Commentary by John Calvin
John 4:1-9
1. When, therefore, the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (2. Though Jesus
himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) 3. He left Judea, and
departed again into Galilee. 4. And it was necessary that he should
pass through Samaria. 5. He came, therefore, into the city of Samaria,
which is called Sichar, near a field which Jacob gave to his son
Joseph. 6. And Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, fatigued by the
journey, was thus sitting on the well, for it was about the sixth hour.
7. A woman came from Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith to her, Give me
to drink. 8. For the disciples had gone into the city to buy food. 9.
The Samaritan woman saith to him, How dost thou, who art a Jew, ask
drink from me, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews hold no
intercourse with the Samaritans.
1. When, therefore, the Lord knew. The Evangelist, intending now to
give an account of the conversation which Christ had with a Samaritan
woman, begins with explaining the cause of his journey. Knowing that
the Pharisees were ill-disposed towards him, he did not wish to expose
himself to their anger before the proper time. This was his motive for
setting out from Judea. The Evangelist thus informs us that Christ did
not come into Samaria with the intention of dwelling there, but because
he had to pass through it on his way from Judea to Galilee; for until,
by his resurrection, he should open up the way for the gospel, it was
necessary that he should be employed in gathering the sheep of Israel
to which he had been sent. That he now favored the Samaritans with his
instruction was an extraordinary and almost accidental occurrence, if
we may be allowed the expression.
But why does he seek the retirement and lurking-places of Galilee, as
if he were unwilling to be known, which was highly to be desired? I
reply, he knew well the proper way to act, and made such use of the
opportunities of usefulness that he did not allow a moment to be lost.
He wished, therefore, to pursue his course with regularity, and in such
a manner as he judged to be proper. Hence too we hear that our minds
ought to be regulated in such a manner that, on the one hand, we may
not be deterred by any fear from going forward in duty; and that, on
the other hand, we may not too rashly throw ourselves into dangers. All
who are earnestly desirous to pursue their calling will be careful to
maintain this moderation, for which they will steadily follow the Lord
even through the midst of deaths; they will not rush into them
heedlessly, but will walk in their ways. Let us, therefore, remember
that we must not advance farther than our calling demands.
That the Pharisees had heard. The Pharisees alone are mentioned by the
Evangelist as having been hostile to Christ; not that the other scribes
were friendly, but because this sect was at that time in the ascendant,
and because they were filled with rage under the pretense of godly
zeal. It may be asked, Did they envy Christ that he had more disciples,
because their stronger attachment to John led them to promote his honor
and reputation? The meaning of the words is different; for though they
were formerly dissatisfied at finding that John collected disciples,
their minds were still more exasperated, when they saw that a still
greater number of disciples came to Christ. From the time that John
avowed himself to be nothing more than the herald of the Son of God,
they began to flock to Christ in greater crowds, and already he had
almost completed his ministry. Thus he gradually resigned to Christ the
office of teaching and baptizing.
2. Though Jesus himself baptized not. He gives the designation of
Christ's Baptism to that which he conferred by the hands of other, in
order to inform us that Baptism ought not to be estimated by the person
of the minister, but that its power depends entirely on its Author, in
whose name, and by whose authority, it is conferred. Hence we derive a
remarkable consolation, when we know that our baptism has no less
efficacy to wash and renew us, than if it had been given by the hand of
the Son of God. Nor can it be doubted that, so long as he lived in the
world, he abstained from the outward administration of the sign, for
the express purpose of testifying to all ages, that Baptism loses
nothing of its value when it is administered by a mortal man. In short,
not only does Christ baptize inwardly by his Spirit, but the very
symbol which we receive from a mortal man ought to be viewed by us in
the same light as if Christ himself displayed his hand from heaven, and
stretched it out to us. Now if the Baptism administered by a man is
Christ's Baptism, it will not cease to be Christ's Baptism whoever be
the minister. And this is sufficient for refuting the Anabaptists, who
maintain that, when the minister is a wicked man, the baptism is also
vitiated, and, by means of this absurdity, disturb the Church; as
Augustine has very properly employed the same argument against the
Donatists.
