put an end to all our disputes, and will make us fully acquainted with the mind and will of God. The woman seems to have spoken this with joy for what she had already learned, and with a desire of fuller instruction. Jesus saith — Hasting to satisfy her desire before his disciples came; I that speak unto thee am he — Our Lord did not speak of himself thus plainly to the Jews, because, as they were full of expectation that the Messiah, when he came, would erect a glorious temporal kingdom, and constitute them a free, happy, and prosperous people, if Jesus had openly professed to be that expected deliverer of their nation, many of them would doubtless have taken up arms in his favour, and others have accused him to the Roman governor. Yet he did, in effect, declare what implied it, though he declined using and applying to himself the particular title. For in a multitude of places he represented himself both as the Son of man, and as the Son of God: both which expressions were generally understood by the Jews as peculiarly applicable to the Messiah.

Ver. 25. I know that Messiah cometh — when he is come, he will tell us all things. Oh glorious disclosure — essential for this woman’s conversion; a disclosure kept back from the jews till after his resurrection. In like manner Philip preached Christ to the Eunuch. Acts 8:37. The apostles preached, not themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. How can men believe on him of whom they have not heard? The glory of his person must be disclosed to gain and overcome the heart.

25. Messias—The Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah. See note on Matthew 1:1. Messias cometh—The Samaritans drew their conceptions of the Messiah not from the prophets or Psalms, but from the Pentateuch. Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; Deuteronomy 18:15. It is certain that anciently they expected a Restorer under the title of the Converter. And even at this day, they expect him under the epithet el-Mudy, the Guide. So full and authoritative seemed to be the revelations Jesus makes to her, that her query arises, Is not this the great Revealer? When he is come—Jesus had said the hour now is; and the woman speaks also in the present tense, is come; as if she had a presentiment of the declaration about to follow.

V. 26. Jesus saith-Hasting to satisfy her desire before his disciples came. l am He-Our Lord did not speak this so plainly to the Jews who were so full of the Messiah's temporal kingdom. If he had, many would doubtless have taken up arms in his favour, and others have accused him to the Roman governor. Yet he did in effect declare the thing, though he denied the particular title. For in a multitude of places he represented himself, both as the Son of man, and as the Son of God: both which expressions were generally understood by the Jews as peculiarly applicable to the Messiah.

Verse 26. Jesus saith unto her, I-am he.] Our Lord never spoke in such direct terms concerning himself to his own countrymen; nor even to his own disciples, till a little before his death. The reason given by Bishop Pearce is the following: The woman being alone when Jesus said it, and being a Samaritan, he had no reason to apprehend that the Samaritans, if they knew his claim, would disturb his ministry before the time of his suffering came; which seems to have been the reason why he concealed it so long from his own countrymen.

Verses 25, 26. The woman saith, I know that Messias cometh — She probably meant from among the Jews. The Jews and Samaritans, though so much at variance in other things, agreed in the expectation of the Messiah and his kingdom. This the Samaritans probably grounded on the writings of Moses, which, as has been observed, they received as of divine authority. It was also, doubtless, strengthened by the slight acquaintance which they had with the writings of the prophets, and by the hopes which they knew were entertained by the Jewish nation, not to mention the general expectation which now prevailed in many parts of the East, that a great prince was soon to arise in Judea; which is called Christ — It would appear from the manner in which this clause is expressed, that it was spoken by the woman; and yet it is manifest that could not have been the case. “Our Lord and the woman spoke a dialect of the Chaldee, at that time the language of the country, and in the New Testament called Hebrew, wherein Messiah was the proper term, and consequently needed not to be explained to either of them into Greek, which they were not speaking, and which was a foreign language to both. But it was very proper for the evangelist, who wrote in Greek, and in the midst of those who did not understand Chaldee, when introducing an oriental term, to explain it for the sake of his Greek readers.” — Campbell. When he is come, he will tell us all things — Relating to the service of God, which it is necessary for us to know: he will supply our defects of knowledge, rectify our mistakes, and put an end to all our disputes, and will make us fully acquainted with the mind and will of God. The woman seems to have spoken this with joy for what she had already learned, and with a desire of fuller instruction. Jesus saith — Hasting to satisfy her desire before his disciples came; I that speak unto thee am he — Our Lord did not speak of himself thus plainly to the Jews, because, as they were full of expectation that the Messiah, when he came, would erect a glorious temporal kingdom, and constitute them a free, happy, and prosperous people, if Jesus had openly professed to be that expected deliverer of their nation, many of them would doubtless have taken up arms in his favour, and others have accused him to the Roman governor. Yet he did, in effect, declare what implied it, though he declined using and applying to himself the particular title. For in a multitude of places he represented himself both as the Son of man, and as the Son of God: both which expressions were generally understood by the Jews as peculiarly applicable to the Messiah.

26. I… am he—The all-important point is now attained: Jesus has announced himself as Jew, prophet, MESSIAH. No words from her of acknowledgment or surprise are recorded; but how full her faith that the Teacher had arrived who can tell us all things, her energetic and successful mission to her countrymen shows. As the Samaritans did not, in a spirit of national ambition, expect a Messiah of a political character as did the Jews, it was both easier for Jesus on the present occasion to adjust his character to their expectations, and safer from awakening political jealousies, for him with perfect explicitness to avow his own true character and title. The reasons for reserve existing in Judea or Galilee, existed not here in the centre of Samaria. As the time of Jesus in Samaria was short, it was necessary when he found this hearing to reveal himself explicitly and briefly. The more so at this moment, as his disciples were close at hand to cut the opportunity short. These views explain the wonderful fact, that Christ so early and so clearly declared himself to Samaria!

V. 27. His disciples marvelled that he talked with a woman-Which the Jewish rabbis reckoned scandalous for a man of distinction to do. They marvelled likewise at his talking with a woman of that nation, which was so peculiarly hateful to the Jews.

Yet none said-To the woman,

What seekest thou?-Or to Christ, Why talkest thou with her?

Verse 27. Came his disciples] From the town, whither they went to buy food, John 4:8.

Marvelled that he talked with the woman] Because it was contrary to the custom of the eastern countries; and there are many canons, among the rabbins, against it. To the present time, if a man meet even his own wife in the street, he does not speak to her; and this is done to keep up the appearance of a chastity and temperance of which the eastern world knows nothing. They might wonder how a Samaritan, in whom they could expect no spirituality, could listen to the conversation of their Master, who never spake but about heavenly things.

Yet no man said, &c.] They were awed by his majesty, and knew that he must have sufficient reasons to induce him to act a part to which he was not at all accustomed. A great man has said, “Converse sparingly, if at all, with women; and never alone.” Every minister of the Gospel will do well to attend to this advice.

Verse 27. Upon this came his disciples — Who, as was said before, were gone into the city to buy food; and marvelled that he talked with the woman — Or rather (as the word gunaikov is without the article) with a woman, which the Jewish rabbies reckoned it scandalous for a man of distinction to do. And that the disciples were not, in such things, superior to the prejudices of their countrymen, is manifest from the whole of their history. They marvelled likewise at his talking with a woman of that nation, which was so peculiarly hateful to the Jews. Yet no man said to the woman, What seekest thou? — Or to Christ, Why talkest thou with her?

27. Came his disciples—They arrived at a striking instant of the conversation. Christ had had opportunity to make his first complete annunciation of himself as Messiah, and not a syllable more. But the work was done. With the woman—They seemed to feel, in a different way, much the same difficulties as our modern rationalists, at the want of dignity in Jesus in this free converse with a rustic woman at a well. What seekest thou?—Or, what do you want? addressed to the woman.

V. 28. The woman left her water pot-Forgetting smaller things.

Verse 28. Left her waterpot] She was so penetrated with the great truths which Jesus had announced that she forgot her errand to the well, and returned to the city without the water for which she came out!

Verses 28-30. The woman then — Seeing other company coming up to interrupt the discourse, immediately left her water-pot — Or pail, behind her, forgetting smaller things, while her thoughts were engrossed with matters of the greatest importance; and went her way with all haste into the city — Where she published the news in the streets, and said to all she met with, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did — Even the most secret circumstances of my past life. Our Lord had told her but a few things, but his words awakened her conscience, which soon told her all the rest. Is not this the Christ? — She does not doubt of it herself, but speaks thus to excite them to make the inquiry. Then they went out of the city, &c. — The Samaritans, struck both with wonder and curiosity, did not delay, but accompanied her instantly, wishing, no doubt, that her news might prove true.

