Therefore. Pointing back to John 3:22, and the controversy which arose about the two baptisms. The Lord. See on Matthew 21:3. Knew [ε γ ν ω], or perceived. See on 2 24. Pharisees. John never alludes to the Sadducees by name. The Pharisees represented the opposition to Jesus, the most powerful and... [ Continue Reading ]
Though [κ α ι τ ο ι γ ε]. Literally, and yet. The report of Jesus ' baptizing brought to the Baptist by his disciples is corrected. Baptized. The imperfect tense : it was not His practice to baptize.... [ Continue Reading ]
He left [α φ η κ ε]. The verb means literally to send away, dismiss. It is used of forgiving offenses (Matthew 6:43; James 5:15); of yielding up (Matthew 27:50); of letting alone (Matthew 19:14); of allowing or permitting (Luke 6:12). See on these passages. Its employment here is peculiar. Compare J... [ Continue Reading ]
Must needs. Because this was the natural route from Jerusalem to Galilee. Possibly with a suggestion of the necessity arising from the Father's will. John does not put this as a mission undertaken to the Samaritans. Jesus observed the law which He imposed on His disciples (Matthew 10:5).... [ Continue Reading ]
Then [ο υ ν]. Not a particle of time, but of logical connection. Therefore, going by this route, He must needs, etc. City. Not implying a place of great size or importance. Compare John 11:54; Matthew 2:23. Sychar. Commonly identified with Schechem, the modern Nablous, and regarded as a corruption... [ Continue Reading ]
Well [π η γ η]. Strictly, spring. The word for cistern or well is frear, which John uses at vv. 11, 12. Elsewhere in the New Testament always of a pit. See Luke 14:5; Revelation 9:1; Revelation 9:2. There is no mention of Jacob's Well in the Old Testament. The traditional well still remains. "At the... [ Continue Reading ]
A woman. Held in low esteem by the popular teachers; a Samaritan, and therefore despised by the Jews; poor, for drawing water was not, as in earlier times, performed by women of station (Genesis 24:15; Genesis 29:9). Of Samaria. Literally, out of Samaria [ε κ]. Not of the city of Samaria, which was... [ Continue Reading ]
The woman of Samaria [η γ υ ν η η σ α μ α ρ ε ι τ ι ς]. Differently expressed from the same phrase in the preceding verse. Literally, the woman the Samaritan. Here the distinctive character of the woman, as indicated by the race, is emphasized. Askest [α ι τ ε ι ς]. See on Matthew 14:23. Have no de... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou knewest, etc. Answering rather something latent in the question than the question itself, as in Jesus ' first answer to Nicodemus. The gift [δ ω ρ ε α ν]. Only here in the Gospels, though Luke uses it in Acts four times, and the kindred adverb, dwrhma, freely, is found once in Matthew. The w... [ Continue Reading ]
To draw with [α ν τ λ η μ α]. The noun means what is drawn, the act of drawing, and the thing to draw with. Here the bucket, of skin, with three cross sticks at the mouth to keep it open, and let down by a goat's - hair rope. Not to be confounded with the water - pot [υ δ ρ ι α] of ver. 28. The word... [ Continue Reading ]
Art thou greater [μ η σ υ μ ε ι ζ ω ν]. The interrogative particle indicates that a negative answer is expected : Surely thou art not. The su, thou, first in the sentence, is emphatic, and possibly with a shade of contempt. Our father Jacob. The Samaritans claimed descent from Joseph, as representi... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever drinketh [π α ς ο π ι η]. Literally, every one that drinketh. So Rev.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever drinketh [ο ς δ α ν π ι η]. So Rev.. The A. V. renders the two expressions in the same way, but there is a difference in the pronouns, indicated, though very vaguely, by every one that and whosoever, besides a more striking difference in the verb drinketh. In the former case, the article w... [ Continue Reading ]
Husband [α ν δ ρ α]. See on 1 30.... [ Continue Reading ]
Well [κ α λ ω ς]. Aptly, truly. Compare John 8:48; Matthew 14:7; Luke 20:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
I perceive [θ ε ω ρ ω]. See on 1 18. Not immediate perception, but rather, I perceive as I observe thee longer and more carefully. A prophet. See on Luke 7:26. The order is a prophet art thou; the emphasis being on prophet.... [ Continue Reading ]
Our fathers. Probably meaning the ancestors of the Samaritans, as far back as the building of the temple on Mount Gerizim in the time of Nehemiah. This temple had been destroyed by John Hyrcanus, 129 B. C., but the place remained holy, and to this day the Samaritans yearly celebrate there the feast... [ Continue Reading ]
The hour cometh [ε ρ χ ε τ α ι ω ρ α]. Rather an hour. There is no article. Is coming; is even now on its way. Shall ye worship [π ρ ο σ κ υ ν η σ ε τ ε]. See on Acts 10:25. The word was used indefinitely in ver. 20. Here with the Father, thus defining true worship. The Father. This absolute use of... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye know not what [ο ο υ κ ο ι δ α τ ε]. Literally, what ye know not. Rev., rightly, that which ye know not. Compare Acts 17:23, where the correct reading is o, what, instead of on, whom : "what therefore ye worship in ignorance." This worship of the unknown is common to vulgar ignorance and to philo... [ Continue Reading ]
