Jn 4:5 He came therefore to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the property that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; cf. Gen. 33:19; 48:22 (concerning the most probable emendation of this passage see de Hummelauer, Commentary on Genesis p. 584) Josh. 25:32, where also the bones of Joseph were buried. Sychar was situated east of Shechem, not far from Shechem (some estimate about one and a half thousand paces); and near Jacob's well.
St. Jerome contends that "Sychar" was read corruptly for "Shechem" (cf. de Lagarde, Onomasticon 66:20), which not a few have followed (cf. Patrizi, Cornely, Schanz); they often assert that the name was changed out of contempt, so that the inhabitants of Shechem were mocked either as drunkards and drinkers (šikkōr) or as liars (šeqer); cf. Sirach 50:28. But others distinguish Sychar from Shechem; thus already Eusebius (l.c. 297, 26) "before the New City... and is still shown today"; likewise in the Itinerary from Bordeaux to Jerusalem (333 AD) it reads: "from there (from Shechem) a thousand paces is a place called Sichar, from where the Samaritan woman descended to the same place where Jacob dug the well" (cf. Tobler, Molinier, Jerusalem Itineraries I, p. 16, Geneva 1879). In the Mishnah mention is made of the plain of Askar, which location Schwarz and Neubauer identify as the same as Ain-Asgar (Geography of the Talmud p. 170).
Furthermore, see what Zenner wrote about Sychar (Journal for Catholic Theology 1889 p. 397 ff.), who derives the name from sāḥar (commerce, market) and explains how Sychar could also be comprehended and designated by the name Shechem; for the city of Shechem in ancient times extended much more eastward than today, the valley of Shechem is by no means wide (½-1 English mile); hence the plain of Machna served for markets and Sychar with added buildings could be considered almost part of the city and could be called by the same name.
Shechem, Neapolis, Nablus does not lack springs; hence it would be strange if a woman came from Shechem to draw water; for what Schanz supposes, that she went to Jacob's well out of piety to draw holy water for cleansing her conscience, of this not even a trace is found in the text.
Jn 4:6 Now there was Jacob's well there, namely east of Shechem at a distance of a thousand paces, where the narrow valley between Ebal and Gerizim extends into the plain of Machna; it is called a spring (πηγή) concerning a dug well (v. 12) which is filled by a spring hidden in the earth (cf. Gen. 16:7, 15; 25:11, 13, 16, where well and spring are read with the same meaning); Jerome relates that a church was built around Jacob's well (Pilgrimage of St. Paula, 16; Tobler, l.c. p. 38).
Jesus therefore, wearied from the journey, sat thus upon the well (οὕτως). "What is that 'thus'? Not on a throne, not on a cushion, but simply and as it happened on the ground" (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius). Others refer "thus" to "wearied" (already Baronius); but wherever οὕτως is referred to a preceding participle, it is placed before the finite verb (cf. Schanz); he sat thus as he was (cf. Winer § 65:9), in German: ohne weiteres (without further ado); others: he sat because of this (namely because he was wearied, Toletus, Maldonatus, Lapide; also Weizsäcker); upon the well ἐπί, either near, beside, or over, because the rim projects over the well.
It was about the sixth hour, i.e., noon, the sixth hour from sunrise; for there are twelve hours in the day (11:9); concerning the computation of hours see at 1:39 and what I noted in Commentary on Mark p. 414. The journey from Jerusalem to Jacob's well through Bethel is 14 hours; if Jesus spent the night in Lebona (al-Leban), at noon he could arrive at Jacob's well, and since that road is rough and mountainous, he had to become weary (cf. Schanz).
Jesus becomes weary; he took the form of a servant; he also wished to experience the troubles of a servant—weariness, hunger, thirst—being made like us in all things except sin (cf. Matt. 21:18, Phil. 2:7, Heb. 4:15). Hence in the liturgy: "seeking me, you sat down weary"; he sits weary—seeking and awaiting the sinner whom he might save, whom he teaches many things though weary! Cyril notes that it is said "about the sixth hour," "so that we too may learn not to regard even small things as insignificant, but to honor truth in all matters."
"In this entire narrative, especially in the conversations of Christ and the woman, you see how that vivid and native simplicity reveals itself just as in the other similar longer narratives described in this gospel, which those who know how to consider these things clearly perceive to be the inseparable companion of truth" (Patrizi).
Jn 4:7 A woman came from Samaria, i.e., a Samaritan woman (cf. v. 9); she came not from Samaria but from Sychar; cf. vv. 28, 39; to draw water. Jesus says to her: "Give me a drink." Jesus says this so that there might be an opportunity for instructive conversation (Maldonatus). Yet it should not therefore be said with Cyril and Euthymius that Jesus pretended to be thirsty, or with others that he only signified his thirst for the salvation of the woman and others; but just as he was truly weary from the journey, so also he truly experienced bodily thirst.