28. Left her waterpot—Either because she brought it from the field with intent to carry water thither; or, more probably, because, in her haste, her mind rose above the water as Jesus’s did above the meat.

V. 29. A man who told me all things that ever I did-Our Lord had told her but a few things. But his words awakened her conscience, which soon told her all the rest.

Is not this the Christ?-She does not doubt of it herself, but incites them to make the inquiry.

Verse 29. All things that ever I did] The Jews believed that one essential characteristic of the Messiah would be, that he should be able to tell the secrets of all hearts. This they believed was predicted, Isaiah 11:2, 3. When the famous impostor Barchochab, who rose up under the empire of Adrian, about a hundred years after the incarnation, professed himself to be the Messiah, after having been deceived by him for two years, they at last thought of putting his divinity to proof on this ground: they brought before him persons whom he did not know, some of whom were very vicious, and others of a different character; they desired him to point out who were the righteous, and who were the wicked; which when he could not do, they rose up and put him to death. La Bible de Martin.

Verses 28-30. The woman then — Seeing other company coming up to interrupt the discourse, immediately left her water-pot — Or pail, behind her, forgetting smaller things, while her thoughts were engrossed with matters of the greatest importance; and went her way with all haste into the city — Where she published the news in the streets, and said to all she met with, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did — Even the most secret circumstances of my past life. Our Lord had told her but a few things, but his words awakened her conscience, which soon told her all the rest. Is not this the Christ? — She does not doubt of it herself, but speaks thus to excite them to make the inquiry. Then they went out of the city, &c. — The Samaritans, struck both with wonder and curiosity, did not delay, but accompanied her instantly, wishing, no doubt, that her news might prove true.

Ver. 29. Is not this the Christ? Mark the climax of her faith. At first she called him a jew. Then despised him for affecting greater purity than Jacob. Next she called him a prophet. She finally preaches his righteousness as the omniscient Messiah. He told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? — Lord, encrease our faith.

29. Told me all—See note on verse 19. 30. They went out of the city— There must have been power in the woman’s words and influence in her character, to send these men on their mission to this Messias.

Verse 30. They went out of the city] Such effect had the simple testimony of the woman on their minds.

And came unto him.] Or, Were coming to him; for they did not reach him immediately; all that discourse between him and his disciples, mentioned John 4:31-39, inclusive, having taken place before the people of Sychar got to the well. See John 4:40.

Verses 28-30. The woman then — Seeing other company coming up to interrupt the discourse, immediately left her water-pot — Or pail, behind her, forgetting smaller things, while her thoughts were engrossed with matters of the greatest importance; and went her way with all haste into the city — Where she published the news in the streets, and said to all she met with, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did — Even the most secret circumstances of my past life. Our Lord had told her but a few things, but his words awakened her conscience, which soon told her all the rest. Is not this the Christ? — She does not doubt of it herself, but speaks thus to excite them to make the inquiry. Then they went out of the city, &c. — The Samaritans, struck both with wonder and curiosity, did not delay, but accompanied her instantly, wishing, no doubt, that her news might prove true.

V. 31. In the meantime-Before the people came.

Verse 31. Master, eat.] They knew that he was greatly spent both with hunger and fatigue.

Verses 31-34. In the mean while — Before the people came; his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat — They set the meat, which they had brought, before him, and requested him to partake of it, knowing how much he needed refreshment. But he said, I have meat to eat that ye know not of — Meat which yields me much more refreshment than any food which you can have brought me. He refers to the conversation which he had just had with the woman, and to the expected conversion of the Samaritans. When he sat down upon the well, he was weary, and needed sustenance; but this opportunity of saving souls made him forget his weariness and hunger. Therefore said the disciples — Not understanding his words in that spiritual sense in which he had spoken them; one to another — With some surprise, considering where he was; Hath any man brought him aught to eat? — Has any one been with him while we have been absent, and supplied him with provisions? Jesus — Who knew the loss they were at to understand his meaning; saith unto them — With a view to explain it; My meat — My most refreshing and delightful food, and that which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul; is to do the will of him that sent me, &c. — He made his work his meat and drink; namely, the work he had done, his instructing the woman, and the work he had to do among the Samaritans; the prospect he now had of doing good to many; this was to him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction imaginable. Observe here, reader, 1st, The salvation of sinners is the will of God, and the instruction of them in order thereunto, is his work, 1 Timothy 2:4. 2d, Christ was sent into the world for this purpose, to bring sinners to God, to bring them to know him, and to be happy in him. 3d, He made this work his business and delight. When his body needed food, his mind was so taken up with this, that he forgot both hunger and thirst, both meat and drink. 4th, He was not only ready, upon all occasions, to enter upon his work, but he was concerned and earnest to go through it, and finish it in all its parts. He resolved never to quit it, or lay it down till he could say, It is finished. Many have zeal to carry them out at first, and induce them to undertake the Lord’s work; but not zeal to carry them on to the last, and cause them to persevere till they have accomplished it. But our Master has herein left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did — with diligence and close application, as those that make it their business — with delight and pleasure in it, as persons in their element — with constancy and perseverance, not only inclining them to begin, but aiming at finishing their work.

31. Master, eat—In this verse and in 33 there appears a reverential distance between the disciples and their Lord; arising, perhaps, from a sense of the present elevation of Jesus’s spirit.

Verse 32. I have meat to eat that ye know not of.] Our blessed Lord seizes every opportunity to raise the minds of his apostles to heavenly things, through the medium of earthly matters. Nor does he force these things into such service. Properly understood, earthly substances are the types, representatives, and shadows of heavenly things.

Verses 31-34. In the mean while — Before the people came; his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat — They set the meat, which they had brought, before him, and requested him to partake of it, knowing how much he needed refreshment. But he said, I have meat to eat that ye know not of — Meat which yields me much more refreshment than any food which you can have brought me. He refers to the conversation which he had just had with the woman, and to the expected conversion of the Samaritans. When he sat down upon the well, he was weary, and needed sustenance; but this opportunity of saving souls made him forget his weariness and hunger. Therefore said the disciples — Not understanding his words in that spiritual sense in which he had spoken them; one to another — With some surprise, considering where he was; Hath any man brought him aught to eat? — Has any one been with him while we have been absent, and supplied him with provisions? Jesus — Who knew the loss they were at to understand his meaning; saith unto them — With a view to explain it; My meat — My most refreshing and delightful food, and that which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul; is to do the will of him that sent me, &c. — He made his work his meat and drink; namely, the work he had done, his instructing the woman, and the work he had to do among the Samaritans; the prospect he now had of doing good to many; this was to him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction imaginable. Observe here, reader, 1st, The salvation of sinners is the will of God, and the instruction of them in order thereunto, is his work, 1 Timothy 2:4. 2d, Christ was sent into the world for this purpose, to bring sinners to God, to bring them to know him, and to be happy in him. 3d, He made this work his business and delight. When his body needed food, his mind was so taken up with this, that he forgot both hunger and thirst, both meat and drink. 4th, He was not only ready, upon all occasions, to enter upon his work, but he was concerned and earnest to go through it, and finish it in all its parts. He resolved never to quit it, or lay it down till he could say, It is finished. Many have zeal to carry them out at first, and induce them to undertake the Lord’s work; but not zeal to carry them on to the last, and cause them to persevere till they have accomplished it. But our Master has herein left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did — with diligence and close application, as those that make it their business — with delight and pleasure in it, as persons in their element — with constancy and perseverance, not only inclining them to begin, but aiming at finishing their work.

32. Meat to eat that ye know not—The spirit was so well fed that the body was sustained.

Verse 33. Hath any man brought him aught to eat?] Has he got food in any preternatural way? They could not help remembering the miraculous interventions of Divine providence in feeding Elijah by the ravens, at the brook Cherith, 1 Kings 17:4-6, and by the ministry of an angel, 1 Kings 19:5-8, and our Lord’s preternatural repast in the wilderness, after his victory over Satan, Matthew 4:11.

