Previous Chapter|Next Chapter


4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
4:3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
4:5 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.
4:6 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.
4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
4:9 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.
4:10 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.
4:11 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?
4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
4:14 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.
4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
4:23 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.
4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
4:27 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?
4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
4:35 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.
4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
4:39 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.
4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
4:41 And many more believed because of his own word;
4:42 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.
4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
4:45 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.
4:46 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.
4:47 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.
4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
4:50 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.
4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
4:52 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.
4:53 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.
4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

Next Chapter

Everything King James Bible:John

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: John
Book: John
Chapter: 4

Overview:
Christ's departure into Galilee. (1-3) His discourse with the
Samaritan Woman. (4-26) The effects of Christ's Conversation
with the Woman of Samaria. (27-42) Christ heals the Nobleman's
son. (43-54)

1-3 Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more
excellent, 1Co 1:17, than to Baptism. He would Put honour upon
his disciples, By employing them to baptize. He teaches us that
the benefit of sacraments depends not On the Hand that
administers them.

4-26 There was great Hatred between the Samaritans and the
Jews. Christ's Road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria.
We should not go into places of Temptation but when we needs
must; and then must not Dwell in them, but hasten through them.
We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of
travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a Man. Toil came in
with Sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a Curse for us,
submitted to it. Also, he was a Poor Man, and went all his
journeys On foot. Being wearied, he sat thus On the Well; he had
No Couch to Rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with
travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like
the Son of God in such things as these. Christ asked a Woman for
water. She was surprised because he did not show the Anger of
his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderate men of all sides
are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teach her
Divine things: he converted this Woman, By showing her ignorance
and sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. By this living water
is meant the Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the
Messiah had been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of
the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that
knows its own nature and necessity. What Jesus spake
figuratively, she took literally. Christ shows that the water of
Jacob's Well yielded a very short satisfaction. Of whatever
waters of comfort we Drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever
partakes of the Spirit of Grace, and the comforts of the Gospel,
shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul.
Carnal hearts look No higher than Carnal ends. Give it me, saith
she, not that I may have Everlasting Life, which Christ
proposed, but that I come not hither to draw. The Carnal mind is
very ingenious in shifting off convictions, and keeping them
from fastening. But how closely our Lord Jesus brings home the
conviction to her Conscience! He severely reproved her present
state of Life. The Woman acknowledged Christ to be a Prophet.
The power of his Word in searching the Heart, and convincing the
Conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. It
should cool our contests, to think that the things we are
striving about are passing away. The object of Worship will
continue still the same, God, as a Father; but an End shall be
Put to all differences about the place of Worship. Reason
teaches us to consult decency and convenience in the places of
our Worship; but religion gives No preference to one place above
another, in respect of Holiness and approval with God. The Jews
were certainly in the right. Those who By the Scriptures have
obtained some knowledge of God, know whom they Worship. The Word
of Salvation was of the Jews. It came to other nations through
them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish Worship before the
Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be done
away. God was about to be revealed as the Father of all
believers in every nation. The Spirit or the soul of Man, as
influenced By the Holy Spirit, must Worship God, and have
Communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent
prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, form the Worship of
an upright Heart, in which God delights and is glorified. The
Woman was disposed to leave the matter undecided, till the
coming of the Messiah. But Christ told her, I that speak to
thee, am He. She was an Alien and a hostile Samaritan, merely
speaking to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus. Yet to
this Woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he
had done to any of his disciples. No past sins can Bar our
acceptance with him, if we humble ourselves before him,
believing in him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

27-42 The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a
Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for
some good End. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the
Word and Providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that
all is Well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected
the Woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the
thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And
the power of his Word. He told her secret sins with power. She
fastened upon that part of Christ's discourse, many would think
she would have been most shy of repeating; but the knowledge of
Christ, into which we are led By conviction of Sin, is most
likely to be sound and saving. They came to him: those who would
know Christ, must meet him where he records his name. Our Master
has left us an Example, that we may learn to do the will of God
as he did; with diligence, as those that make a business of it;
with delight and pleasure in it. Christ compares his work to
Harvest-work. The Harvest is appointed and looked for before it
comes; So was the Gospel. Harvest-time is busy time; all must be
then at work. Harvest-time is a short time, and Harvest-work
must be done then, or not at all; So the time of the Gospel is a
season, which if once past, cannot be recalled. God sometimes
uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and
carrying On a good work. Our Saviour, By teaching one Poor
Woman, spread knowledge to a whole town. Blessed are those who
are not offended at Christ. Those taught of God, are truly
desirous to learn more. It adds much to the praise of our Love
to Christ and his Word, if it conquers prejudices. Their Faith
grew. In the matter of it: they believed him to be the Saviour,
not only of the Jews but of the world. In the certainty of it:
we know that this is indeed the Christ. And in the ground of it,
for we have heard him ourselves.

43-54 The Father was a Nobleman, yet the son was sick. Honours
and titles are No security from sickness and Death. The greatest
men must go themselves to God, must become beggars. The Nobleman
did not stop from his request till he prevailed. But at first he
discovered the weakness of his Faith in the power of Christ. It
is hard to persuade ourselves that distance of time and place,
are No hinderance to the knowledge, Mercy, and power of our Lord
Jesus. Christ gave an answer of peace. Christ's saying that the
soul lives, makes it alive. The Father went his way, which
showed the sincerity of his Faith. Being satisfied, he did not
hurry home that night, but returned as one easy in his own mind.
His servants met him with the news of the Child's recovery. Good
news will meet those that Hope in God's Word. Diligent comparing
the Works of Jesus with his Word, will confirm our Faith. And
the bringing the cure to the family brought Salvation to it.
Thus an experience of the power of one Word of Christ, may
settle the authority of Christ in the soul. The whole family
believed likewise. The Miracle made Jesus dear to them. The
knowledge of Christ still spreads through families, and men find
health and Salvation to their souls.

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.