THE WORK AMONG SAMARITANS The whole section is peculiar to S. John, and is evidently the narrative of an eyewitness: of the Synoptists S. Luke alone, the writer of ‘the Universal Gospel,’ mentions any intercourse of Christ with Samaritans (Luke 9:52; Luke 17:16; comp. Luke 10:33). John 4:1-4 are in... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓͂Ν. This refers back to John 3:22-26. Of the many who came to Jesus some told the Pharisees (see on John 1:24) of His success, as others told the Baptist, and this was reported to Him again: ὁ κύριος here, which is rarely used except by S. Luke of Christ before the Resurrection (John 6:23; John 1... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤῸΣ ΟΥ̓Κ. Because baptizing is the work of a minister, not of the Lord: Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΦΗ͂ΚΕΝ. ‘He left it _alone_, let it _go_’ (John 4:28) as something that He would have retained, but now left to itself. First the Temple, then Jerusalem, and now Judaea has to be abandoned, because He can win no welcome. On the contrary, the report of His very partial success seems at once to have... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΔΕΙ. There was no other way, unless He crossed the Jordan, and went round by Perea, as Jews sometimes did to avoid annoyance from the Samaritans (see on Matthew 10:5). As Jesus was on His way _from_ Jerusalem, He had less reason to fear molestation. Contrast Luke 9:53.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΡΧ. ΟΥ̓͂Ν. _He cometh_ THEREFORE; because that was the route. ΠΌΛΙΝ. TOWN; the word does not imply anything very large. Capernaum, which Josephus calls a κώμη, the Evangelists call a πόλις. Samaria here is the insignificant province into which the old kingdom of Jeroboam had dwindled. ΛΕΓΟΜΈΝΗΝ ΣΥ... [ Continue Reading ]
5–42. Doubt has been thrown on this narrative in four different ways. (1) On a _priori_ grounds. How could the Samaritans, who rejected the prophetical books, and were such bitter enemies of the Jews, be expecting a Messiah? The narrative is based on a fundamental mistake. But it is notorious that t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΗΓΉ. SPRING; John 4:14; Revelation 7:17; Revelation 8:10; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 16:4; Revelation 21:6; elsewhere in N.T. rare. Similarly φρέαρ, _well_, occurs John 4:11-12; Revelation 9:1-2; elsewhere only... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΚ Τ. ΣΑΜ. Of the _province_, not of the _city_ of Samaria. A woman of the city would not have come all that distance for water. The city was at that time called Sebaste, a name given to it by Herod the Great in honour of Augustus (Σεβαστός), who had granted the place to Herod on the death of Antony... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΣΑΜΑΡ. The adjective, as distinct from ἐκ τῆς Σ. in John 4:7, lays stress on the national and religious characteristics. The repetition of the article, ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σ., giving emphasis to the adjective, is very frequent in S. John 5:30; John 6:38; John 6:42; John 6:44; John 6:50-51; John 6:58, &c. &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ἬΙΔΕΙΣ. _If thou_ HADST KNOWN; on account of the aorists which follow: οἶδα has no aorist; comp. John 11:21; John 11:32; John 14:28, for the same construction; and contrast John 5:46 and John 8:19, where A.V. makes the converse mistake of translating imperfects as aorists. Τ. ΔΩΡΕᾺΝ Τ. ΘΕΟΥ͂. Wha... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΎΡΙΕ. _Sir_, not ‘Lord.’ Having no neutral word in English, we must, as A.V., translate Κύριε sometimes ‘Sir,’ sometimes ‘Lord.’ But ‘Sir’ is a marked change from the feminine pertness of John 4:9 : His words and manner already begin to impress her. ΒΑΘΎ. Earlier travellers say over 100 feet; now... [ Continue Reading ]
ΥῊ ΣῪ ΜΕΊΖ. Σύ is very emphatic; _Surely_ Thou _art not greater:_ comp. John 8:53; John 18:33. Her loquacity as contrasted with the sententiousness of Nicodemus is very natural, while she shews a similar perverseness in misunderstanding spiritual metaphors. ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΑΤΡῸΣ ἩΜΩ͂Ν. The Samaritans claimed... [ Continue Reading ]
