John 4:10

‘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 would have asked of him and he would have given you living water”.'

Jesus' reply was significant. “If you knew the gift of God ---”. In the light of John 3:16 this must mean Himself as God's gift to men, and stresses immediately that He is given to all men, Jew and non-Jew alike. God's love reaches out to the world in His giving of His Son, not only to Jews.

‘And Who it is Who says --'. This confirms that it was He Who was the gift of God. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Certainly it would indicate to the woman, even at this stage, something of His huge religious significance.

“You would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water”. He was saying that if only she knew who He was, and how extensive and all embracing was God's gift in giving Him, she would have asked and she would have received the water of eternal life springing up within her.

This picture of living water as a source of spiritual blessing is a familiar one in the prophets (Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 17:13; Zechariah 14:8 cf. Isaiah 44:3). So is the thought of a well or fountain giving life and deliverance (Psalms 36:9; Isaiah 12:3; Zechariah 13:1). Indeed the one who meditates on God's word day and night will be like a tree planted by rivers of water, producing abundant fruit (Psalms 1:2). The idea of spring water in a hot and dry land reminds us of its thirst quenching and reinvigorating power, something very true of the work of the Spirit in people's lives.

‘You would have asked of Him and He would have --'. So the same ‘eternal life' offered to Nicodemus, the highly respected Jewish councillor, is also available to the despised, lowly Samaritan woman on the same terms. ‘Ask and you will receive.'

Even more interesting is the thought that Jesus was saying that  He  was the One Who could give the Spirit (John 4:10; John 4:14), the One who works where He wills, to whoever came to Him. This was an indirect claim to deity (see Isaiah 40:13). He was confirming that He was the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit, and that the Spirit acted under His direction.

‘Living water' could also mean running water from, say, a spring, so the woman, confused, asked in puzzlement where He would get this running water from.