John 4 - Introduction
CHAPTER 4. _ Jesus leaves Salim and the south for Galilee, and is received by the Samaritans on His way_.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 4. _ Jesus leaves Salim and the south for Galilee, and is received by the Samaritans on His way_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The first verse gives the cause of His leaving Judaea, to wit, a threatened or possible collision with the Pharisees, who resented His baptising. Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω … ἢ Ἰωάννης. οὖν continues the narrative with logical sequence, connecting what follows with what goes before; here it connects what is now re... [ Continue Reading ]
John 4:1-4 account for His being in Samaria; 5 26 relate His conversation with a Samaritan woman; 27 38 His consequent conversation with His own disciples; 39 42 the impression He made upon the Samaritans. The circumstances which brought our Lord into Samaria seem to be related as much for the sake... [ Continue Reading ]
Here John inserts a clause corrective of one impression which this statement would make: καίτοιγε … αὐτοῦ. καίτοιγε is slightly stronger than “although,” rather “although indeed”. Hoogeveen (_De Particulis_, p. 322) renders “quanquam re vera”; see also Paley, _Greek Particles_, pp. 67 8. τοι is the... [ Continue Reading ]
On this coming to the ears of Jesus ἀφῆκε τὴν Ἰουδαίαν, He forsook or abandoned Judaea. The verb is used of neglecting or dismissing from thought, hence of forgiving sin; but there is here no ethical sense in the word, and it may be translated “left”. καὶ ἀπῆλθε πάλιν, “again” in reference to the vi... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔδει … Σαμαρείας. The ἔδει is explained by the position of Samaria interposed between Judaea and Galilee. Only the very sensitive Jews went round by Peraea. The Galileans were accustomed to go through Samaria on their way to the feasts at Jerusalem (Josephus, _Antiq._, xx. 6, 1). Samaria took its na... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔρχεται οὖν … τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ. “So He comes to a city of Samaria called Sychar.” λεγομένην, _cf._ John 11:16; John 11:54; John 19:13, etc. In the _Itinerary of Jerusalem_ (A.D. 333) Sychar is identified with ‘Askar, west of Salim and near Shechem, the modern Nablûs. The strength of the case for ‘Askar,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ πηγὴ τοῦ Ἰακώβ. Both πηγή and φρέαρ are used in this context; the former meaning the spring or well of water, the latter the dug and built pit or well. In John 4:11 φρέαρ is necessarily used. Whether in this John 4:6 ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ is to be rendered “at,” keeping πηγῇ in its strict sense, or... [ Continue Reading ]
ἔρχεται … ὕδωρ, apparently this clause is prepared for by the preceding, “There comes a woman of Samaria,” that is, a Samaritan woman, not, of course, “from the city Samaria,” which is two hours distant from the well, ἀντλῆσαι ὕδωρ, infinitive and aorist, both classical; _cf._ Rebecca in Genesis 24:... [ Continue Reading ]
οἱ γὰρ μαθηταὶ … ἀγοράσωσι. This gives the reason for the request. Had the disciples been present they would have made the request: an indication of the relations already subsisting between the disciples and the Lord. Probably the five first called were still with Him. That the disciples had gone to... [ Continue Reading ]
πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν. How did she know He was a Jew? Probably there were slight differences in dress, feature and accent. Edersheim says “the fringes on the Tallith of the Samaritans are blue, while those worn by the Jews are white”. He also exposes the mistake of some commentators regarding the words... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἀπεκρίθη … ὕδωρ ζῶν. “If thou knewest;” the pathos of the situation strikes Jesus. The woman stands on the brink of the greatest possibilities, but is utterly unconscious of them. Two things she did not know: (1) τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ, the free gift of God. This is explained in the last words of the v... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus in reply, though He does not quite break through the veil of figure, leads her on to think of a more satisfying gift than even Jacob had given in this well. πᾶς ὁ πίνων … ζωὴν αἰώνιον. He contrasts the water of the well with the water He can give; and the two characteristic qualities of His li... [ Continue Reading ]
The woman, with her mind still running on actual water, says Κύριε … ἀντλεῖν. She is attracted by the two qualities of the water, and asks it (1) ἵνα μὴ διψῶ, (2) μηδὲ ἔρχωμαι ἐνθάδε ἀντλεῖν.... [ Continue Reading ]
To this request Jesus replies “ γπαγε, φώνησον … ἐνθάδε. His purpose in this has been much debated. Calvin thinks He meant to rebuke her scurrility in mockingly asking for the water. This does not show Calvin's usual penetration. Westcott says that in the woman's request “she confessed by implicatio... [ Continue Reading ]
