disciples than John (ch 3:22, 26), 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph (Gen 33:18-19; 48:22; Josh 24:32). 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans (2 Kgs 17:24; Matt 10:5; Luke 9:52-53; Acts 10:28). 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water (Isa 12:3; 44:3; 55:1; Jer 2:13; Zech 13:1; 14:8).
¶4:1, The Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. The religious leaders took a close interest in John the Baptist (see ch 1:24) and then, also Jesus. What the Pharisees had heard of Jesus was untrue, at least in part. 4:2, But the disciples. ~ See ch 3:22. We are not to take from this that Jesus did not esteem water baptism as important for He did require it for one’s salvation (Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; ... .) As a pastor in a large church would delegate the chore of baptizing to under ministers so did Jesus delegate baptizing to His disciples. 4:3, He left Judea. ~ John records the end of the early Judean ministry. This early ministry met with great success, so much so that the Jewish leaders received the report that Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John. The Evangelist seems here to indicate that this report of the Jews to their leaders was the cause of Jesus leaving Judea. Jesus was not quite ready to be the center of controversy just yet. The synoptics generally pick up the ministry of Christ at this point. 4:4-26, ~ Jesus’ discourse with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar. This passage contains the teaching of Living Water. There is a stream of water running through this Gospel: 1. The water changed into wine (ch2); 2. The water of the New Birth (ch3); 3. The water of Mercy at the pool of Bethesda (ch 5); 4. The Living Water (ch 4); 5. Walking on the water (ch 6); The Ceremonial pouring of the water (ch 7); 7. The water of the Pool of Siloam (ch9); 8. The water at the washing of the disciples’ feet (ch 13); 9. The water mixed with His blood from the Cross (ch 19); 10. The post resurrection appearance at the Sea of Galilee (ch 21).
Special Note:
The disciple should note here the highly covert form of the Fourth Gospel, in that there are 10 events of water and 10 is the biblical number of the works of redemption.
4:4, Needs go through Samaria. ~ The ‘need’ is in Jesus’ mission—not in geography. Christ was journeying from Judea to Galilee (S to N). Between these two places lay Samaria. Because the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans, the usual route was to cross the Jordan River in the S, journey N on the E bank and turn back W over the river after by-passing Samaria (see v9). The reason for this tension lay in the fact that the Samaritans were of questionable blood, being a mixed race brought about by Judea’s captivity in Babylon. Also, the Samaritans had consistently demonstrated unfaithfulness to the true faith of Yahweh, even to the point of building an alternant temple and establishing an alternant line of priests. However, Jesus “Must needs go through Samaria.” 4:5, Sychar. ~ (Shechem, according to Jerome.) Located between Mt Gerizim and Mt Ebal. Site of the first altar to the LORD (YHWH) after the crossing of Jordan by Joshua. The Law of God was written on stones and planted on Mt Ebal. The Law was first established here (Deut 11:29; 27:2-26). The Ark of the Testimony was positioned between the two mountains at this site (Josh 8:30-35). The 12 tribes divided: half on Mt Gerizim, half on Mt Ebal. A blessing and a cruse was pronounced. Also, here Joseph was buried (Josh 24:32). Jesus ‘must needs’ go to Shechem to identify with all that took place there (here the Kingdom was divided between Rehaboam and Jeroboam (1 Kgs ch 12). But most importantly, He had come to assume the identity of all that spoke of Him. 4:6-8, Sixth hour. ~ (12:00 noon.) See the note on ch 1:39. A woman at the well at noon was an oddity. Wells were communal and a place of social gatherings for the village women, normally in the morning and evening. Being at the well alone, when, the women of the community were not likely to be present is an indication that this particular woman was an outcast to her town’s social circle. 4:6, Jacob’s well. ~ Mentioned nowhere else in Scripture. From a Christian perspective, the reference in John's Gospel to the well seems to hint at a deeper nuptial reading of Jesus as the Bridegroom of Israel come to reunite the divided tribes through a spiritual union with Him, the long-awaited Messiah; see St. Augustine's Tractate 15 on the Gospel of John. Also see v18 and note. 4:7, A woman. ~ Tradition has recognized this woman’s name as “Photini.” 4:9, The Jews have no dealings. ~ Jesus was readily identifiable as a Jew—perhaps His clothing. She was confused as to why a Jew would ask her, a Samaritan woman, for a drink of water. The reason for her surprise is that Jews considered Samaritan women ritually impure and were, therefore, forbidden to drink from any vessel they had handled. “For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” is literally: “For the Jews do not use dishes Samaritans have used.” The following is a reading from the wisdom book of Sirach, dated 200-175 B.C., which enhances one’s understanding of Jewish national thought towards this woman, indeed her whole people:
My whole being loathes two nations,
the third is not even a people:
Those who live in Seir and Philista,
and the degenerate folk who dwell in Shechem.
Sirach 50:25-26
4:10, Gift. ~ Grk: dōrean (St’s #G1431) a gratuity, from dōron: a present, specifically a sacrifice. John uses this word only here in the Fourth Gospel. It emphasizes the grace of God through Christ. Living water. ~ Jesus continues the “water” theme He began in ch 2. (Also, see ch’s 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 19, 21.) Here the true subject is the Holy Ghost (see ch 7:37-39 and notes).
Apostolically Speaking,
Bp. J. L. Hayes, D.D.
"The Gospel According to John, An Introduction"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-gospel-according-to-john.html
"Prologue To John's Gospel, 1:1-18, (Part I)"
http://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/05/john-and-logos.html
"Prologue To John's Gospel, 1:1-18 (Part II)"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/05/prologue-to-johns-gospel-11-18-part-ii.html
"The Baptist Witnesses Of Himself, 1:19-28"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-baptist-witnesses-of-himself.html
"The Baptist Witnesses Of Christ, 1:29-34"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-baptist-witnesses-to-christ.html
"The First Disciples, 1:35-51"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-first-disciples.html
"The Wedding of Cana, 2:1-11"
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-wedding-at-cana.html
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4EXSWA2A47ARC
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