Verses 31-34. In the mean while — Before the people came; his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat — They set the meat, which they had brought, before him, and requested him to partake of it, knowing how much he needed refreshment. But he said, I have meat to eat that ye know not of — Meat which yields me much more refreshment than any food which you can have brought me. He refers to the conversation which he had just had with the woman, and to the expected conversion of the Samaritans. When he sat down upon the well, he was weary, and needed sustenance; but this opportunity of saving souls made him forget his weariness and hunger. Therefore said the disciples — Not understanding his words in that spiritual sense in which he had spoken them; one to another — With some surprise, considering where he was; Hath any man brought him aught to eat? — Has any one been with him while we have been absent, and supplied him with provisions? Jesus — Who knew the loss they were at to understand his meaning; saith unto them — With a view to explain it; My meat — My most refreshing and delightful food, and that which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul; is to do the will of him that sent me, &c. — He made his work his meat and drink; namely, the work he had done, his instructing the woman, and the work he had to do among the Samaritans; the prospect he now had of doing good to many; this was to him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction imaginable. Observe here, reader, 1st, The salvation of sinners is the will of God, and the instruction of them in order thereunto, is his work, 1 Timothy 2:4. 2d, Christ was sent into the world for this purpose, to bring sinners to God, to bring them to know him, and to be happy in him. 3d, He made this work his business and delight. When his body needed food, his mind was so taken up with this, that he forgot both hunger and thirst, both meat and drink. 4th, He was not only ready, upon all occasions, to enter upon his work, but he was concerned and earnest to go through it, and finish it in all its parts. He resolved never to quit it, or lay it down till he could say, It is finished. Many have zeal to carry them out at first, and induce them to undertake the Lord’s work; but not zeal to carry them on to the last, and cause them to persevere till they have accomplished it. But our Master has herein left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did — with diligence and close application, as those that make it their business — with delight and pleasure in it, as persons in their element — with constancy and perseverance, not only inclining them to begin, but aiming at finishing their work.

V. 34. My meat-That which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul.

Verse 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me] In these words, our blessed Lord teaches a lesson of zeal and earnestness to his apostles, and to all their successors in the Christian ministry. Let the salvation of souls lie nearer your heart than life itself. Let eating and drinking, labour and rest, reading, thinking, study, prayer, and all things, be directed to the accomplishment of this great work. Ministers of Jesus! imitate your Lord! Souls are perishing for lack of knowledge-God has given you the key of the kingdom, the knowledge of his word-O open unto them the gate of life! They are dropping by thousands into hell! O pluck the brands out of the burning!

Verses 31-34. In the mean while — Before the people came; his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat — They set the meat, which they had brought, before him, and requested him to partake of it, knowing how much he needed refreshment. But he said, I have meat to eat that ye know not of — Meat which yields me much more refreshment than any food which you can have brought me. He refers to the conversation which he had just had with the woman, and to the expected conversion of the Samaritans. When he sat down upon the well, he was weary, and needed sustenance; but this opportunity of saving souls made him forget his weariness and hunger. Therefore said the disciples — Not understanding his words in that spiritual sense in which he had spoken them; one to another — With some surprise, considering where he was; Hath any man brought him aught to eat? — Has any one been with him while we have been absent, and supplied him with provisions? Jesus — Who knew the loss they were at to understand his meaning; saith unto them — With a view to explain it; My meat — My most refreshing and delightful food, and that which satisfies the strongest appetite of my soul; is to do the will of him that sent me, &c. — He made his work his meat and drink; namely, the work he had done, his instructing the woman, and the work he had to do among the Samaritans; the prospect he now had of doing good to many; this was to him the greatest pleasure and satisfaction imaginable. Observe here, reader, 1st, The salvation of sinners is the will of God, and the instruction of them in order thereunto, is his work, 1 Timothy 2:4. 2d, Christ was sent into the world for this purpose, to bring sinners to God, to bring them to know him, and to be happy in him. 3d, He made this work his business and delight. When his body needed food, his mind was so taken up with this, that he forgot both hunger and thirst, both meat and drink. 4th, He was not only ready, upon all occasions, to enter upon his work, but he was concerned and earnest to go through it, and finish it in all its parts. He resolved never to quit it, or lay it down till he could say, It is finished. Many have zeal to carry them out at first, and induce them to undertake the Lord’s work; but not zeal to carry them on to the last, and cause them to persevere till they have accomplished it. But our Master has herein left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did — with diligence and close application, as those that make it their business — with delight and pleasure in it, as persons in their element — with constancy and perseverance, not only inclining them to begin, but aiming at finishing their work.

V. 35. The fields are white already-As if he had said, The spiritual harvest is ripe already. The Samaritans, ripe for the Gospel, covered the ground round about them.

Verse 35. There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?] In Palestine, the harvest did not begin till after the passover, which was fixed on the 14th of the month Nisan, which answers to our March, and sometimes extends into April. The barley harvest was the first; after that the wheat; and both were finished by Pentecost. For, in the feast of Pentecost, the first fruits of all the harvest were carried to the temple, and waved before the Lord. See Leviticus 23:11. The four months, of which our Lord speaks here, must be computed, according to M. Toynard, from Shebat, which was the eleventh month of the sacred year, and which commenced that year on the 13th of January: from that, till the beginning of the wheat harvest, which began about a month after the passover, there were exactly four months. The passover was that year on the 15th of Nisan, or March 28; and Pentecost took place on the 17th of May. We may therefore suppose that it was about the 13th of January, or beginning of the month Shebat, that John the Baptist was cast into prison, and that Christ retired into Galilee. The fixing of this epoch is of considerable importance. See Calmet’s Com. on this place.

The following method of dividing the seasons among the Jews is thus stated in Bava Metsia, fol. 106. “Half Tisri, all Marheshvan, and half Cisleu, is [rz zera. SEED-TIME. Half Cisleu, whole Tebeth, and half Shebat, is ãrwj choreph, WINTER. Half Shebat, whole Adar, and half Nisan, is rwq kor, the WINTER SOLSTICE. Half Nisan, all Ijar, and half Sivan, is ryxq katsir, HARVEST. Half Sivan, all Tammuz, and half Ab, is xyyq kyits, SUMMER. Half Ab, all Elul, and half Tisri, is חום chum, the great HEAT.” The Jews sowed wheat and spelt in Tisri and Marheshvan; and barley in Shebat and Adar. Now let us reckon tetramhnon, the four months, backwards, from the beginning of the barley harvest, or the middle of the month Nisan, and we shall go back to the middle of the month Cisleu, which will fall in with the beginning of our December, whence it will be easy to conjecture what feast that was, mentioned John 5:1, viz. the passover. See Lightfoot; and see Clarke’s note on “John 5:1”.

After all that learned men have said on this passage, it does not appear that our Lord meant any thing by it more than an illustration of his present subject. Though there were ordinarily four months from seed-time to harvest, and that a man, after he had sowed his seed, must wait patiently till the regular and natural harvest came, yet it was not the case now: the seed of life which he had sown but a few hours ago had already brought forth much fruit; therefore he says, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, over which it is likely the Samaritans were then coming in troops, guided by the woman who had already received the light of the Gospel of peace. The fields-are white already to harvest.] Multitudes of Samaritans are coming to believe on me, and to be saved unto eternal life. Probably they had a kind of white raiment.