The woman shrinks from exposure and replies οὐκ ἔχω ἄνδρα, “I have no husband”. A literal truth, but scarcely honest in intention. Jesus at once veils her deceit, καλῶς εἶπας, etc., and disposes of her equivocation by emphasising the ἄνδρα. Thou hast well said, I have no _husband_. πέντε γὰρ … εἴρηκ... [ Continue Reading ]
The woman at once recognises this knowledge of her life as evidence of a supernatural endowment. Κύριε θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. _Cf._ John 4:29 and John 2:24. θεωρῶ is used in its post-classical sense. It is not unnatural that the woman finding herself in the presence of a prophet should seek His s... [ Continue Reading ]
οἱ πατέρες … δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, Gerizim, at whose base we are standing, etc. On Gerizim were proclaimed the blessings recorded Deuteronomy 28. Sanballat erected on it a rival temple (but see the _Bible Dict._ and Josephus) which was rased by John Hyrcanus, B.C.... [ Continue Reading ]
Γύναι, πίστευσόν μοι … τῷ πατρί. One of the greatest announcements ever made by our Lord; and made to one sinful woman, _cf._ John 20:16. ἔρχεται ὥρα a time is coming; in John 4:23 καὶ νῦν ἐστίν is added. A great religious revolution has arrived. Localism in worship is abolished, οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τού... [ Continue Reading ]
ὑμεῖς προσκυνεῖτε ὃ οὐκ οἴδατε. The distinction between Jewish and Samaritan worship lies not in the difference of place, but of the object of worship. The neuter refers abstractly to the object of worship. “You do not know the object of your worship;” suggested by the τῷ πατρί of the preceding clau... [ Continue Reading ]
There is this great distinction between Jew and Samaritan, ἀλλʼ ἔρχεται ὥρα … καὶ ἀληθείᾳ, but notwithstanding that it is to the Jews God has especially revealed Himself as Saviour, the hour has now come when the ideal worshippers, whether Jew or Samaritan, shall worship the one universal Father in... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason of all this is found in the determining statement πνεῦμα ὁ θεός, God is Spirit. _Cf._ God is Light; God is Love. The predication involves much; that God is personal, and much else. But primarily it here indicates that God is not corporeal, and therefore needs no temple. Rarely is the fund... [ Continue Reading ]
This great statement rather overwhelms and bewilders the woman. Ἰλιγγίασε πρὸς τὸ τῶν ῥηθέντων ὕψος, Euthymius, after Chrysostom. Somewhat helplessly she appeals to the final authority, οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας … πάντα. The Samaritan expectation of a Messiah was based on their knowledge of Deuteronomy 18, a... [ Continue Reading ]
The woman's despairing bewilderment is at once dissipated by the announcement ἐγώ εἰμι, ὁ λαλῶν σοι. “I that speak to thee am He.” This declaration He was free to make among a people with whom He could not be used for political ends. “I think, too, there will be felt to be something not only very be... [ Continue Reading ]
But just at this critical juncture, ἐπὶ τούτῳ, “on this,” came His disciples καὶ ἐθαύμασαν. The imperfect better suits the sense; “they were wondering”: the cause of wonder being ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐλάλει, “that He was speaking with a woman”; this being forbidden to Rabbis. “Samuel dicit: non salutan... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀφῆκεν οὖν … ἡ γυνὴ. “The woman accordingly,” that is, because of the interruption, “left her pitcher,” forgetting the object of her coming, in the greater discovery she had made; and also unconsciously showing that she meant to return. καὶ ἀπῆλθεν … ὁ χριστός; and went to the city and says to the m... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐξῆλθον οὖν … πρὸς αὐτόν. The men, moved by the woman's question, left the city and were coming to Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
But meanwhile ἐν τῷ μεταξύ, between the woman's leaving the well and the men's return to it, the disciples, having brought the purchased food, and observing that notwithstanding His previous fatigue Jesus does not share with them, say Ῥαββὶ φάγε. But in His conversation with the woman His fatigue an... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus answers their question though not put to Him: Ἐμὸν βρῶμα … τὸ ἔργον. Westcott thinks the telic use of ἵνα can be discerned here; “the exact form of the expression emphasises the _end_ and not the _process_, not the doing and finishing, but that I may do and finish”. Lücke acknowledges that it... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετε, etc. These words may either mean “Are you not saying?” or “Do you not say?” that is, they may either refer to an expression just used by the disciples, or to a common proverb. If the former, then the disciples had probably been speaking of the dearness of the provisions they had bo... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ὁ θερίζων … W. H [51] close John 4:35 with θερισμόν and begin 36 ἤδη ὁ θερίζων. Already, and not after four months waiting, the harvester has his reward and gathers fruit to life eternal. The reaper has not to wait, but even now and in one and the same action finds his reward (_cf._ 1 Corinthian... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ. For in this, _i.e._, in the circumstances explained in the following verse, namely, that I have sent you to reap what others sowed, is the saying verified, “one soweth and another Lapeth”. ὁ λόγος, “the saying”; _cf._ 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:1, etc. ἀληθινός without the article is... [ Continue Reading ]