13, 14. He leaves her question unanswered, like that of Nicodemus, and passes on to develope the metaphor rather than explain it, contrasting the literal with the figurative sense. Comp. John 3:6; John 6:35; John 6:48-58; John 10:7-9. Note the change from πᾶς ὁ πίνων, EVERY ONE THAT _drinketh_ (habi... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΙΨΉΣΕΙ for διψήσῃ (correction to the usual construction: comp. John 6:42; John 10:5; Luke 10:19). 14. ΟΥ̓ ΜῊ ΔΙΨ. ΕἸΣ Τ. ΑἸ. Strongest negation (John 4:48), WILL CERTAINLY NOT THIRST FOR EVER (see on John 8:51), for it is the nature of the living water to reproduce itself perpetually, so that the... [ Continue Reading ]
15. She still does not understand, but does not wilfully misunderstand. This wonderful water will at any rate be worth having, and she asks quite sincerely (not ironically) for it. Had she been a Jew, she could scarcely have thus misunderstood; this metaphor of ‘water’ and ‘living water’ is so frequ... [ Continue Reading ]
16. Omit ὁ Ἰησοῦς after ΑΥ̓ΤΗ͂Ι: comp. John 3:2. 16. ΦΏΝ. Τ. ἌΝΔΡΑ ΣΟΥ͂. Not that the man was wanted, either as a concession to Jewish propriety, which forbad a Rabbi to talk with a woman alone, or for any other reason. By a seemingly casual request Christ lays hold of her inner life, convinces her... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΧΩ ἌΝΔ. Her volubility is checked: in the fewest possible words she tries to stop a dangerous subject at once. ΚΑΛΩ͂Σ. There is perhaps a touch of irony, as in Matthew 15:7; 2 Corinthians 11:4. Comp. John 8:48; Luke 20:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΈΝΤΕ ἌΝΔ. Quite literally; they were either dead or divorced, and she was now living with a man without being married to him. The emphatic position of σου may possibly mean that he is the husband of some one else. ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ�. ΕἼΡ. THIS THOU HAST SAID _truly_, literally ‘a true thing.’ Christ exposes... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΟΦΉΤΗΣ. One divinely inspired with supernatural knowledge, 1 Samuel 9:9. The declaration contains an undoubted, though indirect, confession of sin. Note the gradual change in her attitude of mind towards Him. First, off-hand pertness (John 4:9); then, respect to His gravity of manner and serious w... [ Continue Reading ]
20. Convinced that He can read her life she shrinks from inspection and hastily turns the conversation from herself. In seeking a new subject she naturally catches at one of absorbing interest to every Samaritan. Or possibly she has had her religious yearnings before this, and eagerly grasps a chanc... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΊΣΤΕΥΈ ΜΟΙ, ΓΎΝΑΙ (אBL) for γύναι, πίστευσόν μοι, (A). 21. ΠΊΟΤΕΥΈ ΜΟΙ. See on John 1:12; John 6:30. This formula occurs here only; the usual one is ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω σοι (John 3:3; John 3:5; John 3:11; John 13:38; John 21:18; comp. John 1:51; John 4:35;... [ Continue Reading ]
21–24. “We shall surely be justified in attributing the wonderful words of John 4:21; John 4:23-24, to One greater even than S. John. They seem to breathe the spirit of other worlds than ours—‘of worlds whose course is equable and pure;’ where media and vehicles of grace are unneeded, and the soul k... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὃ ΟΥ̓Κ ΟἼΔ. THAT WHICH YE KNOW NOT. The higher truth having been planted for the future, Christ proceeds to answer her question as to the present controversy. The Samaritan religion, even after being purified from the original mixture with idolatry (2 Kings 17:33; 2 Kings 17:41), remained a mutilate... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΝΥ͂Ν ἘΣΤΊΝ. These words could not be added in John 4:21. The local worship on Zion and Gerizim must continue for a while. But already a few are rising above these externals to the spirit of true worship, in which the differences between Jew and Samaritan disappear. In the heavenly Jerusalem ther... [ Continue Reading ]
24. God is spirit (not ‘_a_ spirit’), and must be approached in that part of us which is spirit, in the true temple of God, ‘which temple ye are.’ The premise was old (1 Kings 8:27); it is the deduction from it which though necessary (δεῖ) is new. Even to the chosen three Christ imparts no truths mo... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΣΣΊΑΣ. See on John 1:41. There is nothing improbable in her knowing the Jewish name and using it to a Jew. The word being rare in N.T. we are perhaps to understand that it was the very word used; but it may be S. John’s equivalent for what she said. Comp. John 4:29. Throughout this discourse it is... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΏ ΕἸΜΙ. It is the ordinary Greek affirmative (Luke 22:70). There is no reference to the Divine name ‘I AM,’ Exodus 3:14; Deuteronomy 32:39. This open declaration of His Messiahship is startling when we remember Matthew 16:20; Matthew 17:9; Mark 8:30. But one reason for reserve on this subject, les... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΘΑΎΜΑΖΟΝ, with all the best MSS., for ἑθαύμασαν, which has been substituted to harmonize with ἦλθαν. 27. ἘΘΑΎΜΑΖΟΝ. Change of tense; their coming was a single act, _they continued wondering_ (John 4:30; John 4:40) _that He_ WAS TALKING WITH A WOMAN, contrary to the precepts of the Rabbis. ‘Let no... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓͂Ν. THEREFORE, because of the interruption: see on John 3:25. Ὑδρία occurs John 2:6-7 and nowhere else. Her leaving it to take care of itself (John 4:3) shews that her original errand is of no moment compared with what now lies before her; it is also a pledge for her speedy return. This graphic t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΆΝΤΑ Ὃ ἘΠ. How natural is this exaggeration! In her excitement she states not what He had really told her, but what she is convinced He could have told her. Comp. πάντες in John 3:26, and οὐδείς in John 3:32. This strong language is in all three cases thoroughly in keeping with the circumstances. S... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞΗ͂ΛΘΟΝ … ἬΡΧΟΝΤΟ. _Went out_ … WERE COMING (comp. John 4:27): the single act (aorist) is contrasted with what took some time (imperf.). see on John 11:29. We are to see them coming across the fields as we listen to the conversation that follows (31–38).... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι ΜΕΤ. Between her departure and their arrival. ἨΡΏΤΩΝ. WERE BESEECHING HIM (John 4:40; John 4:47): they had left him exhausted with the journey (John 4:6), and they urge, not their own wonder (John 4:27), but His needs. ῬΑΒΒΊ. See on John 1:39. Here and in John 9:2 and John 11:8 our translat... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓῺ … ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ. In emphatic opposition: they have their food; He has His. Joy at the fruit of His teaching prompts Him to refuse food; not of course that His human frame could do without it, but that in His delight He for the time feels no need of it. ΒΡΩ͂ΣΤΣ is rather ‘eating’ than food, which is Βρῶ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ�. Comp. John 4:27; John 16:17. They refrain from pressing Him with their difficulty. ἬΝΕΓΚΕΝ. Emphatic: ‘Surely no one hath _brought_ Him anything to eat.’ This would be specially unlikely among Samaritans. Another instance of dulness as to spiritual meaning. In John 2:20 it was the Jews; in Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΜῸΝ ΒΡ. ἘΣΤΙΝ ἽΝΑ. Ἐμόν is emphatic: _My food is_ _THAT I MAY__ do the will of Him that sent Me and_ (_thus_) PERFECT _His work_. Christ’s aim and purpose is His food. See on John 1:8; ἵνα is no mere periphrasis for the infinitive (John 6:29; John 6:40; John 17:3; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 5:3; comp. Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΤΙ ΤΕΤΡΆΜ. Κ.Τ.Λ. This cannot be a proverb. No such proverb is known; and a proverb on the subject would have to be differently shaped; e.g. ‘From seedtime to harvest is four months;’ ἔτι points to a single case. So that we may regard this saying as a mark of time. Harvest began in the middle of Ni... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΖΩῊΝ ΑἸ. see on John 3:15-16. Eternal life is regarded as the granary _into_ which the fruit is gathered; comp. John 4:14, and for similar imagery Matthew 9:37-38. ἽΝΑ. This is God’s purpose. Psalms 126:5-6 promises that the toil of sowing shall be rewarded with the joy of reaping; but in the Go... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΓᾺΡ … ἈΛΗΘΙΝΌΣ. _For herein is the saying_ (_proved_) _a true one_, shewn by fulfilment to be a genuine proverb and not an empty phrase. See on John 4:23; John 7:28; John 19:35. Ἐν τούτῳ refers to what precedes (comp. John 15:8; John 16:30), in your reaping what others sowed (John 4:35-36).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΕΚΟΠΙΆΚΑΤΕ. _Ye have laboured_. The pronouns, as in John 4:32, are emphatic and opposed. This will be the rule throughout; _sic vos non vobis_. ἌΛΛΟΙ. Christ, the Sower; but put in the plural to balance ὑμεῖς. In John 4:37 both are in the _singular_ for the sake of harmony; ὁ σπείρων, Christ; ὁ θε... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΛΛΟῚ ἘΠ. ΕἸΣ ΑΥ̓. Strong proof of the truth of John 4:35. These Samaritans outstrip the Jews, and even the Apostles, in their readiness to believe. The Jews rejected the testimony of their own Scriptures, of the Baptist, of Christ’s miracles and teaching. The Samaritans accept the testimony of the... [ Continue Reading ]