5. Which is called Sichar Jerome, in his epitaph on Paula, thinks that
this is an incorrect reading, and that it ought to have been written
Sichem; and, indeed, the latter appears to have been the ancient and
true name; but it is probable that, in the time of the Evangelist, the
word Sichar was already in common use. As to the place, it is generally
agreed that it was a city situated close to Mount Gerizzim, the
inhabitants of which were treacherously slain by Simeon and Levi,
(Genesis 34:25,) and which Abimelech, a native of the place, afterwards
razed to its thundations, (Judges 9:45.) But the convenience of its
situation was such that, a third time, a city was built there, which,
in the age of Jerome, they called Neapolis By adding so many
circumstances, the Apostle removes all doubt; for we are clearly
informed by Moses where that field was which Jacob assigned to the
children of Joseph, (Genesis 48:22.) It is universally acknowledged,
also, that Mount Gerizzim was near to Shechem. We shall afterwards
state that a temple was built there; and there can be no doubt that
Jacob dwelt a long time in that place with his family.
And Jesus, fatigued by the journey. He did not pretend weariness, but
was actually fatigued; for, in order that he might be better prepared
for the exercise of sympathy and compassion towards us, he took upon
him our weaknesses, as the Apostle shows that
we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities, (Hebrews 4:15.)
With this agrees the circumstance of the time; for it is not wonderful
that, being thirsty and fatigued, he rested at the well about noon; for
as the day, from sunrise to sunset, had twelve hours, the sixth hour
was Noon When the Evangelist says that he sat thus, he means that it
was the attitude of a man who was fatigued
7. A woman came from Samaria. When he asks water from the woman, he
does it not merely with the intention of obtaining an opportunity to
teach her; for thirst prompted him to desire to drink. But this cannot
hinder him from availing himself of the opportunity of instruction
which he has obtained, for he prefers the salvation of the woman to his
own wants. Thus, forgetting his own thirst, as if he were satisfied
with obtaining leisure and opportunity for conversation, that he might
instruct her in true godliness, he draws a comparison between the
visible water and the spiritual, and waters with heavenly doctrine the
mind of her who had refused him water to drink.
9. How dost thou, who art a Jew? This is a reproach, by which she
retorts upon him the contempt which was generally entertained by his
nation. The Samaritans are known to have been the scum of a people
gathered from among foreigners. Having corrupted the worship of God,
and introduced many spurious and wicked ceremonies, they were justly
regarded by the Jews with detestation. Yet it cannot be doubted that
the Jews, for the most part, held out their zeal for the law as a cloak
for their carnal hatred; for many were actuated more by ambition and
envy, and by displeasure at seeing the country which had been allotted
to them occupied by the Samaritans, than by grief and uneasiness
because the worship of God had been corrupted. There was just ground
for the separation, provided that their feelings had been pure and well
regulated. For this reason Christ, when he first sends the Apostles to
proclaim the Gospel, forbids them to turn aside to the Samaritans,
(Matthew 10:5.)
But this woman does what is natural to almost all of us; for, being
desirous to be held in esteem, we take very ill to be despised. This
disease of human nature is so general, that every person wishes that
his vices should please others. If any man disapproves of us, or of any
thing that we do or say, [73] we are immediately offended without any
good reason. Let any man examine himself, and he will find this seed of
pride in his mind, until it has been eradicated by the Spirit of God.
This woman, therefore, knowing that the superstitions of her nation
were condemned by the Jews, now offers an insult to them in the person
of Christ.
For the Jews hold no intercourse with the Samaritans. These words I
consider to have been uttered by the woman. Others suppose that the
Evangelist added them for the sake of explanation, and, indeed, it is
of little consequence which meaning you prefer. But I think it more
natural to believe that the woman jeers at Christ in this manner:
"What? Is it lawful for you to ask drink from me, when you hold us to
be so profane?" If any prefer the other interpretation, I do not
dispute the point. Besides, it is possible that the Jews carried their
abhorrence of the Samaritans beyond proper bounds; for as we have said
that they applied to an improper purpose a false pretense of zeal, so
it was natural for them to go to excess, as almost always happens with
those who give way to wicked passions.
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Footnotes
[73] "Et qui reprouve ce que nous disons ou faisons."
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