The exemplification in our Lord's mind is given in John 4:38, where the pronouns ἐγώ and ὑμᾶς are emphatic. “I sent you to reap.” When? Holtzmann thinks the past tenses can only be explained as spoken by the glorified Lord looking back on His call of the twelve as Apostles. That is, the words were n... [ Continue Reading ]
Out of Sychar many of the Samaritans believed on Him. This faith was the result of the woman's testimony, διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικὸς μαρτυροῦσης̇; her testimony being, εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 4:39-42 briefly sum up the results of the Lord's visit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Their faith showed itself in an invitation to Him to remain with them; in compliance with which invitation, impressive as coming from Samaritans, He remained two days.... [ Continue Reading ]
The result was that πολλῷ πλείους, a far larger number than had believed owing to the woman's report now believed διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, on account of what they heard from Jesus Himself. This is a faith approved by John, because based not on miracles but on the word of Christ. οὐκέτι … καὶ οἴδαμεν. No... [ Continue Reading ]
Μετὰ δὲ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας. “And after _the_ two days,” see John 4:40. ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν, “He departed thence,” _i.e._, from Sychar. εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, “into Galilee,” carrying out the intention which had brought Him to Sychar, John 4:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus passes into Galilee and there heals the son of a nobleman_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason for His proceeding to Galilee is given in John 4:44. αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐμαρτύρησεν, “for Jesus Himself testified”. The evangelist would not have presumed to apply to Jesus the proverbial expression, προφήτης … οὐκ ἔχει, but Jesus Himself used it. The saying embodies a common observation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither is οὖν of John 4:45 inconsistent with this interpretation. It merely continues the narration: “when, then, He came into Galilee”. The immediate result of His coming was not what He anticipated, and therefore ἐδέξαντο is thrust into the emphatic place, “a welcome was accorded to Him by the Ga... [ Continue Reading ]
ἦλθεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. May we conclude from the circumstance that no mention is made of the disciples until John 6:3, “that they had remained in Samaria, and had gone home”? πάλιν ἐλθεῖν means “to return”; here with a reference to John 2:1. The further definition of Κανᾶ, ὅπου ἐποίησε τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον, is... [ Continue Reading ]
Having heard ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἥκει, “that Jesus has come into Galilee,” he traces Him to Kana, and begs Him not simply to heal his son, but pointedly ἵνα καταβῇ, to go to Capernaum for the purpose. He considered the presence of Jesus to be necessary [“non putat verbo curare posse,” Melanchthon] (contrast... [ Continue Reading ]
And now the man believed τῷ λόγῳ ᾧ [or ὃν] εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς. His first immature faith has grown into something better. The evident sincerity of Jesus quickens a higher faith. On Christ's word he departs home, believing he will find his son healed.... [ Continue Reading ]
And while already on his way down [ἤδη showing that he did not remain with Christ until from some other source he heard that his son was healed], his servants met him and gave him the reward of his faith. ὁ παῖς σου ζῇ, an echo, as Weiss remarks, of the words of Jesus, John 4:50. The servants seeing... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐπύθετο οὗν … κομψότερον ἔσχε. “Amoenum verbum, de convalescente, puero praesertim” Bengel. Theophylact explains by ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον καὶ εὐρωστότερον μετῆλθεν ὁ παῖς : Euthymius by τὸ ῥᾳότερον, τὸ κουφότερον, as we speak of a sick person being “easier,” “lighter”. The best illustration is Raphel's fro... [ Continue Reading ]
τοῦτο πάλιν … τὴν Γαλιλαίαν. πάλιν δεύτερον a common pleonasm, “again a second”; _cf._ John 21:16. In Matthew 26:42, πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου; and Acts 10:15. By this note John connects this miracle with that at the wedding, John 2:1-10, of which he said (John 2:11) ταύτην ἐποίησε ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦ... [ Continue Reading ]