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9. No dealings with the Samaritans. For an account of the Samaritans, and of the differences between them and the Jews, see Note, Matt. x. 5.

11 The woman saith unto him Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said unto c Is.12.3. 41.17,18. Je.2.13. Zec.13.1. 14 8. Re 22.17.

whence he could obtain the water. The well is deep. If the same one that is there now, it was about an hundred feet deep.

10. The gift of God. The word gift 12. Art thou greater. Art thou wiser here denotes favor. It may refer to or better able to find water than Jacob Jesus himself as the gift of God to the was. It seems that she supposed he world, given to save men from death meant that he could direct her to some (ch. iii. 16), or it may refer to the op- living spring, or to some better well in portunity then afforded her of seeking that region, and that this implied more salvation. If thou knewest how favor- knowledge or skill than Jacob had. To able an opportunity God now gives thee find water, and to furnish a good well, to gain a knowledge of himself, &c. was doubtless considered a matter of ¶ And who it is, &c. If thou knewest signal skill and success. It was a subthat the Messiah was speaking. ¶ Liv- ject of great importance in that region. ing water. The Jews used the expres- This shows how ready sinners are to sion living water to denote springs, or misunderstand the words of Christ, and fountains, or running streams, in oppo-to pervert the doctrines of religion. If sition to dead and stagnant water. Jesus here means to denote by it his doctrine, or his grace and religion, in opposition to the impure and dead notions of the Jews and the Samaritans. See This was one of the many instances in which Jesus took occasion from common topics of conversation to introduce religious discourse. None ever did it so happily as he did. But by studying his example and manner,dition, though there is no evidence that we may learn always to do it. One it was true. ¶ And drank thereof, &c.

ver. 14.

way to acquire the art is to have the mind full of the subject, to make religion our first and main thing, to carry it with us into all employments and into all society, to look upon every thing in a religious light, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak.

11. Hast nothing to draw with. It Beems that there were no means of drawing water affixed to the well as with us. Probably each one took a pail or pitcher and a cord for the purpose. In travelling this was indispensable. The woman seeing that Jesus had no means of drawing water, and not yet understanding his design, naturally inquired

she had had any proper anxiety about her soul, she would at least have suspected that he meant to direct her thoughts to spiritual objects. Our father Jacob. The Samaritans were composed partly of the remnant of the ten tribes, and partly of people sent from Chaldea. Still they considered themselves descendants of Jacob. ¶ Which gave us. This was doubtless the tra

This was added in commendation of the water of the well. A well from which Jacob and his sons and cattle had drunk must be pure, and wholesome, and honored, and quite as valuable as any that Jesus could furnish. Men like to commend that which their ancestors used, as superior to any thing else. The world over, people love to speak of that which their ancestors have done, become fond of titles and honors that have been handed down, even if it is nothing better than existed here, because Jacob's cattle had drunk of the

water.

13. Shall thirst agai.. Jesus did not directly answer her question, or sar

her, Whosoever arinketh of this well of water springing up into everlasting life.

water shall thirst again :

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a c.6.35,58.

hat he was greater than Jacob, but he gave her an answer by which she might infer that he was. He did not despise or undervalue Jacob or his gifts. But however great might be the value of that well, the water could not altogether remove thirst.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

