John 4:1-26

IV. 1- 42. Christ in Samaria.

John 4:1. Christ and the Samaritan Woman. The Lord (for the title cf. John 6:23, John 11:2; John 20:20; John 21:7, with certain parts of Lk., e.g. Luke 18:6 *), having learned that the Pharisees are aware of the success of His baptism, administered by His disciples, retires to Galilee, to avoid opposition which might lead to a premature crisis. This obliged Him to pass through Samaria, unless He chose the longer route through Peræ a, often adopted by strict Jews to avoid defilement. So He comes to Sychar, identified by Jerome with Shechem (Nablus), and now more usually with - Askar at the E. foot of Mt. Ebal. Jacob's well (p. 30) is on the main road from Judæ a to Samaria, close to the foot of Gerizim. Tired with the journey, He rests at noon by the well. In the absence of His disciples He asks a Samaritan woman, who had come to draw water, for a drink. [The point of John 4:8 is that the disciples had gone into the town, taking with them the rope and bucket carried on journeys in Palestine, so that Jesus could not draw for Himself, as the woman remarked (John 4:11). Jesus and the disciples are superior to Jewish prejudices, which were not, however, so strict then as they became later. A. S. P.] She is surprised at such a request from a Jew. If John 4:9 b is a later gloss it is true to fact. Using the metaphor thus suggested, Jesus tries to tell her of God's gift, the coming of the kingdom. In comparison with what has gone before, it is as the living water of a spring compared to that of a well (cf. Jeremiah 2:13). She is surprised. Can He do more for them than Jacob who gave them the well? He explains that His gift will quench spiritual thirst, and not for a time only but once for all. Again she misunderstands, and He now tries to arouse the feeling of spiritual need through the sense of guilt. The gift is only for those who are willing to share it. So she is bidden to summon her husband. This leads to a confession. Allegorists interpret the five husbands as the five senses, the books of the Law, or the five gods worshipped by the Samaritans (2 Kings 17:24; 2 Kings 17:30 f., 2 Kings 17:34). Convinced by this proof of His knowledge that He is a prophet, she puts before Him her religious difficulties, or wishes to hear how He will deal with the stock subject of controversy between Jews and Samaritans. This suggests a possible line of teaching that she can understand. Local restrictions are not the last word in true worship. When the Messianic hour strikes they will disappear. As to the point at issue, Samaritan worship was ignorant. God's salvation starts from Judaism for those who read rightly the message of the Scriptures. But true worship, which will soon be possible, knows no limitations of race. It is spiritual, offered to the Father who is spirit, and who claims from His children a worship based on a true knowledge of His nature. Again she fails to grasp His meaning. Messiah, whom Samaritans, using at least the Pentateuch, expected as well as Jews, must settle such questions. In reply Jesus announces that He is Messiah. This is in accordance with the writer's view that Jesus accepted the title from the first, though He drew back, when He discovered the real attitude of the Judæ ans. In Samaria this hesitation was unnecessary. The Synoptic incident of the Syrophœ nician woman suggests that there is some historical truth behind this view, though as it stands it reflects the ideas of the author's own time.