Verses 35, 36. Say not ye, There are yet four months, &c. — Dr. Whitby, Grotius, and many others, understand this, as if our Lord had said, It is a proverbial expression for the encouragement of husbandmen, that there are but four months between seed-time and harvest. “But I cannot acquiesce,” says Dr. Doddridge, “in this interpretation, 1st, Because none of the learned writers referred to above, nor Dr. Lightfoot, who is large on this text, could produce any such proverb. 2d, Because, indeed, there could be no foundation for it, since the distance between seed-time and harvest must differ according to the different kinds of grain in question. And, 3d, Because if there had been such a proverb, it would have been improper to apply it here, since our Lord was not speaking of the period of time between the prophets’ sowing, and the apostles’ reaping; (to which four months has no analogy;) but only means to tell them, that though they reckoned yet four months to the earthly harvest, the spiritual harvest was now ripe. So that I choose, as Sir Isaac Newton does, to take the words in their plainest sense, as an intimation that there were then four months to the beginning of harvest. And I take this passage to be of great importance for settling the chronology of Christ’s ministry.” Lift up your eyes, even now, and look on the fields round about you, for they are white already to harvest — Laden with a plentiful crop of ripe corn. He alluded to the disposition of the people in general to receive the gospel, and more particularly to the multitude of the Samaritans, who, struck with the report of the woman, were coming in such numbers as covered the ground, to inquire after him as the Messiah, and to hear his doctrine; and unto whom he pointed and directed his disciples to look, as being within their view. And, as they laboured together with him in this spiritual harvest, to encourage them, he puts them in mind of the reward, adding, And he that reapeth — The harvest of which I now speak; he that by labouring in the word and doctrine converts sinners, and turns them to God; receiveth wages — Infinitely more valuable than men can give; and gathereth fruit unto life eternal — Both saves himself and those that hear him, 1 Timothy 4:16. Christ compares the case of a faithful Christian minister to that of a considerate reaper, who is supported in his fatigue, not only by a regard to his own wages, but to the advantage which the public receives by the harvest he gathers in. This the original expression, sunagei karpon eiv zwhn aiwnion, seems plainly to import, and so is parallel to James 5:20, He that converteth a sinner shall save a soul from death, &c., and suggests a most forcible consideration to diligence and zeal. If the spiritual reaper save his own soul, even that is fruit abounding to his account, fruit gathered to life eternal. And if, over and above this, he be instrumental in saving the souls of others too, there also is fruit gathered, good fruit, the fruit that Christ seeks for, Romans 1:13. This is the comfort of faithful ministers, that their work has a tendency to, and is instrumental of, the eternal salvation of precious souls.

Ver. 35. There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest. Spring wheat, as we call it, in Judea might be ready in a hundred and twenty days. The barley was never more than a hundred days from sowing to reaping; but here the seed sown by the woman, who said that Christ had told her all things whatsoever she had done, sprung up and whitened for the harvest in a few hours. The whole of Sychar came out to see and hear the Saviour.

35. Say not ye—As he spoke, the luxuriant grain fields of el-Mukhnah were probably full in view. The interval between sowing and harvest in Palestine is four months, and hence this saying is proverbial. But in this spiritual field the harvest is close upon the sowing. The coming forth of the Samaritans follows close upon his word to the woman. If there had been some interval of time between these words and the preceding verse, he may have pointed to the coming Samaritans. Otherwise, he may in spirit have seen them about to come.

V. 36. He that reapeth-Whoever saves souls, receiveth wages-A peculiar blessing to himself, and gathereth fruit-Many souls:

that he that soweth-Christ the great sower of the seed, and he that reapeth may rejoice together-In heaven.

Verse 36. And he that reapeth receiveth wages] Or, And already the reaper receiveth wages. By making the word hdh, already, the beginning of this verse, on the authority of some excellent MSS. and versions, a more consistent sense is obtained than from the common arrangement, where hdh terminates the preceding verse.

Already the heavenly sower, Jesus Christ, becomes the reaper of the produce of the seed which he had so lately sown; and receives the wages which he desired, the high gratification of saving immortal souls; and gathers in his fruit unto eternal life. So the sower and the reaper, who are here one and the same person, rejoiced together, having seen the seed time and the harvest take place on the same day. The sower had not time to leave the field which he had sown, till it was full time to gather in the harvest!

Verses 35, 36. Say not ye, There are yet four months, &c. — Dr. Whitby, Grotius, and many others, understand this, as if our Lord had said, It is a proverbial expression for the encouragement of husbandmen, that there are but four months between seed-time and harvest. “But I cannot acquiesce,” says Dr. Doddridge, “in this interpretation, 1st, Because none of the learned writers referred to above, nor Dr. Lightfoot, who is large on this text, could produce any such proverb. 2d, Because, indeed, there could be no foundation for it, since the distance between seed-time and harvest must differ according to the different kinds of grain in question. And, 3d, Because if there had been such a proverb, it would have been improper to apply it here, since our Lord was not speaking of the period of time between the prophets’ sowing, and the apostles’ reaping; (to which four months has no analogy;) but only means to tell them, that though they reckoned yet four months to the earthly harvest, the spiritual harvest was now ripe. So that I choose, as Sir Isaac Newton does, to take the words in their plainest sense, as an intimation that there were then four months to the beginning of harvest. And I take this passage to be of great importance for settling the chronology of Christ’s ministry.” Lift up your eyes, even now, and look on the fields round about you, for they are white already to harvest — Laden with a plentiful crop of ripe corn. He alluded to the disposition of the people in general to receive the gospel, and more particularly to the multitude of the Samaritans, who, struck with the report of the woman, were coming in such numbers as covered the ground, to inquire after him as the Messiah, and to hear his doctrine; and unto whom he pointed and directed his disciples to look, as being within their view. And, as they laboured together with him in this spiritual harvest, to encourage them, he puts them in mind of the reward, adding, And he that reapeth — The harvest of which I now speak; he that by labouring in the word and doctrine converts sinners, and turns them to God; receiveth wages — Infinitely more valuable than men can give; and gathereth fruit unto life eternal — Both saves himself and those that hear him, 1 Timothy 4:16. Christ compares the case of a faithful Christian minister to that of a considerate reaper, who is supported in his fatigue, not only by a regard to his own wages, but to the advantage which the public receives by the harvest he gathers in. This the original expression, sunagei karpon eiv zwhn aiwnion, seems plainly to import, and so is parallel to James 5:20, He that converteth a sinner shall save a soul from death, &c., and suggests a most forcible consideration to diligence and zeal. If the spiritual reaper save his own soul, even that is fruit abounding to his account, fruit gathered to life eternal. And if, over and above this, he be instrumental in saving the souls of others too, there also is fruit gathered, good fruit, the fruit that Christ seeks for, Romans 1:13. This is the comfort of faithful ministers, that their work has a tendency to, and is instrumental of, the eternal salvation of precious souls.

36. Receiveth wages—There is not only joy in the crop but wages for the labour. His disciples, as well as himself, are sowers and reapers, who have the delight of success in this world, and the reward of eternal life in the eternal world.

V. 37. That saying-A common proverb;

One soweth-The prophets and Christ;

another reapeth-The apostles and succeeding ministers.

Verse 37. Herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.] Or, One is the sower, and another is the reaper. In what respects you, of this business, this proverb is true-One is the sower, &c., for I have sent you to reap, to preach my Gospel, and gain converts, where ye have not laboured-have not sown the first seeds of eternal life. Others have laboured-the patriarchs and prophets, and ye are entered into the fruits of their labours. They announced the Messiah who was to come, and the expectation of the people was excited, and they longed for his appearance; but they were gathered to their fathers before they could see the fruit of their labour. You are come to tell the people that the kingdom of God is among them, and that God has visited his people. The proverb which our Lord mentions above was taken from what ordinarily happens in the course of the Divine providence, where one takes a great deal of pains to procure that of which another reaps the benefit. See instances of this proverb, Leviticus 26:16: Ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. Micah 6:15: Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but not anoint thee with the oil. See also Hosea 7:9. The Greeks had the same proverb: alloi men sperousi, alloi daJn amhsontai. So had the Latins: Aliis leporem excitasti. You have beat the bush, and another has found the hare. See the famous verses of Virgil beginning with, Sic vos non vobis, in which the fowls, the sheep, the bees, and the oxen, are elegantly brought in as illustrations of the propriety of the proverb.

Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves.

Sic vos non vobis vellera fertis oves.

Sic vos non vobis mellificatis apes.

Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boves.

So you, ye birds, of wondrous skill possest,

Not for yourselves construct the curious nest.

So you, ye sheep, who roam the verdant field,

Not for yourselves your snowy fleeces yield,

So you, ye bees, who every flower explore,

Not for yourselves amass the honied store.

So you, ye patient kine, inured to toil,

Not for yourselves subdue the stubborn soil!

Bishop Pearce gives this text a remarkable turn. The verse he translates thus: I sent you away, that ye might reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour; i.e. I did not send you to the city (John 4:8) for this purpose only, that ye might buy meat; but I sent you away chiefly with this intent, that there might be a harvest for you to reap upon your return; though you sowed no seed, and bestowed no labour for that purpose. While you were gone, I sowed spiritual seed in the heart of a Samaritan woman; and she is gone, and is about to return with many of her city, whom she has brought to believe, (John 4:39-42.) These, and the many more which will believe upon hearing my doctrine, (John 4:41,) will all be a harvest arising out of the seed which I sowed in your absence, and on which, therefore, ye bestowed no labour. He farther adds, that the Greek qerizein, stands for tou qerizein, and such expressions are often used to signify, not the end and design, but the event only. Pearce’s Comment.

