Commentary by John Calvin
John 4:27-34
27. And, in the meantime, his disciples came, and wondered that he
talked with the woman. But no man said, What seekest thou, or why
talkest thou with her? 28. The woman, therefore, left her pitcher, and
went away into the city, and said to the men, 29. Come, and see a man
who hath told me all things that I ever did: is not this the Christ?
30. They went out of the city, therefore, and came to him. 31. In the
meantime his disciples asked him, saying, Master, eat. 32. But he said
to them, I have food to eat which you know not. 33. The disciples,
therefore, said among themselves, Hath any man brought him any thing to
eat? 34. Jesus saith to them, My food is, to do the will of him who
sent me, and to finish his work.
27. His disciples came, and wondered. That the disciples wondered, as
the Evangelist relates, might arise from one of two causes; either that
they were offended at the mean condition of the woman, or that they
reckoned the Jews to be polluted, if they entered into conversation
with the Samaritans. Now though both of these feelings proceeded from a
devout reverence for their Master, yet they are wrong in wondering at
it as an improper thing, that he deigns to bestow so great honor on a
woman who was utterly despised. For why do they not rather look at
themselves? They would certainly have found no less reason to be
astonished, that they who were men of no note, and almost the
offscourings of the people, were raised to the highest rank of honor.
And yet it is useful to observe what the Evangelist says -- that they
did not venture to put a question; for we are taught by their example
that, if any thing in the works or words of God and of Christ be
disagreeable to our feelings, we ought not to give ourselves a loose
rein so as to have the boldness to murmur, but ought to preserve a
modest silence, until what is hidden from us be revealed from heaven.
The foundation of such modesty lies in the fear of God and in reverence
for Christ.
28. Therefore the woman left her pitcher. This circumstance is related
by the Evangelist to express the ardor of her zeal; for it is an
indication of haste, that she leaves her pitcher, and returns to the
city. And this is the nature of faith, that when we have become
partakers of eternal life, we wish to bring others to share with us;
nor is it possible that the knowledge of God shall lie buried and
inactive in our hearts without being manifested before men, for that
saying must be true:
I believed, and therefore I will speak, (Psalm 116:10.)
The earnestness and promptitude of the woman are so much the more
worthy of attention, that it was only a small spark of faith that
kindled them; for scarcely had she tasted Christ when she spreads his
game throughout the whole city. In those who have already made moderate
progress in his school, sluggishness will be highly disgraceful. But
she may appear to deserve blame on this account, that while she is
still ignorant and imperfectly taught, she goes beyond the limits of
her faith. I reply, she would have acted inconsiderately, if she had
assumed the office of a teacher, but when she desires nothing more than
to excite her fellow-citizens to hear Christ speaking, we will not say
that she forgot herself, or proceeded farther than she had a right to
do. She merely does the office of a trumpet or a bell to invite others
to come to Christ.
29. See a man. As she here speaks doubtfully, she might appear not to
have been greatly moved by the authority of Christ. I reply, as she was
not qualified to discourse about such high mysteries, she endeavors,
according to her feeble capacity, to bring her fellow-citizens to
permit themselves to be taught by Christ. It was a very powerful
stimulant which she employed to excite them, when she knew, by a sign
which was not obscure or doubtful, that he was a prophet; for, since
they could not form a judgment from his doctrine, this lower
preparation was useful and well adapted to them. Having, therefore,
learned that Christ had revealed to the woman things which were hidden,
they infer from it that he is a Prophet of God. This having been
ascertained, they begin to attend to his doctrine. But the woman goes
farther; for she bids them inquire if he be not the Messiah, being
satisfied if she could only persuade them to seek, of their own accord,
what she had already found in Christ; for she knew that they would find
more than she promised.
Who told me all things that ever I did. Why does she tell a lie, by
saying that Christ told her all things? I have already shown that
Christ did not reprove her for a single instance of fornication, but
that he placed before her, in a few words, many sins of her whole life.
For the Evangelist has not minutely recorded every sentence, but states
generally that Christ, in order to repress the woman's talkativeness,
brought forward her former and present life. Yet we see that the woman,
kindled by a holy zeal, does not spare herself, or her reputation, to
magnify the name of Christ: for she does not scruple to relate the
disgraceful passages of her life.
32. I have food to eat which you know not. It is wonderful that, when
he is fatigued and hungry, he refuses to eat; for if it be said that he
does this for the purpose of instructing us, by his example, to endure
hunger, why then did he not do so always? But he had another object
than to say that we ought simply to refuse food; for we must attend to
this circumstance, that his anxiety about the present business urges
him so strongly, and absorbs his whole mind, so that it gives him no
uneasiness to despise food. And yet he does not say that he is so eager
to obey the commands of his Father, that he neither eats nor drinks. He
only points out what he must do first, and what must be done
afterwards; and thus he shows, by his example, that the kingdom of God
ought to be preferred to all the comforts of the body. God allows us,
indeed, to eat and drink, provided that we are not withdrawn from what
is of the highest importance; that is, that every man attend to his own
calling.
It will perhaps be said, that eating and drinking cannot but be
avocations which withdraw some portion of our time that might be better
employed. This I acknowledge to be true, but as the Lord kindly permits
us to take care of our body, so far as necessity requires, he who
endeavors to nourish his body with sobriety and moderation does not
fail to give that preference which he ought to give to obedience to
God. But we must also take care not to adhere so firmly to our fixed
hours, as not to be prepared to deprive ourselves of food, when God
holds out to us any opportunity, and, as it were, fixes the present
hour. Christ, having now in his hands such an opportunity which might
pass away, embraces it with open arms, and holds it fast. When the
present duty enjoined on him by the Father presses him so hard that he
finds it necessary to lay aside every thing else, he does not scruple
to delay taking food; and, indeed, it would have been unreasonable
that, when the woman left her pitcher and ran to call the people,
Christ should display less zeal. In short, if we propose it as our
object not to lose the causes of life on account of life itself, it;
will not be difficult to preserve the proper medium; for he who shall
place it before him as the end of life to serve the Lord, from which we
are not at liberty to turn aside even for the immediate danger of
death, will certainly reckon it to be of more value than eating and
drinking. The metaphor of eating and drinking is so much the more
graceful on this occasion, that it was drawn seasonably from the
present discourse.
34. My food is to do the will of him who sent me. He means not only
that he esteems it very highly, but that there is nothing in which he
takes greater delight, or in which he is more cheerfully or more
eagerly employed; as David, in order to magnify the Law of God, says
not only that he values it highly, but that it is sweeter than honey,
(Psalm 19:10.) If, therefore, we would follow Christ, it is proper not
only that we devote ourselves diligently to the service of God, but
that we be so cheerful in complying with its injunctions that the labor
shall not be at all oppressive or disagreeable.
That I may finish his work. By adding these words, Christ fully
explains what is that will of the Father to which he is devoted;
namely, to fulfill the commission which had been given to him. Thus
every man ought to consider his own calling, that he may not consider
as done to God what he has rashly undertaken at his own suggestion.
What was the office of Christ is well known. It was to advance the
kingdom of God, to restore to life lost souls, to spread the light of
the Gospel, and, in short, to bring salvation to the world. The
excellence of these things caused him, when fatigued and hungry, to
forget meat and drink. Yet we derive from this no ordinary consolation,
when we learn that Christ was so anxious about the salvation of men,
that it gave him the highest delight to procure it; for we cannot doubt
that he is now actuated by similar feelings towards us.
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