Toletus notes how the Lord seizes the opportunity; the woman came compelled by necessity; temporal necessities and need often provide an occasion for obtaining salvation; she seems to come by chance, but He who arranges all things led her so that she would come when Christ, the fountain of life, was there present. "Christ had the opportunity to ask from the woman because the disciples were not there from whom he could ask for water, and therefore the evangelist says" (Aquinas):
Jn 4:8 For his disciples had gone away into the city—Sychar, concerning which city alone there is discussion in v. 5—to buy food. "These words therefore express the reason why he said to the woman: 'Give me a drink'; the human cause is what appeared externally; yet a divine and higher reason lay hidden; for the Lord himself willed that the disciples be absent, so that he might receive an occasion for conversation and through this draw the woman to faith" (Toletus).
From his appearance and speech (Chrysostom) the woman recognizes a Jew; Jesus, following the custom of the Jews, certainly wore phylacteries; just as Peter was recognized as a Galilean by his speech, so Jesus could be recognized as a Jew; therefore the woman responds not without a certain admiration, mixed with pleasure, that a Jew should ask from her:
Jn 4:9 The Samaritan woman therefore says to him: "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" The evangelist adds the reason for this question, writing for those who, living far from Palestine, are ignorant of its customs: For Jews have no dealings (συνχρῶνται) with Samaritans—they have no commerce or association with Samaritans.
Some formerly thought these words belonged to the woman (Toletus, Maldonatus, Baronius says it was the common opinion); but already Rupert and Cajetan establish that they belong to the evangelist, which more recent scholars also hold. The Samaritan people had coalesced from the remnants of Israelites who were not deported to Assyria when the Israelite kingdom was destroyed, and from those nations which were placed by the Assyrians in the Samaritan region (2 Kings 17:24ff, Ezra 4:9-10); these nations worshiped both their own gods and the Lord (2 Kings 17:28-29ff); but in the course of time the worship of the Lord prevailed (cf. 2 Kings 23:15, 2 Chron. 35:9, Jer. 41:5); therefore they wanted to build the Lord's temple together with the Jews returning from exile (Ezra 4:2).
Later they built their own temple on Mount Gerizim (Josephus, Antiquities 11.8.2), by which the hostilities between Jews and Samaritans increased. Concerning the enmities of the Samaritans see 1 Macc. 3:10; Antiquities 12.4.1; 18.2.2; 20.6.1; Jewish War 2.12.3. By the Talmudists they are called Cutheans and accused of idolatry; the Talmudists foster hatred toward them, teaching, for example, that when someone receives a Cuthean as a guest in his house, he must attribute it to himself if his descendants are led away captive (cf. Wünsche, Contributions p. 511ff).
Jn 4:10 Christ immediately transfers the conversation to a more sublime subject, already insinuating his dignity to the woman: Jesus answered and said to her: "If you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink,' you perhaps would have asked him (σὺ ἂν ἤτησας; therefore 'perhaps' should be omitted [as it is omitted by codices q, r, which have 'rather' in its place]), and he would have given you living water."
The "gift of God" seems in the obvious sense to be understood of the favorable occasion offered to the woman for salvation, because she found Christ at the well; this gift of God is immediately explained by epexegesis: "who it is who says to you" etc. (Maldonatus). Some understand the Holy Spirit, who is called a gift; but this interpretation certainly does not fit this place.
It is called "living water" which is perennial and always springs forth (Chrysostom), that which exits from a spring, which flowing is received; for that which is collected from rain into pools or cisterns is not called living water; and if it flowed from a spring but was collected in some place and stood still and, with the channel interrupted, was separated as it were from the stream of the spring, it is not called living water (Augustine).
Christ understands living water in a figurative sense, inasmuch as in sacred literature the doctrine and grace of God are compared to water, by which the fertility of good works is produced (cf. Ps. 1:3, Isa. 44:3, Jer. 17:8, Ezek. 47:8-12). For by this grace, as Cyril says, humanity dried up and rendered fruitless of all fruit by the devil's deceit is recalled to its pristine natural beauty and, drinking the life-giving grace, is adorned with various kinds of goods and, sprouting again to the pursuit of virtue, produces most abundant branches of love for God.
This comparison with water suggests various considerations: water washes away dirt, induces cleanliness, confers fertility, quenches thirst and the heat of fire (cf. Euthymius, Toletus, Maldonatus, Lapide). And by what reason Christ wishes living water to be conceived, he himself will soon indicate, and the evangelist teaches us (7:38-39): "But this he said concerning the Spirit whom those believing in him were to receive."
Jn 4:11 That the woman did not grasp such a meaning, no one will wonder. The woman says to him: "Lord"—now she addresses him with reverence; for in Christ's face and in his whole appearance shone a certain dignity and kindly majesty; therefore the woman by no means responds with a certain irony (Cornely) or as if mocking, but with modesty exposes why the speech is an enigma to her.
Chrysostom well says that the woman speaks more reverently (αἰδεσιμώτερον) than Nicodemus spoke (Theophylact, similarly Albert, Toletus). "You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do you get that living water?" ἄντλημα—a bucket with a rope which is let down into the well, which today still has a depth of 23 meters.
The water collected in the well Jacob gave; Christ seemed to promise a continually flowing fountain; therefore the woman, doubting and not knowing, objects:
Jn 4:12 "Are you greater than our father Jacob?" That the Samaritans, if it were useful, would also have denied their Israelite origin, Josephus reports an example (Antiquities 12.5.5); otherwise they were accustomed to boast of Jewish descent and to trace their lineage from the sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh (Antiquities 9.15.3; 11.8.6). "Who gave us the well?"