ἨΡΏΤΩΝ. KEPT BESEECHING (John 4:30-31; John 4:47). How different from His own people at Nazareth (Matthew 13:58; Luke 4:29) and from the Jews at Jerusalem after many miracles and much teaching (John 5:18, &c.). And yet he had uncompromisingly pronounced against Samaritan claims (John 4:22). Comp. th... [ Continue Reading ]
42. Omit ὁ Χριστός after ΚΌΣΜΟΝ, with אBC1 and most versions and Fathers against Acts 3D. 42. ΟΥ̓ΚΈΤΙ Κ.Τ.Λ. Note the order: NO LONGER IS IT BECAUSE OF THY SPEECH THAT WE BELIEVE (see on John 1:7). Λαλιά and λόγος should be distinguished in translation. In classical Greek λαλιά has a slightly uncomp... [ Continue Reading ]
43. Omit καὶ� after ἘΚΕΙ͂ΘΕΝ, with אBCD. 43. ΤᾺΣ Δ. ἩΜ. THE _two days_ mentioned in John 4:40. These three verses (43–45) form a sort of introduction to this section, as John 2:13 and John 4:1-4 to the two previous sections.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORK AMONG GALILEANS... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤῸΣ ΓᾺΡ Κ.Τ.Λ. This is a well-known difficulty. As in John 20:17, we have a reason assigned which seems to be the very opposite of what we should expect. This witness of Jesus would account for His _not_ going into Galilee: how does it account for His going thither? It seems best to fall back on... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ἙΟΡΤΗ͂Ι. The Passover; but there is no need to name it, because it has already been mentioned in connexion with these miracles, John 2:23. Perhaps these Galilaeans who then witnessed the miracles were the chief of the πολλοί who then believed.... [ Continue Reading ]
46. Omit ὁ Ἰησοῦς after ΟΥ̓͂Ν: comp. John 3:2. ΚΑΦΑΡΝΑΟΎΜ for Καπερναούμ: comp. John 2:12. 46. ἮΛΘΕΝ ΟΥ̓͂Ν. _He came_ THEREFORE, because of the previous invitation and welcome: see Introduction, chap. John 4:6, c. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΌΣ. ROYAL OFFICIAL of Herod Antipas, who though only tetrarch was given his fa... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΗ͂ΛΘΕΝ … ἨΡΏΤΑ. Comp. John 4:27; John 4:30; John 4:40; John 4:50, and see on John 11:29. The leaving his son was a single act (aor.), the beseeching (John 4:31; John 4:40) was continuous (imp.). For ἵνα see on John 1:8. Some scholars think that in constructions like this ἵνα does not mean ‘in orde... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΗΜΕΙ͂Α Κ. ΤΈΡΑΤΑ. Christ’s miracles are never mere τέρατα, wonders to excite astonishment; they are ‘signs’ of heavenly truths as well, and this is their primary characteristic. Where the two words are combined σημεῖα always precedes, excepting Acts 2:22; Acts 2:43; Acts 6:8; Acts 7:36. S. John now... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΎΡΙΕ. See on John 4:11. His words shew both his faith and its weakness. He believes that Christ’s presence can heal; he does not believe that He can heal without being present. The words for the child are characteristic: the father uses παιδίον, the term of endearment; Jesus and the Evangelist use... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠΊΣΤ. ΤΩ͂Ι ΛΌΓΩΙ. Not yet ἐπίστ. εἰς αὐτόν: but this is an advance on κατάβηθι πρὶν�.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΠΉΝΤΗΣΑΝ (always used by S. John 11:20; John 11:30; John 12:18) for ἀπήντησαν (never used by him), with אBCDKL against A.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῊΝ ὭΡΑΝ ΠΑΡ' ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ν for παρ' αὐ. τ. ὥρ., a correction to bring παρ' αὐτῶν nearer to ἐπύθετο. 52. ΚΟΜΨΌΤΕΡΟΝ ἜΣΧΕΝ. Literally, GOT SOMEWHAT BETTER; a colloquial expression: κομψῶς ἔχεις, ‘you are getting on nicely,’ occurs as a doctor’s expression, Arrian, _Diss. Epict._ III. x. 13. The father exp... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΓΝΩ. _Recognised_, perceived. ἘΠΊΣΤΕΥΣΕΝ. Εἰς αὐτόν, i.e. as the Messiah: comp. John 4:42; John 1:7; John 1:51; John 6:36; John 11:15, where, as here, πιστεύω is used absolutely. The growth of this official’s faith is sketched for us in the same natural and incidental way as in the cases of the Sam... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΥ͂ΤΟ Π. Δ. Σ. _This again as a second sign did Jesus, after He had come out of Judaea into Galilee_. Once more S. John carefully distinguishes two visits to Galilee, which any one with only the Synoptic account might easily confuse. Both signs confirmed imperfect faith, the first that of the disci... [ Continue Reading ]