Verses 37, 38. Herein is that saying true — That common proverb; One soweth and another reapeth — He alludes to what often happens, namely, that after he has sown his field, a man dies before he gathers in the harvest, and so leaves it to another, who enjoys the advantage of his pains. But the application which our Lord makes of this proverb here, does not imply any discontent in the persons who sow without reaping, as it seems to do in common uses; for the sower and the reaper are represented as rejoicing together in the rewards of their spiritual husbandry. I sent you to reap that — The fruit of that; whereon ye bestowed no labour — No labour of tilling or sowing the ground. Other men laboured — Namely, the ancient prophets, in sowing the seeds of piety and virtue among the Jews, and thereby exposed themselves to great hardships, persecutions, and sufferings. And ye are entered into their labours — Ye are employed to reap the fruit of that seed which they with great difficulty sowed, for ye are gathering into the kingdom of God, into the gospel church here, and into the kingdom of glory hereafter, those who, by the writings of the prophets, having been endued with a sense of religion, are prepared for entering into it.

37. One soweth—Many a sower does not see the harvest. Many a writer, preacher, advocate for truth, implants the doctrine, but never sees it spring up into glorious revival and salvation. Many a such revival has been prepared by a weeping and perhaps discouraged predecessor.

V. 38. I-he Lord of the whole harvest,

have sent you-He had employed them already in baptizing, John 4:2.

Verses 37, 38. Herein is that saying true — That common proverb; One soweth and another reapeth — He alludes to what often happens, namely, that after he has sown his field, a man dies before he gathers in the harvest, and so leaves it to another, who enjoys the advantage of his pains. But the application which our Lord makes of this proverb here, does not imply any discontent in the persons who sow without reaping, as it seems to do in common uses; for the sower and the reaper are represented as rejoicing together in the rewards of their spiritual husbandry. I sent you to reap that — The fruit of that; whereon ye bestowed no labour — No labour of tilling or sowing the ground. Other men laboured — Namely, the ancient prophets, in sowing the seeds of piety and virtue among the Jews, and thereby exposed themselves to great hardships, persecutions, and sufferings. And ye are entered into their labours — Ye are employed to reap the fruit of that seed which they with great difficulty sowed, for ye are gathering into the kingdom of God, into the gospel church here, and into the kingdom of glory hereafter, those who, by the writings of the prophets, having been endued with a sense of religion, are prepared for entering into it.

Ver. 38. Other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. Think of this, oh young minister of Christ. The prophets have laboured, and fought, and died in the conflict. The apostles followed their example, resisting even unto blood. Learned men have given us the holy scriptures, in every language and form. The martyrs have contended with antichrist for the faith, and loved not their lives unto death. Good men have planted churches, and built temples to the Lord. Then we do not, as the colonists say, make land out of forests; but enter on cultivated farms. Let us keep the vineyard of the Lord in all its glory and beauty; for the enemy goes about as a roaring lion, to destroy the faith, and devour the flock.

38. I—The Lord of the harvest, sent you; as he truly had all their predecessors. Other men laboured… ye… into their labours—As Charles Wesley says, “God buries his workmen but carries on his work.” Moses, the holy priests, the prophets, and the Baptist had preceded, and Christ’s apostles and the ministry of these latter ages are all in the same line of succession. And, no doubt, this passage is a prophetic anticipation of the harvest afterward reaped in Samaria by his apostles. See note on verse 42.

Verse 39. Many of the Samaritans-believed on him for the saying of the woman] This woman was the first apostle of Christ in Samaria! She went and told her fellow citizens that the Messiah was come; and gave for proof, that he had told her the most secret things she had ever done: see on John 4:29. This word, which is twice repeated, in John 4:29 and here, strongly intimates that a more particular conversation had taken place, between our Lord and the Samaritan woman, than what is here related.

Verses 39, 40. Many of the Samaritans believed on him — That is, believed him to be a divinely-commissioned teacher, and even the true Messiah, as appears from verse 42; for the saying of the woman, who testified, He told me all that ever I did — A declaration which both struck and convinced them: so is God sometimes pleased to use very weak and unlikely instruments for the beginning and carrying on of a good work. And our Lord, by instructing one poor woman, here spread instruction through a whole town. Let not ministers, then, be either careless or discouraged in their preaching, because their hearers are few and mean; for by doing good to them, good may be conveyed to more, and to persons of greater influence. If believers teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, a great number may learn, and these again may teach others. Philip preached the gospel to a single person in his chariot upon the road, and he not only received it himself, but carried it into his country, and propagated it there. We see here also the good effect of speaking experimentally of Christ, and of the things of God. This woman could say little of them, but what she did say, she spake from the heart, and feelingly. Those are most likely to do good to others, who can tell what God has done for their own souls. When the Samaritans were come to him — Being greatly taken with the manner of his deportment, and the tenor of his discourse; they besought him to tarry with them — For some time at least, as being desirous of a further acquaintance with him, and of receiving further benefit from his instructions. For the meanness of his appearance, when they saw him, and the manifest poverty of his outward condition, did not lessen their esteem of him, and expectations from him. Observe, reader, we may entertain good hopes of those who have got over the vulgar prejudices that men have against true worth in a low estate. Blessed are they that are not offended in Christ at the first sight. The evangelist seems to lay an emphasis on their being Samaritans. See also Luke 10:33; 17:16. The Samaritans had not that reputation for religion that the Jews had; yet the Jews, who saw Christ’s miracles, drove him from them, while the Samaritans, who saw not his miracles, nor had shared in his favours, invited him to them! The proof of the gospel’s success is not always according to probability, nor what is experienced according to what is expected. And he — Ever ready to lay hold on every opportunity of doing good, went with them to their city; and abode there two days — Which was a proper medium between entirely neglecting them, and giving them so much of his time and company as would have broken in upon the design of his journey into Galilee, or might have given umbrage to the Jews.

39. For the saying of the woman—She was a type of the missionary Church; so holding forth the facts and carrying the spirit of the Church that men’s hearts receive it with faith.

Verse 40. He abode there two days.] We are not told that he wrought any miracles among them; this does not appear to have been necessary: they were a simple-hearted, teachable people, and they credited him on the evidence of his own eternal truth. Why are not miracles wrought now? Miracles were only for the establishment of the doctrines of Christianity, where they were first preached; we profess to believe these doctrines; therefore, to us, miracles would be useless. Where the doctrine is credited, no miracle is necessary: the Samaritans believed, and no miracle was wrought among them; for the simple reason, it was not necessary.

Verses 39, 40. Many of the Samaritans believed on him — That is, believed him to be a divinely-commissioned teacher, and even the true Messiah, as appears from verse 42; for the saying of the woman, who testified, He told me all that ever I did — A declaration which both struck and convinced them: so is God sometimes pleased to use very weak and unlikely instruments for the beginning and carrying on of a good work. And our Lord, by instructing one poor woman, here spread instruction through a whole town. Let not ministers, then, be either careless or discouraged in their preaching, because their hearers are few and mean; for by doing good to them, good may be conveyed to more, and to persons of greater influence. If believers teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, a great number may learn, and these again may teach others. Philip preached the gospel to a single person in his chariot upon the road, and he not only received it himself, but carried it into his country, and propagated it there. We see here also the good effect of speaking experimentally of Christ, and of the things of God. This woman could say little of them, but what she did say, she spake from the heart, and feelingly. Those are most likely to do good to others, who can tell what God has done for their own souls. When the Samaritans were come to him — Being greatly taken with the manner of his deportment, and the tenor of his discourse; they besought him to tarry with them — For some time at least, as being desirous of a further acquaintance with him, and of receiving further benefit from his instructions. For the meanness of his appearance, when they saw him, and the manifest poverty of his outward condition, did not lessen their esteem of him, and expectations from him. Observe, reader, we may entertain good hopes of those who have got over the vulgar prejudices that men have against true worth in a low estate. Blessed are they that are not offended in Christ at the first sight. The evangelist seems to lay an emphasis on their being Samaritans. See also Luke 10:33; 17:16. The Samaritans had not that reputation for religion that the Jews had; yet the Jews, who saw Christ’s miracles, drove him from them, while the Samaritans, who saw not his miracles, nor had shared in his favours, invited him to them! The proof of the gospel’s success is not always according to probability, nor what is experienced according to what is expected. And he — Ever ready to lay hold on every opportunity of doing good, went with them to their city; and abode there two days — Which was a proper medium between entirely neglecting them, and giving them so much of his time and company as would have broken in upon the design of his journey into Galilee, or might have given umbrage to the Jews.