b c.17.2,3. Ro.6.23. c c.7.38. deep well, but like an ever-living fountain that plays at all seasons of the year, in heat and cold, and in all external circumstances of weather, whether foul or fair, wet or dry. So religior. always lives; and amidst all changes of external circumstances-in heat and 14. The water that I shall give him. cold, hunger and thirst, prosperity and Jesus here refers without doubt to his affliction, life, persecution, contempt, or teaching, his grace, his spirit, and the death, it still lives on, and refreshes and benefits which come into the soul that cheers the soul. f Into everlasting life. embraces his gospel. It is a striking It is not temporary like the supply of image, and especially in eastern coun- the natural wants. It is not changing tries where there are vast deserts and in its nature. It is not like a natural often a great want of water. The soul | fountain or spring of water, to play by nature is like such a desert, or like awhile and then die away, as all natural a traveller wandering through such a springs will at the end of the world. It desert. It is thirsting for happiness, is eternal in its nature and supply, and and seeking it every where, and finds it will continue to live on for ever. We not. It looks in all directions, tries all may learn here : 1st. That the Christian objects, but in vain. Nothing meets its has a never-failing source of consoladesires. Though a sinner seeks for tion adapted to all times and circum joy in wealth and pleasures, yet he is stances. 2d. That religion has its seat not satisfied. He still thirsts for more, in the heart, and that it should conand seeks still for happiness in some stantly live there. 3d. That it sheds new enjoyment. To such a weary and its blessings on a world of sin, and is unsatisfied sinner the grace of Christ is manifest by a continual life of piety, as cold waters to a thirsty soul. Shall like a constant bubbling spring. 4th never thirst. He shall be satisfied with That its end is everlasting life. It will this; and will not have a sense of want, continue for ever; and whosoever drinks a distressing feeling that it is not adapt- of this shall never thirst, but his piety ed to him. He who drinks this will not shall be in his heart a pure fountain wish to seek for happiness in other springing up to everlasting life. objects. Satisfied with the grace of Christ, he will not desire the pleasures and amusements of this world. And this will be for ever-in this world and the world to come. Whosoever drinketh of this; all who partake of the gospel shall be for ever satisfied with its pure and rich joys. Shall be in him. The grace of Christ shall be in his beart; or the principles of religion shall abide with him. A well of water. There shall be a constant supply, an unfading fountain; or religion shall live constantly with him. T Springing up. This is a beautiful image. It shall bubble or spring up like a fountain. It is not like a stagnant pool; not like a

15. The woman said, &c. It may seem strange that the woman did not yet understand him; but it shows how slow sinners are to understand the doc trines of religion.

16. Go, call thy husband. We may admire the manner which our Saviour took to lead her to perceive that he was the Christ. His instructions she did not understand. He therefore proceeded to show her that he was ac quainted with her life, and with her sins. His object, here, was to lead her to consider her wristate and sinfulness– a delicate and yet pungent way of lead. ing her to see that she was a sinner. By showing her, also, that he knew

17 The woman answered and is not thy husband: in that saidst said, I have no husband. Jesus thou truly.

said unto her, Thou hast well said, 19 The woman saith unto him, I have no husband: Sir, I perceive that thou art a pro

18 For thou hast had five hus-phet. bands; and he whom thou now hast

her life, though a stranger to her, he convinced her that he was qualified to teach her the way to heaven, and thus prepared her to admit that he was the Messiah. (Ver. 29.)

17. I have no husband. This was said evidently to evade the subject. Perhaps she feared that if she came there with the man that she lived with, the truth might be exposed. It is not improbable that by this time she began to suspect that Jesus was a prophet. ¶ Hast well said. Hast said the truth. 18. Hast had five husbands. Who have either died; or who, on account of your improper conduct, have divorced you; or whom you have left improperly, without legal divorce. Either of these might have been the case. ¶ Is not thy husband. You are not lawfully married to him. Either she might have left a former husband without divorce, and thus her marriage with this man was unlawful, or she was living with him without the form of marriage, in open guilt.

a

20 Our fathers worshipped in

a c.1.48,49.

to change the conversation when it be gins to bear too hard upon their consciences; and no way of doing it is more common than to direct it to some speculative inquiry having some sort of connexion with religion, as if to show that they are willing to talk about religion, and do not wish to appear to be opposed to it. Sinners do not love di rect religious conversation, but many are too well-bred to refuse to talk entirely about it. Yet they choose to converse about some speculative matter, or some thing pertaining to the mere externals of religion, rather than the salvation of their own souls. So sinners often now change the conversation to some inquiry about a preacher, or about some doctrine, or about building or repairing a place of worship, or about a sabbath school, in order to seem to talk about religion, and yet to evade close and faithful appeals to their own consciences.