Although it is not read that Jacob dug the well, just as it is narrated of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 21:30; 26:15, 18, 22, 25, etc.), yet it is easily understood that he wanted to have his own well in the portion of the field which he had acquired, especially since it could happen that the neighbors were hostile to Jacob's family. Then the woman declares that the water is good and abundant (Theophylact, Aquinas, Cajetan, Maldonatus): "and he himself drank from it, and his sons, and his cattle" (θρέμματα, those which are nourished; understand sheep and goats).
Jn 4:13-14 Jesus answers this question so as to "declare the difference of persons through the distinction of gifts from the nature of the gift, and his own excellence above the patriarch" (Chrysostom): Jesus answered and said to her: "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst; cf. 6:35.
"Material water is not perpetual nor has a perpetual cause, but a failing one; but spiritual water has a perpetual cause, namely the Holy Spirit, who is the fountain of life never failing, and therefore whoever drinks from it will not thirst forever, just as if one had in his belly a fountain of living water he would never thirst" (Aquinas).
Verse 14: "But the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life"—behold the reason why he will never thirst, because he has in himself a fountain of water springing so high. "The metaphor is taken from fountains projecting water on high; for thus whoever has the Holy Spirit in himself has a fountain springing up to heaven" (Maldonatus).
Therefore the grace of the Holy Spirit is described, which in itself is incorruptible, inexhaustible, perpetually quenching thirst and sufficient for eternal life. Similarly if Christ says: "I am the vine, you are the branches" (15:5), he shows that the sap and vigor from the vine perpetually flows to and is present in the branches as long as they are in the vine, nor do they need anything else; therefore the branch has nothing beyond to desire. Hence in the same way here he says: "will not thirst forever."
Nor does it contradict what is said in Sirach 24:29: "Those who eat me will still hunger, and those who drink me will still thirst"; for there the discussion is about the desire for wisdom and divine knowledge, which if anyone has tasted, he desires with the greatest pleasure to perceive and understand greater and more things in it; it is namely a hunger and thirst bringing not distress but delight.
Jn 4:15 The woman, just as she already showed in vv. 11-12 that she had conceived an excellent opinion of Jesus (Jansenius), so she applies simple faith to this speech, and remembering his word "you would have asked" etc. (v. 10), with the greatest simplicity she asks: The woman says to him: "Lord, give me this water, that I may not thirst nor come here to draw." She wishes to be freed from a double trouble and recognizes what a benefit this will be to her.
Nor is it surprising that she thinks only of bodily water; for she understood "forever," "into eternal life" concerning an indefinite span of life: she will never thirst; cf. Hebrew lᵉʿôlām and "may the king live forever" (Neh. 2:3).
Jn 4:16-18 Jesus now turns the conversation elsewhere and recompenses the woman's reverence and simple faith according to his clemency, so as to lead her to repentance and finally to reveal himself as the Messiah to her.
Jn 4:16: Jesus says to her: "Go, call your husband and come here." "He said this so that he might take an occasion from the woman's response to reveal himself to her" (Patrizi). It seemed to the woman that Jesus wanted to share that benefit with her and her husband; but "the most prudent and wise physician, the Lord, establishing to heal her, considers the cause of the infirmity and, so that she might recognize and confess her sin, leads the woman herself to be enlightened" (Toletus).
Jn 4:17: The woman answered and said: "I have no husband." She speaks truly yet not completely; "desiring to receive, she hides her disgrace and thinks she is speaking to a man" (Chrysostom). "This beginning of confession suffices for calling mercy; he did not wait or demand that she say everything, but extending the hand of clemency, he spared her shame, came to the aid of her wavering conscience" (Rupert).
Contemplate the kindness of Jesus with which he acts toward the sinner; for he neither inveighs against her, nor calls her an adulteress or prostitute, nor reproves her more harshly. Gently addressing her with some praise mixed in and thus giving her courage, Jesus says to her: "Well (καλῶς, rightly, truly) you have said, 'I have no husband'" (quia is the recitative particle before direct speech, therefore there is no need for emendation: "because you do not have").
Jn 4:18: "For you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you have truly (ἀληθές) said." From the very opposition it is clear that the woman had legitimately entered into marriage five times, the previous husband either having died or the marriage dissolved by a bill of divorce; but now the woman is cohabiting illegitimately.
Maldonatus contends in vain that from Christ's words it is not sufficiently established whether those five men were legitimate husbands or rather concubines, and he wants to persuade that they were all concubines; but the words exclude all doubt.
The woman lies gravely ill with the wound of incontinence, to whom the Lord so kindly comes; she labors with that disease by which so great and lamentable a disaster is inflicted on the human race everywhere in the world. It belongs to the merciful Lord who came to save what was lost not to reject even those so foully ulcerated, but to lead them to better fruit, which is clearly seen in this woman.
Jn 4:19 She confesses her fault, gives honor to Jesus: The woman says to him: "Lord, I perceive that you are a prophet." "A double confession, both of her own sin and of the virtue and excellence of Christ" (Maldonatus). She excels greatly before the Pharisees, who did not recognize Jesus, distinguished by so many signs and proofs, as a prophet—indeed not even as an upright man, but calumniated that he had made a pact with a demon.
