John 4:27

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 all the while were wondering at it.

He talked [ε λ α λ ε ι]. The imperfect tense, he was speaking. So Rev..

The woman. Rev., correctly, a woman. They were surprised, not at his talking with that woman, but that their teacher should converse with any woman in public. The Rabbinical writings taught that it was beneath a man's dignity to converse with women. It was one of the six things which a Rabbi might not do. "Let no one," it is written, "converse with a woman in the street, not even with his own wife." It was also held in these writings that a woman was incapable of profound religious instruction. "Rather burn the sayings of the law than teach them to women."