20. Our fathers. The Samaritans ; perhaps also meaning to intimate that the patriarchs had done it also. See 19. A prophet. One sent from God, Gen. xii. 6; xxxiii. 20. ¶ Worshipped. and who understood her life. The word Had a place of worship. In this moun here does not denote one who foretells tain. Mount Gerizim, but a little way future events, but one who knew her from Sychar. On this mountain they heart and life, and who must there- had built a temple somewhat similar to fore be born from God. She did not the one in Jerusalem. This was one yet suppose him to be the Messiah. of the main subjects of controversy be(Ver. 25.) Believing him now to be a tween them and the Jews. The old man sent from God, she proposed to Samaritan Pentateuch, or five books of him a question respecting the proper Moses, has the word Gerizim instead place of worship. This question had of Ebal, in Deut. xxvii. 4. On this acbeen long disputed between the Sama- count, as well as because the patriarchs ritans and the Jews. She submitted it are mentioned as having worshipped in to him because she thought he could Shechem, they supposed that that was settle the question, and perhaps be- the proper place on which to erect the cause she wished to divert the conver- temple. Ye say. Ye Jews. sation from the unpleasant topic re- Jerusalem. The place where the tem specting her husbands. The conver-ple was built. This was built in acsation about her manner of life was a very unpleasant topic to her as it is always unpleasant to sinners to talk about their lives, and the necessity of religion-and she was glad to turn the conversation to something else. Nobing is more common than for sinners

¶ In

cordance with the promise and com mand of God. Deut. xii. 5, 11. In building this, David and Solomon were under the divine direction. 2 Sam. vii. 2, 3, 13. 1 Kings v. 5, 12; viii. 15-22. As it was contemplated in the law of Moses that there should be but one

this mountain; " and ye say, that in [nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Jerusalem' is the place where men | Father. ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, @ Ju.9.7. b De.12.5-11. 1 Ki.9.3. c Mal. 1.11. Matt.18.20.

22 Ye worship d ye know not what: we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now e Is.2.3. Ro.9.5.

d 2 Ki.17.29.

They were not obeying the true God, nor offering the worship which he had commanded or would approve. Jesus thus indirectly settled the question which she had proposed to him, yet in such a way as to show her that it was of much less importance than she had supposed.

place to offer sacrifice and to hold the great feasts, so it followed that the Samaritans were in error in supposing that their temple was the place. Accordingly, our Saviour decided in favour of the Jews, yet in such a manner as to show the woman that the question was of nuch less consequence than they sup-¶We know. We Jews. This they posed it to be.

21. Believe me. As she had professed to believe that he was a prophet, it was right to require her to put faith in what he was about to utter. It also shows the importance of what he was abort to say. The hour cometh. The time is coming, or is near. When neither in this mountain, &c. Hitherto the public solemn worship of God has been confined to one place. It has been a matter of dispute whether that place should be Jerusalem or mount Gerizim. That controversy is to be of much less importance than you have supposed. The old dispensation is about to pass away. The peculiar rites of the Jews are to cease. The worship of God, so long confined to a single place, is soon to be observed every where, and with as much acceptance in one place as in another. He does not say that there would be no worship of God in that pi'ace, or in Jerusalem, but that the worship of God would not be confined there. He would be worshipped in other pla ces as well as there.

22. Ye worship ye know not what. This probably re fers to the comparative ignorance and corruption of the Samaritan worship. Though they received the five books of Moses, yet they rejected the prophets, and of course all that the prophets had said respecting the true God. Originally, also, they had joined the worship of idols to that of the true God. See 2 Kings xvii. 26 -34. They had, ma reover, no authorty for building their temple and conducting public worship by sacrifices there. On all these accounts they were acting in an unauthorized manner.

knew because God had commanded it; because they worshipped in a place commanded by God; and because they did it in accordance with the direction and teaching of the prophets. ¶ Salvation is of the Jews. They have the true religion and the true form of worship; and the Messiah, who will bring salvation, is to proceed from them. See Luke ii. 30; iii. 6. Jesus thus affirms that the Jews had the true form of the worship of God. At the same time he was sensible how much they had cor rupted it, and on various occasions reproved them for it.