Jn 4:20 Sometimes they think the woman wanted to break off the troublesome conversation about her incontinence and therefore immediately with a certain womanly art transferred the discourse to another subject (Schanz and some non-Catholics; Toletus and Schanz somewhat concede that she was led by that reasoning). But if with cunning or false modesty she had wished to turn away from the subject which Christ himself judged should be introduced, I do not think it would have happened that Christ, permitting this, would respond to her with such care to a question posed for the purpose of evasion.
Therefore it must be said that, because she recognized Jesus as a prophet, she considered nothing more important than to propose the question sharply debated between Jews and Samaritans; she wished to use this opportunity when she found a man inspired by God's spirit, so that she might be instructed; for she well understood that salvation depends on true worship.
Indeed she had been living in sins for some time; but from this it does not immediately follow that the sense of piety and religion is extinguished; rather it can happen that someone, conscious of his fragility, although unable to break the bonds of sins, is stimulated by a more intense desire for religious help. And thus most indicate that the woman brought up the question without any evasion.
"Because she suspected this (that he was a prophet), she asks nothing earthly, does not inquire about bodily health, not about riches, but immediately about doctrines" (Chrysostom, similarly Cyril, Aquinas, Jansenius, Maldonatus, Fillion, etc.).
"Our fathers worshiped on this mountain"—namely on Gerizim, which mountain placed in view she seems to have pointed to with her finger. They chose Mount Gerizim as the mountain of blessing; cf. Deut. 11:29; 27:12 (also in 27:4 the Samaritans read Gerizim), Josh. 8:33. Mention of its temple is made in 2 Macc. 6:2. Josephus relates the occasion when it was built (Antiquities 11.8.5; 13.3.4), and that Mount Gerizim was held sacred even after the temple was destroyed (by John Hyrcanus, 129 BC) (Antiquities 18.4.1; Jewish War 3.7.32).
Jn 4:21-24 "And you say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship"; cf. Deut. 12:5-6, where it is commanded that they offer holocausts and victims in the place which the Lord has chosen; but the Lord chose Zion (cf. 1 Kings 8:16, 1 Kings 9:3, Ps. 68:16; 132:13). She speaks so as to increase and strengthen her own cause, weaken that of the Jews: "our fathers," therefore we have great cause; "you say," by your opinion alone, not supported by the authority of the fathers (Toletus).
But Jesus, omitting that controversy, elevates her mind and thought to more sublime things—those boundaries of the old covenant are to be completely abolished.
Jn 4:21: Jesus says to her: "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father"—as in a place where alone sacrifices may legitimately be offered. That the worship of God will be universal and therefore the old law will cease is clearly announced; therefore that dispute about place is now of no moment.
Although therefore this contention of the Jews should be neglected, yet on the other hand their dignity and authority stands firm and unshaken before the Samaritans.
Jn 4:22: "For you worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation is from the Jews." True knowledge of God could not be extinguished among the Jews, because it was established by divine counsel that messianic salvation should be spread from the Jews into the world (cf. Isa. 2:3: "from Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem"). Therefore Christ says that the Jews, having true knowledge of God, also know that they worship God in the manner in which he wished to be worshiped by the pious in the old covenant, but the Samaritans, lacking right knowledge of God, worship what they do not know, do not know what they worship.
Jn 4:23: Although among the Jews there is knowledge and worship of God, yet the time is now at hand when God demands a more perfect worship from his own: "But the hour is coming and now is"—the messianic time is already at hand, namely with the Messiah himself already present. For that messianic time it was predicted: "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:9); cf. Jer. 31:34; Ezek. 11:19; 36:26; Zeph. 3:9, etc.
"When the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth"—in the spirit which God sends into the hearts of the faithful crying, "Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6), in the spirit who helps our infirmity and who himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings (Rom. 8:26); for concerning the messianic time it was said: "I will give a new spirit in their inward parts, and I will put my spirit in the midst of you" (Ezek. 11:19; 36:27).
They will worship in the truth which was made through the Messiah (1:17); imbued with this truth, this fuller and more sublime knowledge of God and his counsels and mercies, they will offer more excellent praises, thanksgivings, and supplications to God. Just as therefore grace and truth come to us through the Messiah (1:17), so by the same reasoning that perfect worship of God is established through him. For God, according to his supreme perfection, necessarily seeks his glory: "for the Father seeks such to worship him."
For God manifests his divine perfections in the work of creation, in the government of the world, in the work of redemption, which he necessarily wills to be recognized, praised, worshiped, and celebrated by men. But who finally will be able to render worship worthy of God, unless he who, taught by God himself and elevated and instructed by divine help, worships him?
Jn 4:24: "God is spirit" and as such surpassing all corporeal and visible things by the longest—indeed infinite—interval; therefore, so that worship may be rendered to him congruous to his nature and perfection, God himself must in a certain way elevate the creature to himself by heavenly help and illumination: "and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth"; cf. v. 23.
