Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 4:10

"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 4:10 (ASV)

There was a trace of sarcasm in the woman’s reply, as if she meant, “We Samaritans are the dirt under your feet until you want something; then we are good enough!” Jesus paid no attention to her flippancy or to her bitterness. He was more interested in winning the woman than in winning an argument. He appealed to her curiosity by the phrase “If you knew,” implying that because of the nature of his person he could bestow on her a gift of God that would be greater than any ordinary water. His allusion was intended to lift her level of thinking from that of material need to spiritual realities.