40. Samaritans were come unto him—How must the faces of Jesus and of these simple and ready Samaritans have mutually shone upon each other! Of the divine converse he vouchsafed unto them, the Evangelist gives us no report. But the result was, they came to Jesus with the prayer that Jesus would come to them. Two days—In which he seems to have wrought no miracles, but to have been accepted as the true Messiah for the divinity of the truth he taught. Did he expand the declarations of verses 21-24, proclaiming the approaching hour when Judaism and Samaritanism would be fused into one great dispensation of the Spirit?

Verses 41, 42. And many more believed — “This was the more extraordinary, as they not only had a national prejudice against him as a Jew, but, living near mount Gerizim, had a particular interest in maintaining the usual worship there; which must have been very advantageous to the neighbourhood. Perhaps on this they would no longer worship there, which might irritate the rest of the Samaritans, and in part provoke the ill usage that Christ afterward met with in this country. Luke 9:52.” — Doddridge. Because of his own word — Which commended itself to their reason and consciences, as certainly true, and infinitely important. And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying — Not chiefly on account of it; for we have heard him ourselves — Have heard such excellent and divine truths from him, accompanied with such commanding power and evidence, that we are abundantly satisfied, that this is indeed the Christ, the expected Messiah; the Saviour of the world — And not of the Jewish nation only. The Samaritans might probably collect, from what was prophesied by Jacob of the Messiah, Genesis 49:10, to him shall the gathering of the people be, that the Gentile nations were to receive some benefit by his coming, and one way or another to be subjected to him; and Christ’s discourse might confirm that apprehension. But there is no reason at all to believe they perfectly understood the doctrine of the calling of the idolatrous Gentiles, which was so long a mystery even to the apostles themselves. Thus was the seed of the gospel sown in Samaria. What effect there was of this afterward doth not appear; but we find that four or five years after, when Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, he found so much blessed remains of this good work now wrought, that the people, with one accord, gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, Acts 8:5-8; but as some were easily influenced to good now, so were others to evil afterward, when Simon Magus bewitched many with his sorceries, verses 9, 10.

V. 42. We know that this is the Saviour of the world-And not of the Jews only.

Verse 42. We have heard him ourselves] On seeing and hearing our Lord, the faith of those who had already believed on the woman’s testimony was abundantly confirmed; and, besides those, may others believed who had not heard the woman speak.

This is indeed the Christ] The promised Messiah.

The Saviour of the world.] Not of the Jews only, but of the Samaritans, and of the whole Gentile world.

Verses 41, 42. And many more believed — “This was the more extraordinary, as they not only had a national prejudice against him as a Jew, but, living near mount Gerizim, had a particular interest in maintaining the usual worship there; which must have been very advantageous to the neighbourhood. Perhaps on this they would no longer worship there, which might irritate the rest of the Samaritans, and in part provoke the ill usage that Christ afterward met with in this country. Luke 9:52.” — Doddridge. Because of his own word — Which commended itself to their reason and consciences, as certainly true, and infinitely important. And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying — Not chiefly on account of it; for we have heard him ourselves — Have heard such excellent and divine truths from him, accompanied with such commanding power and evidence, that we are abundantly satisfied, that this is indeed the Christ, the expected Messiah; the Saviour of the world — And not of the Jewish nation only. The Samaritans might probably collect, from what was prophesied by Jacob of the Messiah, Genesis 49:10, to him shall the gathering of the people be, that the Gentile nations were to receive some benefit by his coming, and one way or another to be subjected to him; and Christ’s discourse might confirm that apprehension. But there is no reason at all to believe they perfectly understood the doctrine of the calling of the idolatrous Gentiles, which was so long a mystery even to the apostles themselves. Thus was the seed of the gospel sown in Samaria. What effect there was of this afterward doth not appear; but we find that four or five years after, when Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, he found so much blessed remains of this good work now wrought, that the people, with one accord, gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, Acts 8:5-8; but as some were easily influenced to good now, so were others to evil afterward, when Simon Magus bewitched many with his sorceries, verses 9, 10.

42. We have heard… and know—A preparatory faith comes by testimony; the fullness of faith by experience. These Samaritans did wisely; first they heard the truth, and then they tried it in practice. Taste and see that the Lord is good. The Saviour of the world—A sublime title, indicating that Jesus not only showed that Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile would come into one common dispensation of the Spirit, but that all alike could be saved by the Saviour and by the salvation that is from the Jews.

Was this beautiful commencement a failure? Did no future church exist in Samaria? Our Saviour did, indeed, for the same reasons as induced him (see note on Matthew 10:5) to direct his apostles to avoid (not the way, but) the cities of the Samaritans, pass rapidly on to Galilee. But the wayside seed was, perhaps, not lost. We find that the apostles had rare success there; the harvest, perhaps, of this wonderful sowing. Acts 8:5-25. In this town of Sichem arose Justin Martyr, one of the greatest Christian writers of the second century. Samaria became early the seat of an episcopate.

§ 24.—PUBLIC MINISTRY IN GALILEE, AND HEALING OF NOBLEMAN’S SON, 43-54. The following narrative has some external resemblance to the healing of the centurion’s servant, (Luke 7:10,) but their essence is very different. That relates an instance in which great faith and humility were honoured; this a case of weak faith reproved but confirmed.

V. 43. He went into Galilee-That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. Therefore he went to other towns.

Verse 43. Went into Galilee.] Bishop Pearce thinks that some words have been lost from the end of this verse, which may be supplied thus: Went into Galilee, but not to Nazareth; for Jesus himself had declared, &c. In Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4, and Luke 4:24, which are the only texts where Jesus is said to have declared this, he always spake of Nazareth only, and not of Galilee in general, a country where he lived for the most part, and wrought the greatest number of his miracles, and made the most converts.

Verses 43-45. After two days, he went into Galilee — That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth, where he had spent his childhood and youth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. And therefore he passed by it, and went to other towns. Luke, speaking of this journey, says, Luke 4:14, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. See also Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14, 15. The Galileans received him — Treated him courteously, and attended his ministry with a disposition to believe, having conceived a favourable opinion of him by reason of the miracles they had seen him perform in Jerusalem during the passover.

V. 44. Matthew 13:57.

Verse 44. Jesus himself testified] He bore testimony to the general truth of the following proverb. See Clarke on “Matthew 13:57”.

Verses 43-45. After two days, he went into Galilee — That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth, where he had spent his childhood and youth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. And therefore he passed by it, and went to other towns. Luke, speaking of this journey, says, Luke 4:14, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. See also Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14, 15. The Galileans received him — Treated him courteously, and attended his ministry with a disposition to believe, having conceived a favourable opinion of him by reason of the miracles they had seen him perform in Jerusalem during the passover.

44. Prophet… in his own country—From foreign Samaria, where Jesus was honoured, he departs, after a brief sojourn, to his own country, Galilee, where he was, in the comparison, without honour; and he must go to win their honour, and convert, if possible, their hearts from contempt to adoration.

Verse 45. The Galileans received him] They received him as the promised Messiah, because of the miracles which they had seen him perform at Jerusalem, at the Passover. See John 2:23.

Verses 43-45. After two days, he went into Galilee — That is, into the country of Galilee: but not to Nazareth, where he had spent his childhood and youth. It was at that town only that he had no honour. And therefore he passed by it, and went to other towns. Luke, speaking of this journey, says, Luke 4:14, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit unto Galilee. See also Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14, 15. The Galileans received him — Treated him courteously, and attended his ministry with a disposition to believe, having conceived a favourable opinion of him by reason of the miracles they had seen him perform in Jerusalem during the passover.