How much this matters, conclude from Christ's repeated and solemn assertion. For he promulgates the law by which henceforth God seeks worship from men. Men must be constituted in spirit, in the actual and habitual grace of the Holy Spirit, with which the Holy Spirit himself dwells in the just (Rom. 5:5; 8:11, 2 Cor. 1:22, etc., cf. John 14:23), and in that truth which Christ brought to us from heaven concerning God's nature, mysteries, love, etc.; taught and instructed in this way, they ought to worship God who will no longer admit another worship.
Because Christ brings truth to us (1:17) and we are commanded to worship God in truth, it is simultaneously clearly indicated by Christ that the worship uniquely worthy of God will also be taught and instituted by Christ. He taught this in what he proposed concerning prayer, concerning the trust to be had in God (Matt. 6:5ff, 7:7ff, Mark 11:24ff, Luke 11:1-13, 18:1-14); he instituted this by commanding the apostles: "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:25), by which word he commands that clean oblation to be offered to God's name, through which God's name will be great among the nations from the rising of the sun to its setting (Mal. 1:11).
Various interpretations are indeed brought forward of "in spirit and truth," which however partly approach that which I have given above according to other passages and the certain doctrine of sacred literature, or are easily deduced from it. For they understand "in spirit" that God is to be worshiped not with worship circumscribed by place, but with mind and purity of soul, not with carnal ceremonies, with spiritual victims (cf. Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius, Albert, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Maldonatus, Baronius, Jansenius, Lapide, Fillion), or, as Toletus wishes, these things are opposed to "on this mountain," "in Jerusalem"; for the worship of the Samaritans is in falsehood, whence worship in truth is required; but the worship of the Jews is indeed in truth, but in shadows and figures; whence worship in spirit is required; or to worship in spirit is to worship with a mind freed from sins, evil concupiscence, the weight of earthly things, which is affected and changed by divine truth (Schanz).
In this supernatural order man by his own powers cannot worship God as he wishes to be worshiped. Therefore πνεῦμα (spirit) is given to him; in spirit, in a soul endowed and imbued with higher divine virtue, he worships God—which worship therefore is not restricted to a certain place, does not consist in carnal things or ceremonies, but since it proceeds from divine grace and is as it were assisted by the indwelling Spirit of God, it is congruous, acceptable, pleasing to God. The same is done in truth, namely according to the doctrine and manner handed down by Christ; whence it is done with a mind endowed with true knowledge of God, it is done with great piety, trust, it is done with figures left behind, namely with that sacrifice in which is had the fulfillment of all figures and types, wherefore truth truly puts shadow to flight. Therefore it is permitted to gather ample and varied application from Christ's words that one must worship in spirit and truth.
Interpretations of the Five Husbands
Concerning those five men whom the Samaritan woman had, both certain ancients and some more recent writers attempted a symbolic explanation. Thus they explain the five men concerning the five books of Moses which the Samaritans alone acknowledged: Ambrose (Commentary on Luke book 7 n. 199; book 8 n. 37; PL 15:1752, 1803), Bede: "first you served five men with the five books of Moses, but now the one you have, i.e., the one you hear, is not your husband, because you have not yet believed in him."
Augustine and Bede himself also propose another explanation concerning the five bodily senses; the illegitimate man is called error; the man who is to be called is the intellect (similarly Albert, Aquinas, Bonaventure). Various things are also found in Origen and Rupert. These however retain that it is a true narration.
But more recent writers sometimes contend that the whole is nothing else than a symbolic exposition of the history of the Samaritans (cf. 2 Kings 17:24; Josephus: five nations, each bringing its own god to Samaria, Antiquities 9.14.3), or a type, or a myth, or a completely fabricated thing, so that they wish all truth of the matter to be denied to the narration (thus nearly Keim, B. Bauer, Strauss, against whom Keil and Weiss argue). This monstrosity of interpretation does not need refutation.
Furthermore, they expound "in truth": to worship with right opinion about God (Theophylact), rightly and purely (Albert), remaining in the Son who is truth (Rupert), not in the shadow and figures of the old covenant (Chrysostom, Bonaventure, Aquinas, Salmeron, Maldonatus, Baronius, Fillion), with true, right, sincere worship (Lapide, Calmet), with a mind free from sins, evil concupiscence, the weight of earthly things, which is affected and changed by divine truth (Schanz).
Jn 4:25-26 The woman understood little of what Christ taught about worship (Chrysostom, Jansenius). Yet since from common expectation she knows that the time of the Messiah is near, she responds in the way we are accustomed to respond if, concerning an obscure matter, we hope soon to obtain fuller instruction.
Jn 4:25: The woman says to him: "I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ)"—ἔρχεται, as is established from v. 23, can be understood of an imminent or already present arrival (as the ancients often take it: Jansenius, Toletus, Maldonatus, Lapide, Salmeron, Estius, Alexander Natalis, Calmet); others say an uncertain time (Cajetan), the future is designated. "When he comes, he will announce all things to us"; he will teach us clearly and distinctly.
These words cannot be so understood as if the woman, not very pleased with Jesus' response, would say that the contention about worship must finally be settled by the Messiah (Maldonatus and almost Toletus, Jansenius); but Schanz judges that the woman introduced discourse about the Messiah because she already suspected that Jesus was the Messiah. By her last words the woman professes that full faith and obedience must be shown to the Messiah. This teachableness and promptness of spirit Jesus according to his clemency does not permit to lack reward. Hence he manifests himself to her.
