Matthew Henry Commentary John 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 4
Matthew Henry Commentary
John 4
"When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judea, and departed again into Galilee." — John 4:1-3 (ASV)
Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more excellent (1 Corinthians 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.
"And he must needs pass through Samaria. So he cometh to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph: and Jacob`s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy food. 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. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said unto him, I have no husband. Jesus saith unto her, Thou saidst well, I have no husband: for thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: this hast thou said truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father. Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ): when he is come, he will declare unto us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am [he]." — John 4:4-26 (ASV)
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 except when we absolutely must; and then we must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. Here we have our Lord Jesus experiencing the common fatigue of travelers. 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 weary, He sat down on the well; He had no couch to rest upon. He sat down in this way, as people weary from traveling sit. Surely, we should readily 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 on all sides are marveled 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 Savior. 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 spoke figuratively, she took literally. Christ shows that the water of Jacob's well yielded a very short satisfaction. Whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again.
But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace, and the comforts of the gospel, will never lack what will abundantly satisfy his soul. Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. "Give it to me," she said, "not that I may have everlasting life, which Christ proposed, but that I do not come here to draw." The carnal mind is very ingenious in deflecting convictions and keeping them from taking hold.
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 to be the same, God, as a Father; but an end will 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 regarding 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 came from the Jews. It came to other nations through them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish worship over the Samaritan, yet here He speaks of the former as soon to pass 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 until 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 He had yet 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 Savior of the world.
"And upon this came his disciples; and they marvelled that he was speaking with a woman; yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why speakest thou with her? So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people, Come, see a man, who told me all things that [ever] I did: can this be the Christ? They went out of the city, and were coming to him. In the mean while the disciples prayed him, saying, Rabbi, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not. The disciples therefore said one to another, Hath any man brought him [aught] to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh the harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white already unto harvest. He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. For herein is the saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye have not labored: others have labored, and ye are entered into their labor. And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things that [ever] I did. So when the Samaritans came unto him, they besought him to abide with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his word; and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world." — John 4:27-42 (ASV)
The disciples wondered that Christ talked so with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason and for some good end. So, 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. First, the extent of His knowledge: Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions of all people. Second, the power of His word: He told her secret sins with power. She focused on that part of Christ's discourse which many would think she would have been most reluctant to repeat; 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 want to know Christ must meet Him where He records His name. Our Master has left us an example, so that we may learn to do the will of God as He did; with diligence, as those who make it their business; 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 a busy time; all must then be 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 passed, cannot be recalled. God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and carrying on a good work.
Our Savior, 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 eager 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 Savior, 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.
"And after the two days he went forth from thence into Galilee. For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honor in his own country. So when he came into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did in Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast. He came therefore again unto Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. 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. Jesus therefore said unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word that Jesus spake unto him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, saying, that his son lived. So he inquired of them the hour when he began to amend. They said therefore unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that [it was] at that hour in which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second sign that Jesus did, having come out of Judaea into Galilee." — John 4:43-54 (ASV)
The father was a nobleman, yet the son was sick. Honors 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 until 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 hindrance 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 who hope in God's word. Diligent comparing the works of Jesus with his word will confirm our faith. And the bringing of 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.
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