23. And now is. The old dispensation is about to pass away, and the new one commence. Already there is sc much light that God may be worshipped acceptably in any place. The true worshippers. All who truly and sincerely worship God. They who do it with the heart, and not merely in form. T Inspirit. The word spirit, here, stands opposed to rites and ceremonies, and to the pomp of external worship. It refers to the mind, the soul, the heart. They shall worship God with a sincere mind; with the simple offering of gra titude and prayer; with a desire to glorify him, and without external pomp and splendor. Spiritual worship is that where the heart is offered to God and where we do not depend on exter nal forms for acceptance. In truth. Not through the medium of shadows and types; not by means of sacrifices and bloody offerings; but in the manner represented or typified by all these. Heb. ix. 9, 24. In the true way of di rect access to God through Jesus Christ. For the Father seeketh, &c. Jesus

is, when the trae worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I

a Ph.3.3. b 2 Cor.3.17.

gives two reasons why this kind of worship should take place. One is, that God sought it, or desired it. He had appointed the old mode, but he did it because he sought to lead the mind to himself even by them, and to prepare the people for the purer system of the gospel. And now he sought or desired that those who worshipped him should worship him in that manner. He intimated his will by Jesus Christ.

24. God is a spirit. This is the second reason why men should worship him in spirit and in truth. By this is meant that God is without a body; that he is not material, or composed of parts; that he is invisible, in every place, pure and holy. This is one of the first truths of religion, and one of the sublimest truths ever presented to the mind of man. Almost all nations have had some idea of God as gross or material, but the Bible declares that he is a pure spirit. As he is such a spirit, he dwells not in temples made with hands (Acts vii. 48), neither is worshipped with men's hands as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things. Acts xvii. 25. A pure, a holy, a spiritual worship, therefore, is such as he seeks-the offering of the soul rather than the formal offering of the body—the homage of the heart rather than that of the lips. 25. I know. As the Samaritans acknowledged the five books of Moses, so they expected also the coming of the Messiah. Which is called Christ. These are probably the words of the evangelist, as it is not likely that the woman would explain the name on such an occasion. Will tell us all things. Jesus had decided the question proposed to him (ver. 20) in favor of the Jews. The woman does not seem to have been satisfied with his answer, and said that the Messiah would tell them all about this question. Probably she was expecting that he would soon appear

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26. I-am he. I am the Messiah. This was the first time that he openly professed it. He did not do it yet to the Jews, for it would have excited en vy and opposition. But nothing could be apprehended in Samaria; and as the woman seemed reluctant to listen to him as a prophet, and professed her willingness to listen to him as the Messiah, he openly declared that he was the Christ, that by some means he might save her soul. From this we may learn, 1st. The great wisdom of the Lord Jesus in leading the thoughts along to the subject of practical personal religion. 2d. His knowledge of the heart and of the life. He must be, therefore, divine. 3d. He gave evidence here that he was the Messiah. This was the design of John in writing this gospel. He has, therefore, recorded this narrative, which was omitted by the other evangelists. 4th. We see our duty. It is to seize on all occasions to lead sinners to the belief that Jesus is the Christ, and to make use of all topics of conversation to teach them the nature of religion. There never was a model of so much wisdom in this as the Saviour; and we shall be successful only as we diligently study his charac ter. 5th. We see the nature of religion. It does not consist merely in external forms. It is pure, spiritual, active-an ever-bubbling fountain. It is the worship of a pure and holy God, where the heart is offered, and where the desires of an humble soul are breathed out for salvation.

27. Upon this. At this time. ¶ Marvelled. Wondered. They wondered because the Jews had no intercourse with the Samaritans, and they were surprised that Jesus was engaged with her in conversation. Yet no man said. No one of the disciples. They had a respect and reverence for him and did not dare to ask him the reas conduct, or even to appear t

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