Jn 4:26: Jesus says to her: "I am he who speaks to you." Behold, he openly tells the woman what he denied to the Jews when they insisted: "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly" (10:24). But attend how different was the disposition of their minds. For to the Jews he justly opposes: "I speak to you and you do not believe" etc.; and they seek not with the will of believing, but of persecuting (Toletus).
The ancients already note that the Samaritans could have drawn the expectation of the Messiah from Gen. 49:10 and Deut. 18:15 (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius, Rupert, Aquinas, Jansenius, Maldonatus). His name among them is said to be Taheb (cf. šûb) or "he who will return," or "who will restore" (cf. Schanz, Schanz, Fillion).
Jn 4:27-30 But now the disciples return with the purchased food (cf. v. 8).
Jn 4:27: "And at this," ἐπὶ τούτῳ, "meanwhile, while these things were happening"; but the expression also contains the notion which the Vulgate version expresses: "his disciples came and marveled that he was speaking with a woman." We marvel at unusual things (Cajetan, Toletus, Calmet); therefore they had not yet noticed that Jesus departed from the custom of the teachers, who thought it so wrong to speak with a woman on the public road that they said even one's own wife should not be addressed (Wetstein and Wünsche relate various things on this subject).
Since it is said μετὰ γυναιχός ("with a woman"), the reason for amazement is not to be placed in the fact that he was speaking with a lowly, poor, Samaritan woman (Chrysostom catena, Cyril, Theophylact, Euthymius, Aquinas, Baronius, Jansenius, Alexander Natalis, Schanz); but then it would have to be said, as Lapide notes, "with that woman" or "with such a woman"; therefore the sole reason for amazement is given, because it was unusual for Jesus to speak with women (Cajetan, Toletus), since in public life the greatest separation of the sexes was in use (Schanz).
Yet I would not wish to say with Maldonatus that they marveled because it seemed not quite honest that he should speak alone with a single little woman; for I think such a thought was very far from their minds because they saw Jesus doing this, of whom they were held by the greatest reverence. But rather they marveled at his humility of spirit (Chrysostom, Cyril, Euthymius, Aquinas), because he did not, like the rabbis, spurn the female sex; "again the disciples are astonished at the kindness and humility of the Savior; for he does not, like some immoderately inflamed with religion, turn away from conversation with a woman, but extends his gentleness to all" (Cyril).
It is indeed proper to those who marvel to want to know the cause of some effect; but the disciples out of reverence for the Lord do not ask (Chrysostom, Aquinas, Toletus, Calmet). "Yet no one said: 'What do you seek?' or 'Why do you speak with her?' 'What do you require?' or if you require nothing, why do you speak with her?" From such curiosity the disciples restrained themselves; for none of these things pertained to them to know (Toletus).
Jn 4:28: By the words of Jesus "I am the Messiah" (v. 26), the woman is so struck that, as if forgetful of all things—both of the water for the drawing of which she had come and of the water jar which she had brought with her—she now thinks of nothing else than of Christ and of sharing with all the treasure found by her (Maldonatus). This fervor of the woman is described: "The woman therefore left her water jar and went away into the city."
Jn 4:29: "And says to those men: 'Come and see a man who told me all things that I ever did; can this be the Christ?'" See how prudently she speaks (Chrysostom): "Come, experience, explore, judge whether he is the Messiah." μήτι "neither does she affirm completely, nor is she silent; for she wanted not from her opinion to lead them, but, having heard him, to have them as partners of her opinion, whence the matter would turn out more probable" (Chrysostom); and to attract them more, she offers to them as a certain bait the detection of her sins (Euthymius).
She herself indeed already believed; but she speaks doubtingly, lest she seem to judge and decide by herself concerning a very grave matter; certainly, as Cyril notes, she would have been despised, and not undeservedly, as one who savored far beyond her condition and would not have hearers ignorant of her morals. Nor had she invited them in vain.
Verse 30: "They went out therefore from the city and were coming to him." "The hardness of the Jews is convicted by the facility of the Samaritans" (Cyril).
Jn 4:31-38 Meanwhile the disciples had placed the purchased food before Christ. But Christ remains meditating and as if fixed in mind on another thing which is more to him than food (Maldonatus); for wholly intent on the salvation of the elect, he has no care for nourishing the body (Cyril). Since therefore he did not touch the food placed before him:
Jn 4:31 31: "Meanwhile the disciples were asking him," ἠρώτων—"here ἠρώτων is παρεκάλουν, in their local expression" (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euthymius), "saying: 'Rabbi, eat!'"
Jn 4:32: "But he says to them: 'I have food to eat which you do not know'"—what sort of food, is declared in v. 34. When the mind is moved by a certain more vehement affection, it no longer thinks about bodily food. Thus Jesus also, intent on the messianic work and joyfully expecting the faith of the Samaritans, is so occupied in spirit and delighted that he refuses bodily nourishment. In place of foods for him is the return of the lost to salvation, and he signifies to the disciples that if they knew that it was now about the conversion of the Samaritans, it would happen that they would think more about that food than consult about bodily food (Cyril); at the same time he hints that bodily food is to be postponed to the will of God and the salvation of men, and gently leads the disciples to this (Ammonius catena, Cyril).
