1._When, therefore, the Lord knew. _The Evangelist, intending now to give an account of the conversation which Christ had with _a Samaritan woman, _begins with explaining the cause of his journey. Knowing that _the Pharisees _were ill-disposed towards him, he did not wish to expose himself to their... [ Continue Reading ]
2._Though Jesus himself baptized not. _He gives the designation of _Christ _’_s Baptism _to that which he conferred by the hands of other, in order to inform us that Baptism ought not to be estimated by the person of the minister, but that its power depends entirely on its Author, in whose name, and... [ Continue Reading ]
44._For Jesus himself testified. _The apparent contradiction which strikes us here at first sight, has given rise to various interpretations. There is an excess of subtlety in the explanation given by Augustine, that Christ was _without honor among his own countrymen, _because he had done more good... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Which is called Sichar _Jerome, in his epitaph on Paula, thinks that this is an incorrect reading, and that it ought to have been written _Sichem_; and, indeed, the latter appears to have been the ancient and true name; but it is probable that, in the time of the Evangelist, the word _Sichar _was... [ Continue Reading ]
7.A woman came from Samaria. When he asks water from the woman, he does it not merely with the intention of obtaining an opportunity to teach her; for thirst prompted him to desire to drink. But this cannot hinder him from availing himself of the opportunity of instruction which he has obtained, for... [ Continue Reading ]
9._How dost thou, who art a Jew? _This is a reproach, by which she retorts upon him the contempt which was generally entertained by his nation. The Samaritans are known to have been the scum of a people gathered from among foreigners. Having corrupted the worship of God, and introduced many spurious... [ Continue Reading ]
10._Jesus answered. _Christ now, availing himself of the opportunity, begins to preach about the grace and power of his Spirit, and that to a woman who did not at all deserve that he should speak a word to her. This is certainly an astonishing instance of his goodness. For what was there in this wre... [ Continue Reading ]
11._Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with. _As the Samaritans were despised by the Jews, so the Samaritans, on the other hand, held the Jews in contempt. Accordingly, this woman at first not only disdains Christ but even mocks at him. She understands quite well that Christ is speaking figuratively, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Art thou greater than our father Jacob? _She proceeds to charge him with arrogance in exalting himself above the holy patriarch _Jacob. _“_Jacob_, ” she says, “was satisfied with this well for his own use and that of his whole family: and hast thou a more excellent water?” How faulty this compar... [ Continue Reading ]
13_. Every one that drinketh of this water. _Though Christ perceives that he is doing little good, and even that his instruction is treated with mockery, he proceeds to explain more clearly what he had said. He distinguishes between the use of the two kinds of water; that the one serves the body, an... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Give me this water. _This woman undoubtedly is sufficiently aware that Christ is speaking of spiritual water; but because she despises him, she sets at naught all his promises; for so long as the authority of him who speaks is not acknowledged by us, his doctrine is not permitted to enter. Indir... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Call thy husband. _This appears to have no connection with the subject; and, indeed, one might suppose that Christ, annoyed and put to shame by the impudence of the woman, changes the discourse. But this is not the case; for when he perceived that jeers and scoffs were her only reply to what he... [ Continue Reading ]
17._I have not a husband. _We do not yet fully perceive the fruit of this advice, by which Christ intended to pierce the heart of this woman, to lead her to repentance. And, indeed, we are so intoxicated, or rather stupified, by our self-love, that we are not at all moved by the first wounds that ar... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Sir, I perceive that thou art a Prophet. _The fruit of the reproof now becomes evident; for not only does the woman modestly acknowledge her fault, but, being ready and prepared to listen to the doctrine of Christ, which she had formerly disdained, she now desires and requests it of her own acco... [ Continue Reading ]
20._Our fathers. _It is a mistaken opinion which some hold, that the woman, finding the reproof to be disagreeable and hateful, cunningly changes the subject. On the contrary, she passes from what is particular to what is general, and, having been informed of her sin, wishes to be generally instruct... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Woman, believe me. _In the first part of this reply, he briefly sets aside the ceremonial worship which had been appointed under the Law; for when he says that the hour is at hand when there shall be no peculiar and fixed place for worship, he means that what Moses delivered was only for a time,... [ Continue Reading ]
He now explains more largely what he had briefly glanced at about the abolition of the Law; but he divides the substance of his discourse into two parts. In the former, he charges with superstition and error the form of worshipping God which had been used by the Samaritans, but testifies that the tr... [ Continue Reading ]
23._But the hour cometh. _Now follows the latter clause, about repealing the worship, or ceremonies, (81) prescribed by the Law. When he says that _the hour cometh, _or _will come_, he shows that the order laid down by Moses will not be perpetual. When he says that _the hour is now come, _he puts an... [ Continue Reading ]
24._God is a Spirit. _This is a confirmation drawn from the very nature of God. Since men are flesh, we ought not to wonder, if they take delight in those things which correspond to their own disposition. Hence it arises, that they contrive many things in the worship of God which are full of display... [ Continue Reading ]
25._The Messiah is about to come. _Although religion among the Samaritans was corrupted and mixed up with many errors, yet some principles taken from the Law were impressed on their minds, such as that which related to the Messiah. Now it is probable that, when the woman ascertained from Christ’s di... [ Continue Reading ]
