Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 4:27-33

"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?" — John 4:27-33 (ASV)

1. After presenting the teaching on spiritual water, the Evangelist now deals with its effect.

   First, he presents the effect itself.

   Second, he elaborates on it, beginning with the words, in the meantime, the disciples pleaded with him.

   The effect of this teaching is its fruit for those who believe.

   First, we have its fruit for the disciples, who were surprised at Christ’s conduct.

   Second, we see its fruit in the woman, who proclaimed Christ’s power, beginning with the words, the woman therefore left her waterpot.

2. We are told three things about the disciples. First, their return to Christ. The Evangelist says, and immediately his disciples came, returning at this point. As Chrysostom reminds us, it was very fitting that the disciples returned after Christ had revealed himself to the woman, since this shows us that all events are regulated by divine providence: he made the small and the great, and takes care for all alike ; there is a time and a plan for everything (Ecclesiastes 8:6).

3. Second, we see their surprise at what Christ was doing; he says, they wondered that he talked with the woman. They were amazed at what was good; and as Augustine says, they did not suspect any evil.

   They were amazed at two things. First, at the extraordinary gentleness and humility of Christ, for the Lord of the world stooped to speak for a long time with a poor woman, giving us an example of humility: be friendly to the poor .

   Second, they were amazed that he was speaking with a Samaritan and a foreigner, for they did not know the mystery by which this woman was a symbol of the Church of the Gentiles. Christ sought the Gentiles, for he came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10).

4. Third, we see the disciples’ reverence for Christ, shown by their silence. For we show our reverence for God when we do not presume to discuss his affairs: it is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out (Proverbs 25:2). So the Evangelist says that although his disciples were surprised, yet no man said: what do you seek? or, why do you talk with her? As Scripture says, Hear in silence, and for your reverence good grace will come to you .

   Yet the disciples had been so trained to observe order, because of their reverence and filial fear toward Christ, that they would occasionally question him about matters that concerned them. That is, they would ask when Christ said things relating to them that were beyond their understanding: young men, speak if you have to . At other times, in matters that were not their business, as in this case, they did not question him.

5. Then, with the words the woman therefore left her waterpot and went into the city, we see the fruit of Christ's teaching in the woman. By what she said to her people, she was taking on the role of an apostle. From what she says and does, we can learn three things:

   • Her affective devotion.
   • Her way of preaching, shown in the words, come, and see a man who has told me all things whatsoever that I have done.
   • The effect her preaching had, seen when they went out of the city and came to him.

6. Her affection is revealed in two ways. First, her devotion was so great that she forgot why she had come to the well, leaving without the water and her water jar. So he says, the woman therefore left her waterpot and went into the city to announce all the wonders Christ had done. She was no longer concerned for her own bodily comfort but for the welfare of others. In this respect she was like the apostles, who, leaving their nets, followed the Lord (Matthew 4:20).

   The water jar is a symbol of worldly desires, by which people draw pleasures from the depths of darkness—symbolized by the well—that is, from a worldly way of life. Accordingly, those who abandon worldly desires for the sake of God leave their water jars: no soldier of God becomes entangled in the business of this world (2 Timothy 2:4).

   Second, we see her affection from the great number of those to whom she brings the news: not to just one or two, but to the entire town. We read that she went into the city. This signifies the duty Christ gave to the apostles: go, teach all nations (Matthew 28:19); and, I have appointed you, that you should go, and should bear fruit (John 15:16).

7. Next we see her manner of preaching, beginning with the words and said to the men there. She first invites them to see Christ, saying, come, and see a man. Although she had heard Christ say that he was the Christ, she did not immediately tell the people that they should come to the Christ, or believe, so as not to give them a reason for scoffing. So at first she mentions things that were believable and evident about Christ, such as that he was a man: made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:7). Neither did she say, "believe," but come, and see. She was convinced that if they were to taste from that well by seeing him, they would be affected in the same way she was: come, and I will tell you the great things he has done for me (Psalms 66:16). In this she imitates the example of a true preacher, not calling people to himself, but to Christ: what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5).

8. Second, she mentions a clue to Christ’s divinity, saying, who has told me all things whatsoever that I have done, that is, how many husbands she had had. For it is the function and sign of divinity to disclose hidden things and the secrets of hearts. Although the things she had done would cause her shame, she is still not ashamed to mention them. For as Chrysostom says, when the soul is on fire with the divine fire, it no longer pays attention to earthly things, neither to glory nor to shame, but only to that flame that holds it fast.

9. Third, she infers the greatness of Christ, saying, is it possible that he is the Christ? She did not dare to say that he was the Christ, lest she seem to be trying to teach them; they could have become angry at this and refused to go with her. Yet she was not entirely silent on this point. Submitting it to their judgment, she presented it in the form of a question, saying, is it possible that he is the Christ? For this is an easier way to persuade someone.