What wonder if that woman did not understand water? Behold, the disciples did not yet understand food (Augustine, Bede, Rupert).
Jn 4:33: "The disciples therefore said to one another: 'Has anyone brought him something to eat?'" They doubt, while they show reverence and honor to the teacher according to custom, and converse with each other, nor do they dare to inquire from him (Chrysostom). In these things the native simplicity of truth is brought forth, and the writer is easily recognized as narrating things at which he was present (Patrizi).
With the attention of the disciples aroused, also for the doctrine and instruction of those who were going to be teachers of the world, Christ declares:
Jn 4:34: Jesus says to them: "My food is"—by which he explains his desire, delight—"that I may do the will of him who sent me, that (καὶ) I may perfect his work." ἵνα, by which particle desire is connoted, although also, as in later Greek, it is used for the infinitive; each explanation has its patrons in this place (cf. Schanz). ποιῶ, namely that I may do continually and constantly; τελειώσω, that finally in future time I may bring and complete the work of God to perfection; the work namely which God wills to be accomplished by me, the messianic work, the redemption of the human race and the constitution of the kingdom of God.
He indicates that he is fed, sustained by these things, that he desires these things; these things he already announced as a twelve-year-old boy: "I must be in the things of my Father" (Luke 2:49); these things he declared were fulfilled by himself (17:4).
Jn 4:35 Now he strives to lead the disciples to the same affection of spirit with himself. He takes occasion, just as now from the present food, so now from the time of year about which they seem to have made mention: "Do you not say that there are yet four months and the harvest comes?" i.e., the harvest of the fields is to be gathered after four months. Thus far most both of the ancients and of the more recent understand the words.
But the harvest was carried out between Passover and Pentecost; the time therefore was then within the months of November and December (thus already Cardinal Hugh, Patrizi); December is assigned by Jansenius, Baronius, Schanz, Schanz, Fillion, Cornely, Weiss, Keil; others winter time (Aquinas, Cajetan), others January (Toletus, Lapide, Calmet). From this therefore it is gathered when Jesus returned from Judea into Galilee after Passover; therefore for quite a long time, from Passover to the month of December, he remained in Judea (cf. 3:22).
"You compute four months until the harvest; I show you another harvest white and ready" (Augustine, Bede). "Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and see the regions, because they are white already for harvest," i.e., see that the regions are now white for harvest (thus explain τὰς χώρας ὅτι etc. from that well-known attraction). Just as ears of grain, when they are white, are now ready for harvest, so the Samaritans, invited by the voice of the woman, are now ready and fit for faith. Now they are approaching Jesus; therefore it is aptly said: "Lift up your eyes, see them coming," and from this perceive that this region is ready to receive the kingdom of God.
Hence not undeservedly Chrysostom says that here eyes are understood both of mind and body; "for they saw the crowd of Samaritans coming; but their prompt will he calls white regions" (similarly Aquinas).
Few are those who wish those words "yet four months..." to be a proverb, by which alone it is announced that from sowing to harvest there are four months, i.e., there is enough time to think about something to be done, in exactly the way that in Latin it is said: "the grain is still in the grass" (adhuc seges in herba est) (Maldonatus, similarly Wetstein and others). But the manner of speaking is not apt for a proverb. For "yet" (ἔτι) indicates only that time at which these words are spoken; therefore from that time when they speak until the harvest there are four months; nor can "yet" indicate the time of sowing, and moreover from sowing to harvest there are rather six months. Therefore a proverb cannot be recognized in those words. Therefore it only remains that the time of year is expressed.
Power proposed a completely new explanation in the periodical Dublin Review, April 1890 (vol. 23 p. 351-367); he says τετράμηνος should be understood of grain which has already grown for 4 months, so that the harvest is now near: "say ye not the crop is already four months old and the harvest is coming?" Therefore the word should be taken just as "three-month-old wheat, or four-transition"; he denies that the usual version can be sustained. But the Greek interpreters experienced no difficulty in that word; thus Cyril "four months of time having elapsed"; Theophylact "the harvest in this four-month period comes."
Power rightly says indeed that the word τετράμηνος is not a substantive but an adjective; but from this it does not yet follow that only σῖτος can and should be supplied; it suffices to supply χρόνος (cf. Lobeck on Phrynicus p. 549, Weiss). He devised this new way of explaining because he persuaded himself that it could not happen that the words be understood metaphorically: "lift up your eyes and see the regions white now for harvest." To take these of the Samaritans seems to him plainly absurd. But is not the metaphor to be recognized immediately in v. 36? For certainly "he who gathers fruit into eternal life" is not he who reaps wheat in the field! Therefore already in v. 35 there must be a metaphor.
And this is also clearly indicated when Christ says: "Behold, I say to you"; which emphatic manner of speaking would be plainly ridiculous if the grain is now near harvest; for then Christ with such emphasis would say nothing else than what was already said by the disciples, whereas by the very words "Behold, I say to you" he wants to call their minds away to something else. Therefore just as in v. 32 a transition is made from bodily food to spiritual food, so in this place from the harvest about which the disciples speak, he takes occasion for bringing in discourse about another harvest, which is begun in v. 35 and continued in the following verses.