26._It is I who talk with thee. _When he acknowledges to the woman that; he is the Messiah, he unquestionably presents himself as her Teacher, in compliance with the expectation which she had formed; and, therefore, I think it probable, that he proceeded to give more full instruction, in order to sa... [ Continue Reading ]
27._His disciples came, and wondered. _That _the disciples wondered_, as the Evangelist relates, might arise from one of two causes; either that they were offended at the mean condition of the woman, or that they reckoned the Jews to be polluted, if they entered into conversation with the Samaritans... [ Continue Reading ]
28._Therefore the woman left her pitcher. _This circumstance is related by the Evangelist to express the ardor of her zeal; for it is an indication of haste, that she leaves her pitcher, and returns to the city. And this is the nature of faith, that when we have become partakers of eternal life, we... [ Continue Reading ]
29._See a man. _As she here speaks doubtfully, she might appear not to have been greatly moved by the authority of Christ. I reply, as she was not qualified to discourse about such high mysteries, she endeavors, according to her feeble capacity, to bring her fellow-citizens to permit themselves to b... [ Continue Reading ]
32._I have food to eat which you know not. _It is wonderful that, when he is fatigued and hungry, he refuses to eat; for if it be said that he does this for the purpose of instructing us, by his example, to endure hunger, why then did he not do so always? But he had another object than to say that w... [ Continue Reading ]
34._My food is to do the will of him who sent me. _He means not only that he esteems it very highly, but that there is nothing in which he takes greater delight, or in which he is more cheerfully or more eagerly employed; as David, in order to magnify the Law of God, says not only that he values it... [ Continue Reading ]
35._Do you not say? _He follows out the preceding statement; for, having said that nothing was more dear to him than _to finish the work _of the Father, he now shows how _ripe _it is for execution; and he does so by a comparison with _the harvest. _When the corn is ripe, the harvest cannot bear dela... [ Continue Reading ]
36._And he who reapeth receiveth reward. _How diligently we ought to devote ourselves to the work of God, he proves by another argument; namely, because a large and most excellent reward is reserved for our labor; for he promises that there will be _fruit, _and _fruit _not corruptible or fading. Wha... [ Continue Reading ]
37._For in this is the saying true. _This was a common proverb, by which he showed that many men frequently receive the fruit of the labor of others, though there was this difference, that he who has _labored _is displeased at seeing the fruit carried away by another, whereas the Apostles have the P... [ Continue Reading ]
39._And many Samaritans out of that city believed. _The Evangelist here relates what was the success of the woman’s announcement to her citizens, from which it is evident that the expectation and desire of the promised Messiah had no small vigor among them. Now, the word _believe _is here used inacc... [ Continue Reading ]
41._And many more believed. _From what followed it is evident that Christ’s compliance with their wish was highly proper; for we see how much fruit was reaped from the _two days _which he granted to their request. By this example we are taught that we ought never to refrain from working, when we hav... [ Continue Reading ]
42._On account of thy speech. _Though I have followed Erasmus in rendering this word by _oratio_, (_speech_,)because _loquela_, which the ancient interpreter uses, is a barbarous term; yet I wish to warn my readers that the Greek word λαλία has the same meaning with the Latin word _loquentia_, that... [ Continue Reading ]
45._The Galileans received him. _Whether or not this honor was of long duration we have not the means of determining; for there is nothing to which men are more prone than forgetfulness of the gifts of God. Nor does John relate this with any other design than to inform us that Christ performed mirac... [ Continue Reading ]
46._And there was a certain courtier. _This is a more correct rendering, though Erasmus thinks differently, who has translated βασιλικός by a Latin word, _Regulus_, which means a little king. (89) I acknowledge indeed that, at that time, they gave the name of _Reguli _(or, _little kings_) to those w... [ Continue Reading ]
47._When he had heard that Jesus had come. _When he applies to Christ for aid, this is some evidence of his faith; but, when he limits Christ’s manner of granting assistance, that shows how ignorant he was. For he views the power of Christ as inseparably connected with his bodily presence, from whic... [ Continue Reading ]
49._Sir, come down, ere my child die. _Since he perseveres in asking, and at length obtains what he wished, we may conclude that Christ did not reprove him in such a manner as if he intended altogether to reject him, and refused his prayers; but that he rather did so for the purpose of correcting th... [ Continue Reading ]
50._Thy son liveth. _The first thing that strikes us here is, the astonishing kindness and condescension of Christ, that he bears with the man’s ignorance, and stretches his power beyond what had been expected. He requested that Christ would come to the place and cure his son. He thought it possible... [ Continue Reading ]
51._While he was still going down. _Here is described the effect of faith, together with the efficacy of the word; for as Christ, by a word, restores to life this child who was just dying, so in one moment the father, by his faith, regains his son safe and sound. Let us therefore know that, whenever... [ Continue Reading ]
52._Therefore he inquired at them. _That this courtier asked his servants at what time his son began to recover, was done by a secret impulse from God, that the truth of the miracle might be rendered more conspicuous. For by nature we have an exceedingly wicked disposition to extinguish the light of... [ Continue Reading ]
53._And he believed, and his whole house. _It may appear absurd that the Evangelist should mention this as the commencement of faith in that man, whose faith he has already commended. Nor can it be supposed that the word_believe _— at least in this passage — relates to the progress of faith. But it... [ Continue Reading ]