Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 4:9-10

"The Samaritan woman therefore saith unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said unto 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." — John 4:9-10 (ASV)

Then says the woman of Samaria to him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask me for a drink, who am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me a drink; you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.

See, then, the evil of spiritual ignorance, and see also how the chain of grace works: If you knew..., you would have sought..., and he would have given. When God gives the knowledge of Christ to the soul, then there comes the spirit of prayer, and then consequent blessing.

Then says the woman of Samaria to him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God,

How much we lose through ignorance! Ignorance is often like a great stone laid upon the well, so that the flocks cannot be watered; blessed is everyone who helps to roll away that stone. It is a great thing to know the gift of God: If you knew the gift of God,—

Then the woman of Samaria says to him, How is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water.

See the deadly mischief of ignorance concerning spiritual things.

If she had known, she would have asked, and Christ would have given. But the first link was missing, and therefore the rest of the chain did not follow. Sometimes, all that people need is a little wise instruction, and they will then trust the Saviour; God grant that we may always be ready to give it!

Alas! There are some who need much more than that. But Christ could truly say to this Samaritan woman, If you had known, you would have asked, and I would have given.

O dear hearers, do not perish through ignorance! You have your Bibles; search them. You have a gospel ministry among you; take care that you listen diligently to what you hear from the servants of the Lord.