45. Galileans received him—So that there seemed to be an opening for his attainment of the object of his mission, the gaining the people’s honour to their own prophet. Having seen… things… at the feast—Our Lord’s visit to his first Passover is detailed in John 2:13-3:22. The class of half-believers, admirers of his miracles, to which these Galileans belonged, is described in John 2:23-25, on which see notes. From the capital these Galileans had carried their impressions of Jesus home, where he now finds them.

Verse 46. Where he made the water wine.] See Clarke’s notes on “John 2:1”, &c. Cana was on the road from Nazareth to Capernaum and the Sea of Tiberias.

A certain nobleman] An officer of the king’s court: for this is the meaning of the original word, basilikov, which the Vulgate translates regulus, a little king. This officer belonged to Herod Antipas, who was then tetrarch of Galilee. Jerome calls him Palatinus, and says he was an officer of the king’s palace. Others think it was Chuza, mentioned Luke 8:3; and others think it was Manæn, spoken of Acts 13:1. One of these opinions may be true, but all solid proof is wanting. This officer, whoever he was, appears to have had his ordinary abode at Capernaum, and hearing that Christ was at Cana, he came express from Capernaum thither, to entreat him to heal his child.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

Ver. 46. A certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. Erasmus, following some others, reads regulus, a deputy, a prince, a lord lieutenant, a thane. He was a nobleman high in office, but his rank is not exactly known.

46. Again into Cana—Perhaps to the residence of those at whose wedding he had performed his first miracle. Nobleman—One attached to the court of Herod Antipas. As we find the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward, (see note on Luke 8:3,) among the followers of Jesus, it is a very plausible conjecture that the sick boy was her son. See note on Matthew 14:1, 2.

V. 47. To come down-For Cana stood much higher than Capernaum.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

Ver. 47. Besought him that he would come down, and heal his son. He was accustomed to command attendance; but now he does it with solicitation. Like Martha, he was not as yet acquainted with the omnipresence of the Saviour.

47. Heard… Jesus… out of Judea—So that he must have heard of Jesus’s deeds at the Passover. And now, learning that the wonder-worker is in Galilee, he hastens to meet him at Cana.

V. 48. Unless ye see signs and wonders-Although the Samaritans believed without them.

Verse 48. Except ye see signs and wonders, &c.] Our Lord does not tell this man that he had no faith, but that he had not enough. If he had had none, he would not have come from Capernaum to Cana, to beg him to heal his son. If he had had enough, he would have been contented with recommending his son to our Lord, without entreating him to go to Capernaum to heal him; which intimates that he did not believe our Lord could do it at a distance. But the words are not addressed to the nobleman alone, but to all the Galilean Jews in general; for our Lord uses the plural number, which he never does when addressing an individual. These people differed widely from the people of Sychar: they had neither a love of the truth, nor simplicity of heart; and would not believe any thing from heaven, unless forced on their minds by the most striking miracles. They were favoured with the ministry of John Baptist; but, as that was not accompanied with miracles, it was not generally credited. They require the miracles of Christ, in order that they may credit the advent of the Messiah. There are many like these Galileans still in the world: they deny that God can have any influence among men; and as to the operations of the Holy Spirit, they, in the genuine Galilean spirit, boldly assert that they will not credit any man who professes to be made a partaker of them, unless he work a miracle in proof of his pretensions! These persons should know that the grace of working miracles was very different from that by which a man is saved; and that the former might exist, even in the most astonishing measure, where the latter did not. See 1 Corinthians 13:2.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

48. See signs—How totally unlike the Samaritans, from whom our Lord had so freshly come; who embraced the divinity of his teachings without demanding wonders. This nobleman came, purely absorbed in his dying son, anxious for the bodily miracle, but thoughtless of the divine claims of the Saviour of sinners. It is this selfishness of spirit that Jesus now rebukes. The words of this verse are, as it were, an ejaculation, a thinking aloud of Jesus. He sees that to awaken this man he must more than heal his son; he must to that sign add an additional wonder. He must so heal him as to arouse the man to reflection, and then may come a true faith.

Verse 49. Sir, come down, &c.] He did not think our Lord could cure him without being present, and seems here to feel himself hurt, because our Lord did not come at his first entreaty. It is difficult for a proud man, or a man in office, to humble himself, or to treat even God Almighty with proper respect. The spirit of this man seems not much unlike to that of Naaman the Syrian, 2 Kings 5:11.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

Ver. 49, 50. Sir, come down ere my child die. He was importunate, and would not be denied. His faith was real, though less enlightened than that of some others. He obtained however an immediate answer: Go thy way, thy son liveth. He believed the word, and on his return his servants met him with the joyful news that the fever had left his son at one o’clock, the very hour of the preseding day that the Lord had said, “Thy son liveth.” So he and all his house believed on the Lord. — And shall one branch of our families be clearly converted to the Lord, and made happy in the joys of remission, and the rest of the family remain unmoved, and unconverted? What greater slight can such a family offer to the grace of God? What other means do they await to effectuate their conversion?

49. Ere my child die—He cannot stop to answer the rebuke, to argue the case, or defend his character. It is his son alone that fills his thoughts. That deep affection will, however, prove a spring to his faith. He will acknowledge his child’s Saviour to be divine.

Verse 50. Go thy way; thy son liveth.] Had our Lord gone with him, as he wished, his unbelief could not have been fully removed; as he would have still thought that our Lord’s power could not reach from Cana to Capernaum: in order to destroy his unbelief at once, and bring him into the fulness of the faith of his supreme power, he cures him, being apparently absent, by that energy through which he fills both the heavens and the earth. Here it may be observed, our blessed Lord did what this man requested him to do, but not in the way in which he wished it to be done. God will save all to the uttermost who call upon him, but not in the way in which they may desire. Eternal life is the free gift of God, and he has a right to give it as he pleases; and he always gives his gifts in that way in which his glory is best promoted, and our eternal interest secured. The man believed the word] And yet it appears that he had suspended his faith upon a certain condition: “If I find on my return that my son is healed, I will believe that Jesus is the Messiah.”

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

Ver. 49, 50. Sir, come down ere my child die. He was importunate, and would not be denied. His faith was real, though less enlightened than that of some others. He obtained however an immediate answer: Go thy way, thy son liveth. He believed the word, and on his return his servants met him with the joyful news that the fever had left his son at one o’clock, the very hour of the preseding day that the Lord had said, “Thy son liveth.” So he and all his house believed on the Lord. — And shall one branch of our families be clearly converted to the Lord, and made happy in the joys of remission, and the rest of the family remain unmoved, and unconverted? What greater slight can such a family offer to the grace of God? What other means do they await to effectuate their conversion?

50. The man believed—His very earnest desire prompted faith in the bodily healing. Went his way—From Cana to Capernaum.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

V. 52. He asked the hour when he amended-The more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased.

Verse 52. Then inquired he of them the hour] The servants, overjoyed to find their master’s son so suddenly restored, set off to meet him, that they might impart to him tidings which they knew would be so very agreeable; and he, intent on having his faith settled, began immediately to inquire what time it was when the fever left him, to see whether his cure was the effect of some natural cause, or whether it was done by the power of Christ.

Yesterday at the seventh hour] At the time we would call one o’clock. Dr. Macknight thinks the Roman hour is intended; i.e. seven o’clock in the evening; and this he thinks is the reason why our Lord did not accompany the nobleman: for, as Cana was a day’s journey from Capernaum, had our Lord gone at that hour he must have travelled in the night, from which it might have been inferred that he could not cure the child without being personally present. Harmony, vol. i. p. 52.

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

52. At the seventh hour—At one o’clock P.M. Jesus spake the word, and the man started for home. At one o’clock P.M. it was, as the servants declare, that the boy recovered. The nobleman had naturally imagined that Jesus must visit the son to heal. But Jesus, adding awakening wonder to the miracle, heals at a distance. The man can measure the sign by a timepiece.