And now is. This could not be added in ver. 21, because local worship was not yet abolished; but it was true as regarded the true worship of the Father by His true worshippers, for Jesus was already surrounded by a little band of such, and more were soon to be added (vv. 39 - 42). Bengel says that t... [ Continue Reading ]
God is a Spirit [π ν ε υ μ α ο θ ε ο ς]. Or, as Rev., in margins, God is spirit. Spirit is the emphatic word; Spirit is God. The phrase describes the nature, not the personality of God. Compare the expressions, God is light; God is love (1 John 1:5; 1 John 4:8).... [ Continue Reading ]
Messiah cometh. The woman uses the Jewish name, which was known in Samaria. The Samaritans also expected the Messiah, basing their hopes on such Scriptures as Genesis 3:15; Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; Deuteronomy 18:15. They looked for Him to restore the kingdom of Israel and to re - establish the... [ Continue Reading ]
I - am He [ε ι μ ι]. Literally, I am. The less political conception of the Samaritan Messiah made it possible for Jesus to announce Himself to the woman without fear of being misunderstood as He was by the Jews. Compare Matthew 8:4; Matthew 16:20. This incident furnishes a notable illustration of o... [ Continue Reading ]
Came - marvelled [η λ θ α ν - ε θ α υ μ α ζ ο ν]. The tense of each verb is different : the aorist, came, marking as in a single point of time the disciples ' arrival, and the imperfect, they were wondering, marking something continued : they stood and contemplated him talking with the woman, and al... [ Continue Reading ]
Water - pot. See on 2 6.... [ Continue Reading ]
All things. Jesus ' insight in the one case convinced her that He knew everything, and to her awakened conscience it seemed as though He had told everything. Is not this the Christ [μ η τ ι ε σ τ ι ν] ? Rather, as Rev., can this be. The particle suggests a negative answer. Surely this cannot be, ye... [ Continue Reading ]
Then. Omit. Went out - came unto Him [ε ξ η λ θ ο ν - η ρ χ ο ν τ ο π ρ ο ς α υ τ ο ν]. Went out is the aorist tense, denoting the coming forth from the city as a single act at a point of time. Came is the imperfect, denoting action in progress. The observance of the distinction makes the narrative... [ Continue Reading ]
Meat (brwsin). Originally the act of eating (Colossians 2:16), but often of that which is eaten. A parallel is found in the vulgar phrase, a thing is good or poor eating. The word is always used by Paul in its original sense. Know not of [ο υ κ ο ι δ α τ ε]. Incorrect. Rev., rightly, ye know not; i... [ Continue Reading ]
Said [ε λ ε γ ο ν]. Imperfect tense : began to say, or were saying. The question was discussed among them. One to another. Fearing to ask Jesus.... [ Continue Reading ]
Meat [β ρ ω μ α]. A different word from that in ver. 32, signifying what is eaten. To do [ι ν α π ο ι ω]. Literally, in order that I do. Emphasizing the end and not the process. Frequently so used in John. See on 3 19. Finish [π ε λ ε ι ω σ ω]. Better, as Rev., accomplish. Not merely bring to an en... [ Continue Reading ]
Say not ye. In what follows, Jesus is contrasting the natural harvest - time with the spiritual, which was immediately to take place in the ingathering of the Samaritans. Ye is emphatic, marking what the disciples expect according to the order of nature. As you look on these green fields between Eba... [ Continue Reading ]
Herein [ε ν τ ο υ τ ω]. Literally, in this. In this relation between sower and reaper. Is that saying true [ο λ ο γ ο ς ε σ τ ι ν ο α λ η θ ι ν ο ς]. Rev., properly, the saying; the common proverb. True : not only says the truth, but the saying is completely fulfilled according to the ideal in the... [ Continue Reading ]
I sent [ε γ ω α π ε σ τ ε ι λ α]. The I is emphatic. The aorist tense points back to the mission of the disciples as involved in their original call. Other men. Jesus himself and all who had prepared the way for Him, such as John the Baptist. Labored [κ ε κ ο π ι α κ α σ ι]. The perfect tense. Rev.... [ Continue Reading ]
The saying [τ ο ν λ ο γ ο ν]. Rev., better, the word. It does not refer merely to the woman's statement, He told me, etc., but to her whole testimony [μ α ρ τ υ ρ ο υ σ η ς] concerning Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
To tarry [μ ε ι ν α ι]. Better, as Rev., to abide.... [ Continue Reading ]
Many more [π ο λ λ ω π λ ε ι]. Literally, more by much; i e., far more, with reference to the simple polloi, many, in ver. 39.... [ Continue Reading ]
Said [ε λ ε γ ο ν]. The imperfect tense : said to the woman as they successively met her. Saying [λ α λ ι α ν]. Another word is designedly substituted for logon, word (vv. 39, 41). In ver. 39 logov, word, is used of the woman, from the Evangelist's standpoint, as being a testimony to Christ. Here t... [ Continue Reading ]
For - in His own country [γ α ρ - ε ν τ η ι δ ι α π α τ ρ ι δ ι]. For assigns the reason why Jesus went into Galilee. By His own country, Judaea seems to... [ Continue Reading ]