Albert Barnes Commentary John 4:12

"Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" — John 4:12 (ASV)

Art thou greater? Are you wiser, or better able to find water, than Jacob was? It seems that she supposed he meant he could direct her to some living spring, or to some better well in that region, and that this implied more knowledge or skill than Jacob had.

To find water and to furnish a good well was undoubtedly considered a matter of notable skill and success. It was a subject of great importance in that region.

This shows how ready sinners are to misunderstand the words of Christ and to pervert the doctrines of religion. If she had had any proper anxiety about her soul, she would at least have suspected that he meant to direct her thoughts to spiritual objects.

Our father Jacob. The Samaritans were composed partly of the remnant of the ten tribes, and partly of people sent from Chaldea; still, they considered themselves descendants of Jacob.

Which gave us. This was undoubtedly the tradition, though there is no evidence that it was true.

And drank thereof, etc. This was added in commendation of the water of the well. A well from which Jacob, and his sons, and cattle had drunk must be pure, and wholesome, and honored, and quite as valuable as any that Jesus could furnish.

People like to commend what their ancestors used as superior to anything else. The world over, people love to speak of what their ancestors have done and boast of titles and honors that have been handed down from them, even if it is nothing better than what existed here—because Jacob's cattle had drunk of the water.