10. This woman, who is of the humblest condition, signifies the manner of the apostles' preaching, because as it is said: not many of you are learned in the worldly sense, not many powerful... but God chose the simple ones of the world to embarrass the wise (1 Corinthians 1:26). Thus the apostles are called handmaids: she, divine wisdom, i.e., the Son of God, sent out her handmaids, the apostles, to summon to the tower (Proverbs 9:3).

11. The fruit of her preaching is given when the Evangelist says, therefore they went out of the city and came to meet Christ. We see by this that if we desire to come to Christ, we must set out from the city, that is, leave behind our carnal desires: let us go out to him outside the camp, bearing the abuse he took (Hebrews 13:13).

12. Now, beginning with the words in the meantime, the disciples pleaded with him, the effect of this spiritual teaching is elaborated.

    • First, by what Christ said to his disciples.
    • Second, by the effect of all this on the Samaritans, as seen in the verse, now many of the Samaritans of that city believed in him (John 4:39).

    Concerning the first point, he does two things.

    • First, we have the situation in which Christ speaks to his disciples.
    • Second, what he said, beginning with but he said to them: I have food to eat, which you do not know.

13. The occasion for this teaching arose from the apostles' insistence that Christ eat. He says, meanwhile, that is, between the time that Christ and the woman spoke and the Samaritans came, his disciples pleaded with him, that is, with Christ, saying: Rabbi, eat. They thought that then was a good time to eat, before the crowds came from the city. For the disciples did not usually offer Christ food in the presence of strangers; so we read that so many people came to him that he did not even have time to eat (Mark 6:31).

14. After presenting the situation, he gives its fruit, starting with the words, but he said to them: I have food to eat, which you do not know.

    • First, it is given in figurative language.
    • Second, we see the disciples are slow in understanding this, as shown when the disciples therefore said to one another.
    • Third, the Lord explains what he meant, saying, Jesus said to them: my food is to do the will of him who sent me (John 4:34).

15. The fruit of his spiritual teaching is presented under the symbols of food and nourishment, so the Lord says, I have food to eat. We should note that just as bodily nourishment is incomplete unless there is both food and drink, so also both should be found in spiritual nourishment: the Lord fed him with the bread of life and understanding—this is the food—and gave him a drink of the water of saving wisdom—and this is the drink . So it was appropriate for Christ to speak of food after having given drink to the Samaritan woman. And just as water is a symbol for saving wisdom, so food is a symbol of good works.

    The food that Christ had to eat is the salvation of humanity; this was what he desired. When he says that he has food to eat, he shows how great a desire he has for our salvation. For just as we desire to eat when we are hungry, so he desires to save us: my delight is to be with the children of men (Proverbs 8:31). So he says, I have food to eat, i.e., the conversion of the nations, which you do not know, for they had no way of knowing beforehand about this conversion of the nations.

16. Origen explains this in a different way. It follows from the connection between spiritual food and bodily food. The same amount of bodily food is not enough for everyone; some need more, others less. Again, what is good for one is harmful to another.

    The same thing happens in spiritual nourishment, for the same kind and amount should not be given to everyone, but should be adjusted to what is appropriate for the disposition and capacity of each. Like newborn babes, desire spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2).

    Solid food is for the perfect. Thus Origen says that the person who understands the loftier doctrine, and who has charge of others in spiritual matters, can teach this doctrine to those who are weaker and have less understanding. Accordingly, the Apostle says: being little ones in Christ, I gave you milk, not solid food (1 Corinthians 3:2). And Jesus could say this with much more truth: "I have food to eat," and, I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now (John 16:12).

17. The slowness of the disciples to understand these matters is implied by the fact that what our Lord said about spiritual food, they understood as referring to bodily food. For even they were still without understanding (Matthew 15:16).

    The disciples therefore said to one another: has anyone brought him something to eat? It is not surprising that this Samaritan woman did not understand about spiritual water, for even the Jewish disciples did not understand about spiritual food.

    In their saying to each other, has anyone brought him something to eat? we should note that it was customary for Christ to accept food from others. This was not because he needs our goods—he does not need our goods (Psalms 16:2)—nor our food, because it is he who gives food to every living thing.

18. Then why did he desire and accept goods from others?

    He did so for two reasons. First, so that those who give him these things might acquire merit. Second, in order to give us the example that those engrossed in spiritual matters should not be ashamed of their poverty, nor regard it as burdensome to be supported by others.

    For it is fitting that teachers have others provide their food so that, being free from such concerns, they may carefully pay attention to the ministry of the word, as Chrysostom says, and as we find in the Gloss. Let the elders who rule well be regarded as worthy of a double compensation, especially those concerned with preaching and teaching (1 Timothy 5:17).