Verse 53. So the father knew] He had the fullest proof that his son’s cure was supernatural, and that it was wrought by the Lord Jesus. Himself believed, and his whole house.] He and his whole family became true converts to the doctrine of the manifested Messiah. The whole family, impressed with the great kindness of God in sending health to the child, were the more easily led to believe in the Lord Jesus. The sickness of the child became the mean of salvation to all the household. They, no doubt, thought at first that God was dealing hardly with them, when threatening to remove the child; but now they see that in very faithfulness God had afflicted them. Let us learn never to murmur against God, or think that he does not act kindly towards us. His wisdom cannot permit him to err; his goodness will not suffer him to do any thing to his creatures but what may be subservient to their best interests. By providential occurrences, apparently the most adverse, he may be securing our eternal salvation. There is an account in Beracoth, fol. 34, very similar to this of the evangelist, and very possibly stolen from this holy source. “When the son of Rab. Gamaliel fell sick, he sent two of his disciples to R. Chanina, that he would pray to God for him. When he had seen them, he went on the roof of his house and prayed for him. He then came down and said to them, His fever has departed from him. They said unto him, Art thou a prophet? He answered, I am neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet; but when I can recite my prayers readily, I know I shall be heard. They then wrote down the hour; and, when they returned to R. Gamaliel, he said to them, Ye have fulfilled your ministry-in respect to my son, all is complete. In that hour the fever (hmj chomah, o puretov) left him, and he desired water to drink.” Schoettgen very properly remarks, Ovum ovo non magis simile est, atque hæc fabula narrationi evangelicæ. “One egg is not more like to another, than this fable to the evangelical narration.”

Verses 46-53. There was a certain nobleman — One belonging to the king’s court, as the word basilikov, here used, properly signifies. The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, a minister, or servant of the king, namely, of Herod; who, though only tetrarch of Galilee, yet was commonly distinguished by the title of king. And, as Capernaum lay in his dominions, it is probable this was one of his courtiers. The English word nobleman conveys the notion of hereditary rank, and certain dignities, to which there was nothing in Palestine, or even in Syria, that corresponded. He besought him that he would come down and heal his son — It seems the nobleman thought it necessary that Jesus should be personally present in order to his performing the cure. Therefore, to reprove the weakness of his faith, Jesus said to him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe — Or, as the latter clause may be rendered, will ye not believe? although the Samaritans believed without them. The nobleman saith, Sir, come down ere my child die — Weak as his faith was, he determined, nevertheless, to urge the matter to the utmost; and therefore, without any explanation or apology on the point concerning which Christ had reproved him, he entreats him to come down immediately, the case being so extreme, that he thought a delay might be attended with the most fatal consequences. And shall we be less importunate when soliciting spiritual blessings in behalf of our dear offspring? Especially as their lives are so precarious, and we know not how soon these lovely flowers may be cut down, and all further petitions for them be for ever superseded. Jesus saith, Go thy way, thy son liveth — Thus showing that it was not necessary for him to go in person to perform the cure. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken — Though he had never seen or heard of a parallel case. He had, indeed, heard of Christ’s miracles, but this appears to have been the first, at least it is the first recorded, in which Christ cured the patient at a distance, and probably was hitherto in this respect unequalled. And has not Jesus still the same power? Can he not heal either our bodies or souls, though not visibly present? O, let not his bodily absence abate our faith, while either praying for others or for ourselves. And he went his way — Without any further importunity. And as he was going, his servants met him — Eager to bring him the agreeable news of his son’s recovery, and to prevent him from taking the trouble of bringing Jesus down. Then inquired he when he began to amend — Being desirous to know whether it happened at the very time when Jesus said, Thy son liveth. Observe, reader, the more exactly the works of God are considered, the more faith is increased. They said, Yesterday at the seventh hour — Or at one in the afternoon; the fever left him — All of a sudden, and he was restored to health immediately. So the father knew that it was at the same hour — Or at the very time when Jesus pronounced the healing word, and that his son therefore had been miraculously cured. And himself believed, and his whole house — Namely, that Jesus, by whom so convincing and beneficent a miracle had been wrought, must be, not only, as he before supposed, some great prophet, but even the Messiah himself. What a blessed change now took place in this family, occasioned by the sickness of the child, the cure of whose body was made the means of producing faith in the souls of all; whereby salvation came to this house, and blessings infinitely more valuable than noble blood, ample possessions, or royal favour could give! Considerations of this kind should reconcile us to afflictions; for we know not what great good may arise from them. Blessed Jesus! Thy power was no less employed in working faith in the souls of the members of this family, than in curing the body of the sick child. O may that power work in such a manner in us that we may be disposed cordially to believe in and love thee, and receive all the dispensations of thy adorable providence with the most perfect resignation to, and acquiescence in, thy wise, holy, and blessed will, knowing on thy own infallible testimony by thy inspired apostle, that all things shall work together for good to them that love and trust in thee!

53. Himself believed, and his whole house—He becomes a believer; and his is a Christian family! What joy was theirs; a son spared from death, a whole house converted to Jesus! We can easily believe that the wife of that nobleman, the mother of that son, should be numbered among the noble women who ministered of their substance to Jesus’s wants. Luke 8:3.

Verse 54. This-second miracle] The first miracle which Christ performed was in this same city of Cana, just after his baptism; and this second took place after his arrival here from Jerusalem, whence, we have seen, he was driven by the persecution raised against him by the scribes and Pharisees. By construing the word palin, again, with elqwn, he came, that confusion which is evident in the common version is entirely removed. Bishop Pearce says: “It seems probable to me that John, when he wrote this verse, either joined the word palin to elqwn, as he had done in John 4:46, or meant that it should be so joined in the construction.” John does not mention here the miracles which our Lord did at Capernaum on his first journey, John 2:11, nor those which he did at Jerusalem on the feast of the passover. See John 2:12; Luke 4:23. THERE are several particulars in the preceding history of the Samaritan woman which confirm the doctrine of a particular providence, and show how God manages the most common occurrences in order to accomplish the designs of his mercy and love.

The Gospel must be preached to the Samaritans: this is God’s purpose; and in this case, the wrath of man is caused to praise him.

1. Christ finds it necessary to quit Judea because of the persecution raised up against him by the scribes and Pharisees, John 4:1-3. How worthy of admiration is that Divine providence that presses every thing into the accomplishment of its own designs! The doctors of Jerusalem oblige the Saviour to leave their city; and a simple woman persuades all the inhabitants of a Samaritan city to open their gates and their hearts, and entreat the Redeemer of the world to enter in.

2. Christ must pass through Samaria, John 4:4. He was so situated in Judea that he could not reach Galilee except through Samaria, without taking a large circuit, which the necessities of the present case could not admit. Thus, while he appears to fly only from the fury of his persecutors, he is in reality seeking the lost, and fully accomplishing the work he came into the world to perform.

3. Christ being weary finds it necessary to sit down to rest himself by Jacob’s well, John 4:5, 6, spent with fatigue and hunger. How energetic was this fatigue? how active was this rest! Nothing can happen to Christ in vain-nothing can turn him out of the way of his mercy-his great work he continues to carry on, without the smallest interruption, where we would have thought it must have been necessarily suspended.

4. The disciples are obliged to go to the city to buy victuals, John 4:8, and Jesus was left alone. Even this circumstance was not only favourable to the conversion of the Samaritan woman, but even essentially necessary, as, without it, she could not have had that opportunity of conversing freely with our Lord; nor would it have been proper for him to have made that discovery of himself, in their presence, which we find he did during their absence. See the note on John 4:26.

5. The Samaritan woman is induced at that very time to go and draw water. Even so small a circumstance as this becomes a necessary part in the economy of her salvation. There is not a circumstance in our life not an occurrence in our business, but God will make it subservient to our salvation, if we have a simple heart and a teachable spirit. The steps of a good man especially are ordered of the Lord; and, while he acknowledges his Maker in all his ways, he will direct all his steps. A proper consideration of this great truth will produce both confidence and humility.

6. But this blessed doctrine may be abused; for some may suppose that God always acts according to a fixed necessity, through which, whatsoever was, is, or will be, has had its existence, mode of being, operation, and direction, according to predetermined irrevocable laws. This system makes God himself the necessary agent of eternal fate, as it supposes him to be constantly employed in doing what eternal necessity obliges him to perform; and thus his infinite freedom is bounded or acted upon by uncontrollable necessity. Perdition is not farther from glory than necessitating decrees are from a particular and gracious providence, by which the means of salvation are placed within the reach of every human being.

ST. JOHN

54. This… the second miracle—Twice did our blessed Saviour perform a miracle, coming at each time from Judea into Galilee. The first supplied the wedding wine, the second saved the nobleman’s son.