John Gill Commentary John 4

When therefore our Lord knew
Or Jesus, as some copies, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read; who is Lord of all, Lord of lords, the one and only Lord of saints: and who knew all things as God; every man, and what is in man; who would believe in him, and who not, and who would betray him; he knew his adversaries, what they thought, said, or did; what was told them, and how it operated in them; and what were the secret motions of their hearts, and their most private counsels and designs; for this is not merely to be understood of his knowledge as man, which he might have by private intelligence from others; though what is here said, might be true also in this sense:

how the Pharisees ;
the inveterate and implacable enemies of Christ, and particularly those that dwelt at Jerusalem, and were of the great sanhedrim, or council of the nation:

had heard ;
either by their spies, which they constantly kept about Christ; or by John s disciples, who, through envy, might apply to the sanhedrim, to put a stop to, or check upon the baptism and ministry of Christ; or by common fame:

that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John ;
see (John 3:26) . The method Christ took was, he first made men disciples, and then baptized them; and the same he directed his apostles to, saying, "go and teach", or "disciple all nations, baptizing them", &c. And this should be a rule of conduct to us, to baptize only such, who appear to have been made the disciples of Christ: now a disciple of Christ, is one that has learned of Christ, and has learned Christ; the way of life, righteousness, and salvation by him; who is a believer in him; who has seen a beauty, glory, fulness, and suitableness in him, as a Saviour; and is come to him, and has ventured on him, and trusted in him; and who has been taught to deny himself, sinful self, and righteous self; to part with his sins, and to renounce his own righteousness, and all dependence on it, for justification before God; and who has been made willing to leave and forsake all worldly things and advantages, and to bear all reproach, indignities, and persecutions, for Christ's sake.

And such who are Christ's disciples in this sense, are the only proper persons to be baptized; these are they, that ought to put on this badge, and wear Christ's livery: nor can baptism be of any use to any others; for such only are baptized into him, and into his death, and partake of the saving benefits of it; for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin; and without it also, it is impossible to please God.

Though Jesus himself baptized not And therefore as Nonnus observes, it was a false report that was made to the Pharisees; at least in part, so far as concerns the act of baptizing: though it may be this is observed, not so much to show the falsehood of that report, as to correct what is said of Christ's baptizing; lest it should be understood, as if he baptized in his own person; whereas he did not, that not so, well comporting with his greatness and majesty:

wherefore "the king did not baptize in water", as Nonnus expresses it, but left that for his disciples and servants to do; he has other and greater work to perform, as to preach the Gospel, and work miracles, heal diseases, cast out devils.

And besides, had another sort of baptism, of a more excellent nature to administer, namely, the baptism of the Spirit; and since water baptism is administered in his name, as well as in the name of the Father and of the Spirit, it does not seem that it would have been administered with that propriety by himself, in his own name;

add to which, as is also observed by others, it might have occasioned contentions and disputes among the baptized, had some, been baptized by Christ, and others by his disciples; the one valuing themselves on that account, above the others.

The Persic version indeed suggests, as if both Christ and his disciples baptized, rendering the words thus, "Jesus was not alone who baptized, but the disciples also baptized": whereas the truth of the matter is, that Christ did not baptize in water at all:

but his disciples ; they baptized in his name, and by his orders, such who were first made disciples by him.

He left Judaea
Where he had been for some time: at the feast of the passover he went up to Jerusalem, and after a short stay there, he came into the country part of Judea, where he tarried longer; and in both about the space of eight months; for it was now but four months to harvest, which began at the passover; see (John 2:13) (3:22) (4:35) . And now upon you Pharisees being made acquainted with his success in these parts, he leaves them; not through fear of them, but because he would not irritate and provoke them, and stir up their malice and envy against him, which might put them upon measures to seek to take away his life; whereas his time was not yet come, and he had other work to do elsewhere:

and departed again into Galilee ;
where he had spent the greatest part of his time, in private life; from where he came to Jordan unto John to be baptized by him; and after that went thither again, where he wrought his first miracle: and now having been in Judea some time, he removes to Galilee again; and of this journey of his thither, after the imprisonment of John, an account is given, in (Matthew 4:12Matthew 4:13) . The Persic version leaves out the word "again", and so do the Alexandrian copy, and many copies; but is by others retained, and very justly.

And he must needs go through Samaria . Not the city, but the country of Samaria; for the way to Galilee from Judea, lay through the midst of Samaria; nor was there any other way, without going a great way about; see (Luke 9:51Luke 9:52) (17:11) ; and which is also confirmed by Josephus ^F3 :

and this accounts for his going through Samaria, consistently with his forbidding his apostles going in the way of the Gentiles, or into any of the cities of the Samaritans; since here was a necessity for it, or otherwise he himself would not have gone, where he forbid his disciples; though the prohibition may be understood, not of barely going into a Samaritan city; for it was lawful for them, notwithstanding that, to go into one of them, as appears from (John 4:8) (Luke 9:52) ; but of going to preach there, (Matthew 10:5–7) .

And besides this necessity, there was another thing that lay upon him, and obliged him to take this tour, and that is, the calling and conversion of a certain woman, and other Samaritans, whom the Father had given to him, and he was to redeem by his blood; and the time of whose effectual calling was now come; and therefore he must needs go this way, and at this particular time.

The Arabic and Persic versions represent it, as a purpose and determination in his mind to go this way.

FOOTNOTES:

• F3: Antiqu. Jud. 50:20. c 5. & in vita sua, p. 1019.

Then comes he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar ,
&c.] Now called Neapolis ^F4 ; the same with "Sichem", or "Shechem", as appears from its situation,

near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph ;
see (Genesis 33:18Genesis 33:19) (48:22) (Joshua 24:32) ; and is either the same, only its termination is changed from "em" into "ar", as Achan into Achar, (1 Chronicles 2:7) .

Or it is a new name that was given it, and by which it went in the time of Christ; and might be so called, either from (rkwo) , "Socher", which signifies a grave; because here, Joseph and the rest of the patriarchs were buried, (Joshua 24:32) (Acts 7:16) . Or rather, it was a name of reproach, and so called, from (rkv) , "drunken"; since the Ephraimites, the posterity of Joseph, which dwelt in these parts, were infamous for the sin of drunkenness; see (Isaiah 28:1) . Hence "Sychar Sichem", is "drunken Sichem"; mention is made in the Talmud ^F5 , of a place called (arkyo) , "Sichra".

The "parcel of ground", or of a "field", as in (Genesis 33:19) (Joshua 24:32) , is in the Persic version, called "a vineyard"; and so Nonnus renders it, "a field planted with vines"; and which may serve to confirm the above conjecture, concerning "Sychar" being a nickname.

FOOTNOTES:

• F4: Hieron. Epitaph. Paulae, Tom. I. fol. 59. & R. Benjamin Itin. p. 38.
• F5: T. Bab. Bava Metzia, foi. 42. 1. & 83. 1. & Cholin, fol. 94.