John 4
The woman at the well
Healing the son of the nobleman 46
Text Comments
.1  When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 
 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.
  1 - Pharisees ... Jesus ... more disciples than John Jesus went away v3 to avoid the divide-and-conquer plan of the Pharisees. Sometimes exercising our "rights" is harmful to our witness. Read jn0322 to the end of the chapter.
  2 - Baptized not Quite possibly to avoid people's feeling superior for having been baptized by Him.
  4 - Through Samaria Because Jews hated the Samaritans they generally took a longer route through the Jordan valley. Jesus traveled again through Samaria lu0951f.
  5 - Parcel See ge3318f.
.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.   Jacob's well The site known today is authentic. See on ge3318.
  Wearied John often writes of the physical nature of Jesus jn0114, jn1103, jn1133ff, jn1928, etc.
  Sixth hour Probably noon. A time when few people came to the well.
.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 [food].)
.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.
  7 - Woman of Samaria The place name identified her family origin. The city of Samaria was not close v5. See map although it doesn't show Sychar.
  7 - Give me to drink Jesus placed himself in the position of one to be helped thus opening a way of communication. She may have expected Him to turn the other way or to say something unkind. His request made her curious. Beginning here, He led her to want something better, He developed conviction, led her to recognize Him as the Messiah, and prompted her to action.
  9 - Samaritan For the origin of these people, see 2ki1713ff..
  9 - For ... no dealings Probably not the words of the woman. John often added explanations for his Greek readers.

.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.
 11  The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 

  10 - The gift of God Jesus had explained this to Nicodemus jn0316. Also 2co0915.
  10 - Living water ez4709. He was that water jn0737. And Jeremiah spoke of the "fountain of living waters." je0213, je1713. Compare is1203, re2201.
  11 - Sir She senses the importance of Jesus.
  11 - Deep Around 100 feet (30 m.) down.
  11 - From whence then? She likely thought He spoke of a spring.
.12  Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
.13  Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
.14  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
 15  The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
16  Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
17  The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
18  For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
  12 - Art thou greater? The Greek word for "thou" is emphatic. Compare jn0853.
  12 - Our father Jacob They considered themselves descendants of Jacob through Joseph in the same sense that the Jews claimed Abraham as their father. The area where Jacob's well was had been assigned to Joseph's descendants jos2432.
  13 - Thirst again We need more than a temporary relationship with Christ. Compare 2ki0220-22.
  14 - Whosoever drinketh Literally "whoever takes a drink." Shall never thirst - literally, "shall not not thirst into the ages." ("not" twice – different Greek words). We need to develop a sense of the coming eternity of joy.
  14 - Everlasting life See on jn0316.
  16 - Call thy husband Notice that Jesus did not directly respond to her question. Apparently she needed to develop a little more spiritual thirst. She also has sins to deal with ja0311f.
.19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
.20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
.21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
 22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
.23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
.24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
 25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
.26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
  19 - I perceive She realized that Jesus was not an ordinary person.
  20 - Our fathers ... and ye say She did an artful job trying to redirect the conversation.
  20 - This mountain ... Jerusalem Samaria was a region between the area of Jerusalem and Galilee in the time of Jesus v3,4. At the time of the divided kingdom Omri from Shemer established the city of Samaria as his capital of the Northern Kingdom 1ki1624.
  21 - Woman, believe me ... neither Jesus directs her thoughts above the meaningless ceremonies and "holy" places.
  22 - Salvation Notice Jesus' answer. The Jews knew the way of salvation – not that they were practicing it. He responded tactfully without giving the woman a wrong idea.
  24 - Worship him in spirit and in truth
In Spirit
In Truth
We accept the Spirit's miraculous, transforming power in our lives jn0308. Truth must be the rule of our actions jn0321, jn0333. and applied mt0503, mt0721, mr0706-9.
We worship God in reverence. We worship God in purity of life.
On true worship, see re1407e.
  25 - Messias cometh Her testimony of truth. Smaritans based their faith in Him on de1815ff.
  25 - Which is called Christ Apparently an added phrase. See on jn0138 "being ...."
  26 - I ... am He The point had come for this statement. The revelation should stir our hearts, too.
27  And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
.28  The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29  Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30  Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
.32  But he said unto them, I have meat [food] to eat that ye know not of.
33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
.34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
  27 - Marvelled Or "were surprised." Jewish rules declared no man should talk with women in public. It was also beneath the dignity of rabbis.
  28 - Left her waterpot It's hard to run with a heavy pot of water. She was putting faith into action. See on v7., verse 28.
  29 - Come see Jesus had used a kind and effective method to reach her, and the quiet influence of the Holy Spirit brought conviction. Of course that influence was also His influence. Similarly, Philip invited Nathaniel to come and see jn0316.
  30 - Out of the city ... unto him The well was outside the city. See v28
.35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors.
  35 - Cometh harvest See on mt0937
  36 - Reapeth receiveth wages Like the unrecognized food that Jesus had v34, all who work for souls bringing them to a commitment to Christ find greater joy than in eating. In heaven those who sowed the seeds for the salvation of souls will also rejoice.
  38 - I sent you Apparently in their ministry in Galilee jn0322. They would have been reaping from the work of John the Baptist. As a rule, many people directly and indirectly are used by the Holy Spirit to bring influence. 
.39  And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40  So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41  And many more believed because of his own word;
42  And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
  39 - Many ... Samaritans This was the initial group of followers. During the next two days more came v41. When the seventy traveled many others accepted Jesus. For other believers mentioned by John, see jn0731; jn0830, jn1042, jn1145, jn1242, and on jn0112.
  40 - Two days The rest of that day and the next.
  42 - Saviour See mt0121
See above. The words that Jesus spoke to His disciples, saying that the fields were white for the harvest, are addressed to every genuine Christian. We also are to look upon the fields, and see the necessities of men. The disciples were encouraged as they saw the readiness of the Samaritans to receive the truth. They had regarded this field as a very hard field, and yet they saw men acknowledging the words of the Master, and believing on Him for themselves. This lesson is for our encouragement as well, and while there are many who will not yield to the convicting power of God's Spirit, there are also many who are hungering for the words of light and salvation. Many will receive the truth, and testify as did the Samaritans that Christ is the Saviour of the world. In their turn they will become sowers of the seed of truth. We are to lift up our eyes and look upon the fields that are white already for the harvest. (The Southern Work, 1898, 1901).
 43 ¶ Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
 44  For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
 45  Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
  44 - Honor ... own country He was from Galilee and the next verse declares that He was well received. Reference would be to Nazareth mr06.
  45 - Into Galilee In v46 we see Cana as His destination. It was 8 miles (13 km.) further north than Nazareth.
.46  So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
 47  When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
 48  Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe [Literally, "not believe at all"].
 49  The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
 50  Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
  46 - Again to Canaan See John 2.
  48 - Except ye see signs Jesus read the man's heart. He gave the nobleman an opportunity to extend his faith and the man accepted it. There was no flash of light, no being slain in the "spirit," no electric felling or speaking gibberish – only the calm words of Jesus, "Go. Your son will live."
  The word, "ye," is plural. Jesus' comment classed the man with Jewish leaders and others.
51  And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
 52  Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
.53  So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
 54  This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.


  51 - Going down It really was down. From Cana to Capernaum is about 25 km. (16 mi.). Capernaum is below sea level. The elevation difference is from around +245 m (800 ft.) to -207 m (-680 ft.) a descent of 450 m (1500 ft.). See picture on the chapter 21 page.
Previous chapter
Next
John home
Commentary home