Power indeed seriously thinks that Christ could not have spoken of a region white for harvest unless he had seen ears already whitening; but it was necessary to read also v. 36.
Jn 4:36 From regions or fields now white for harvest he passes to the rewards of the reapers: "And he who reaps receives wages for himself," for his labor, "and moreover from such a harvest an effect arises which is most excellent: and he gathers fruit into eternal life"—such namely crops and sheaves he collects in that harvest which are not stored in earthly barns, but are placed in eternal life, in heavenly beatitude. For fruits of this kind are men converted and saved by the work and labor of preachers (Toletus, Jansenius, Baronius).
This explanation is most apt to the image: crops are placed in barns for the benefit of the lord of the harvest; men therefore in heaven for celebrating the glory of God by their beatitude. Others, like Rupert and Schanz, understand the wages as that temporal one of which Christ speaks (Matt. 10:10, Luke 10:7), but the fruit as the reward in heaven; others finally do not distinguish wages and fruit and take καὶ explicatively (cf. Bonaventure, Cajetan, Maldonatus, Schanz).
But from this double effect, from the wage and the gathered fruit, a third arises: "that he who sows may rejoice together and he who reaps." Who is ὁ σπείρων? The ancients mostly understand the prophets; Patrizi: the prophets, John the Baptist, but most especially Christ himself; others only Christ (Schanz, Schanz), which explanation is commended by the fact that the discussion is immediately about the Samaritans—for from them the beginning of the discourse was taken—and that the singular number is used. Christ scatters the seed, the disciples reap, i.e., they truly imbue men with the doctrine scattered by Christ, they gather them by baptism into the messianic kingdom. Concerning their salvation both Christ and the disciples rejoice forever. Concerning the conversion of Samaria see Acts 8:5ff.
Jn 4:37-38 Therefore a distinction is established in that matter between the one sowing and the one reaping; hence:
Jn 4:37: "For in this," in this case about which the discourse is made, "the saying is true," ὁ λόγος ἐστὶν ἀληθινός, "the utterance, the proverb is genuine," it truly corresponds to reality, "that (recitative) one is he who sows and another is he who reaps." This proverb is not found elsewhere; some allege Lev. 26:16 (Aquinas, Calmet); cf. Job 31:8, Isa. 65:22, Mic. 6:15 (Schanz).
In cultivating fields, if it happens that one person sows, another reaps, they do not rejoice together, but he who sowed grieves, inasmuch as he labored for another; but here it is not so; both rejoice (Chrysostom). The difference of persons is also brought forth more clearly with the declaration added to v. 37:
Jn 4:38: "I sent you to reap what you did not labor for; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." Some interpret "I sent" prophetically (Maldonatus, Schanz, Fillion, Weiss) or say that it is said because he had already chosen and destined them, so that they might be sent in their own time. Yet it is not necessary to explain thus. For just as in vv. 35 and 37 he speaks of the Samaritans, therefore he takes the subject from the present condition, so also in this verse he likewise illustrates the sentence from a deed done before.
For these words can entirely be referred to that sojourn in Judea, in which the disciples were baptizing and indeed with such success that all were coming to Jesus and Jesus was making more disciples (3:26; 4:1-2). There they were reaping what the Baptist and Jesus had sown; there they were entering into their labors. Thus Patrizi: "From these things it follows that during those months which were from Passover to Christ's departure from Judea, the disciples were sent by him to teach the peoples of that region."
The ancients however commonly explain that the disciples entered into the labors of the prophets. But this cannot be said of the conversion of the Samaritans, nor immediately of the Jews.
Jn 4:39-42 How ready to believe the Samaritans were is related:
Jn 4:39: "Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the woman's word testifying: 'Because he told me all things that I ever did.'" For among them the expectation of the Messiah flourished (v. 25); therefore by the woman's narration and her question about the Messiah (v. 29) they were easily led into that opinion.
Jn 4:40: "When therefore the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to remain there." They give credence to the woman's testimony and, with no sign seen, they ask that he remain with them. The Jews, having seen miracles, not only did not retain him but drove him out (Chrysostom). "And he remained there two days"—certainly a very brief time, if you look at the time of three years and some months given to the Jews; but here also that is shown to be valid: "I was not sent except to the sheep which perished of the house of Israel" (Matt. 15:24; cf. 10:6). But by this brief sojourn a distinguished fruit resulted.
Jn 4:41: "And many more believed in him because of his word." By Christ's very presence and doctrine both the number of believers increased and the mode of believing became more perfect (cf. Aquinas). The faith which they began to conceive by the woman's testimony was made perfect.
Jn 4:42: "And they said to the woman: 'Now we believe not because of your speaking (λαλιάν, narration; which word here is taken in a good sense; otherwise indeed it also means loquacity), for we ourselves have heard and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.'" They announce the firmest persuasion; they say "truly" as we are accustomed to speak if, finding another's speech or testimony true by our own persuasion, we confirm it.
That he is the Savior of the world, not only of the Jews but also of the Gentiles, they could learn from Christ's interaction with them and from his words; cf. vv. 21-24. For if he wished to save only the Jews, he would not have taught either the Samaritan woman or them.
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