Jesus and the Woman of Samaria

41 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees heard that Jesus more disciples doth make and baptize than John, 2 (though indeed Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples,) 3 he left Judea and went away again to Galilee,

4 and it was behoving him to go through Samaria. 5 He cometh, therefore, to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the place that Jacob gave to Joseph his son; 6 and there was there a well of Jacob. Jesus therefore having been weary from the journeying, was sitting thus on the well; it was as it were the sixth hour; 7 there cometh a woman out of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith to her, 'Give me to drink;' 8 for his disciples were gone away to the city, that they may buy victuals; 9 the Samaritan woman therefore saith to him, 'How dost thou, being a Jew, ask drink from me, being a Samaritan woman?' for Jews have no dealing with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, 'If thou hadst known the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked him, and he would have given thee living water.' 11 The woman saith to him, 'Sir, thou hast not even a vessel to draw with, and the well is deep; whence, then, hast thou the living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who did give us the well, and himself out of it did drink, and his sons, and his cattle?' 13 Jesus answered and said to her, 'Every one who is drinking of this water shall thirst again; 14 but whoever may drink of the water that I will give him, may not thirst—to the age; and the water that I will give him shall become in him a well of water, springing up to life age-during.' 15 The woman saith unto him, 'Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come hither to draw.' 16 Jesus saith to her, 'Go, call thy husband, and come hither;' 17 the woman answered and said, 'I have not a husband.' Jesus saith to her, 'Well didst thou say—A husband I have not; 18 for five husbands thou hast had, and, now, he whom thou hast is not thy husband; this hast thou said truly.' 19 The woman saith to him, 'Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet; 20 our fathers in this mountain did worship, and ye—ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where it behoveth to worship.' 21 Jesus saith to her, 'Woman, believe me, that there doth come an hour, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father;

Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 4:1-21

Commentary on John 4:1-3

(Read John 4:1-3)

Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more excellent, 1 Corinthians 1:17, than to baptism. He would put honour upon his disciples, by employing them to baptize. He teaches us that the benefit of sacraments depends not on the hand that administers them.

Commentary on John 4:4-26

(Read John 4:4-26)

There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go into places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toil came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us, submitted to it. Also, he was a poor man, and went all his journeys on foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things as these. Christ asked a woman for water. She was surprised because he did not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderate men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teach her Divine things: he converted this woman, by showing her ignorance and sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. By this living water is meant the Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the Messiah had been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that knows its own nature and necessity. What Jesus spake figuratively, she took literally. Christ shows that the water of Jacob's well yielded a very short satisfaction. Of whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace, and the comforts of the gospel, shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul. Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. Give it me, saith she, not that I may have everlasting life, which Christ proposed, but that I come not hither to draw. The carnal mind is very ingenious in shifting off convictions, and keeping them from fastening. But how closely our Lord Jesus brings home the conviction to her conscience! He severely reproved her present state of life. The woman acknowledged Christ to be a prophet. The power of his word in searching the heart, and convincing the conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. It should cool our contests, to think that the things we are striving about are passing away. The object of worship will continue still the same, God, as a Father; but an end shall be put to all differences about the place of worship. Reason teaches us to consult decency and convenience in the places of our worship; but religion gives no preference to one place above another, in respect of holiness and approval with God. The Jews were certainly in the right. Those who by the Scriptures have obtained some knowledge of God, know whom they worship. The word of salvation was of the Jews. It came to other nations through them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish worship before the Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be done away. God was about to be revealed as the Father of all believers in every nation. The spirit or the soul of man, as influenced by the Holy Spirit, must worship God, and have communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, form the worship of an upright heart, in which God delights and is glorified. The woman was disposed to leave the matter undecided, till the coming of the Messiah. But Christ told her, I that speak to thee, am He. She was an alien and a hostile Samaritan, merely speaking to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus. Yet to this woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he had done to any of his disciples. No past sins can bar our acceptance with him, if we humble ourselves before him, believing in him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.