St John Chapter iv : Verses 1-10
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| Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
2 (Though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples,)
3 He left Judea, and went again into Galilee.
4 And he was of necessity to pass through Samaria.
5 He cometh therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink.
8 For his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats.
9 Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
1 Ὡς οὖν ἔγνω ὁ ⸀Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἤκουσαν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ὅτι Ἰησοῦς πλείονας μαθητὰς ποιεῖ καὶ βαπτίζει ἢ Ἰωάννης—
1 Ut ergo cognovit Jesus quia audierunt pharisæi quod Jesus plures discipulos facit, et baptizat, quam Joannes
2 καίτοιγε Ἰησοῦς αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐβάπτιζεν ἀλλ’ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ—
2 ( quamquam Jesus non baptizaret, sed discipuli ejus),
3 ἀφῆκεν τὴν Ἰουδαίαν καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ⸀πάλιν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.
3 reliquit Judæam, et abiit iterum in Galilaeam.
4 ἔδει δὲ αὐτὸν διέρχεσθαι διὰ τῆς Σαμαρείας.
4 Oportebat autem eum transire per Samariam.
5 ἔρχεται οὖν εἰς πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας λεγομένην Συχὰρ πλησίον τοῦ χωρίου ὃ ἔδωκεν Ἰακὼβ ⸀τῷ Ἰωσὴφ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ·
5 Venit ergo in civitatem Samariae, quae dicitur Sichar, juxta prædium quod dedit Jacob Joseph filio suo.
6 ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ πηγὴ τοῦ Ἰακώβ. ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς κεκοπιακὼς ἐκ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἐκαθέζετο οὕτως ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ· ὥρα ἦν ⸀ὡς ἕκτη.
6 Erat autem ibi fons Jacob. Jesus ergo fatigatus ex itinere, sedebat sic supra fontem. Hora erat quasi sexta.
7 Ἔρχεται γυνὴ ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας ἀντλῆσαι ὕδωρ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Δός μοι πεῖν·
7 Venit mulier de Samaria haurire aquam. Dicit ei Jesus : Da mihi bibere.
8 οἱ γὰρ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπεληλύθεισαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἵνα τροφὰς ἀγοράσωσιν.
8 ( Discipuli enim ejus abierant in civitatem ut cibos emerent.)
9 λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· Πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ’ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς ⸂γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης⸃; οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.
9 Dicit ergo ei mulier illa Samaritana : Quomodo tu, Judæus cum sis, bibere a me poscis, quae sum mulier Samaritana? non enim coutuntur Judæi Samaritanis.
10 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ λέγων σοι· Δός μοι πεῖν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας αὐτὸν καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν σοι ὕδωρ ζῶν.
10 Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Si scires donum Dei, et quis est qui dicit tibi : Da mihi bibere, tu forsitan petisses ab eo, et dedisset tibi aquam vivam.
Annotations
1. When Jesus therefore understood that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus maketh more disciples, and baptizeth more than John, that is, than John had made and baptized, says S. Augustine (lib. 2, de cons. Evang., c. 18), for John was now in prison. For these things had happened through the occasion of John’s imprisonment. For Jesus, knowing of John’s imprisonment, and fearing the envy and calumny of the Pharisees, who had already stirred up Herod against John, that they might not be the means of casting Himself also into prison through the instrumentality of Herod or Pilate, and put Him to death before the time predetermined by the Father, prudently retired out of Judea into Galilee. See what has been said about this on Matt. iv. 12.
2. (Though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) Both because Jesus was occupied in the greater works of preaching and healing the sick; as Paul saith, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.” (1 Cor. i. 17), also that He might show that the efficacy of His baptism was greater than that of John’s. See what has been said on iii. 32.
3. He left Judea, and went again into Galilee. Not as though He feared death, but that He might mollify the envy of the Pharisees, says S. Chrysostom. For the Pharisees were very influential. For most of the priests, senators, and magistrates belonged to their sect. This was the second occasion of Christ retiring into Galilee, the first being in chap. i. 43.
4. And he was of necessity to pass through Samaria. For Samaria lies betwixt Judea and Galilee. Cyril observes that Christ does not here go counter to his own command, by which He enjoined on His apostles not to go into the cities of the Samaritans (S. Matt. x. 5). For He there forbids them not to go to the Samaritans of set purpose, nor to continuously evangelise them, lest they should prejudice the Jews, who were their enemies, against themselves and the faith of Christ. Jesus on this occasion was only passing through Samaria on His way to Galilee.
5. He cometh therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Sichar, i.e., Sichem. When Jeroboam revolted from Rehoboam, and usurped the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, he made this city his capital. The capital was afterwards transferred by Omri to Samaria. Afterwards, in the time of Alexander the Great, Sichem was again made the capital of the region of Samaria, as Josephus testifies (Ant., ii. 8), and was called Neapolis. In the time of our Saviour Sichem was corrupted into Sichar. It is now called Naplous. This city was the site of many famous deeds mentioned in Scripture. Abraham journeying from Mesopotamia into Canaan, came first to Sichem, and built an altar to the Lord, and received the promise of that land. See Gen. xii. and xiii.
Jacob also returning from Mesopotamia fixed his tent here, and bought a piece of ground from the sons of Emmor (Gen. xxxiii). Here Dinah, his daughter, was corrupted by the son of the King of Sichem (Gen. xxxiv). Sichem was appointed one of the cities of refuge (Josh. xx). Here the ten tribes revolted from Judea through the folly of Rehoboam. The bones of Joseph were buried at Sichem, as is related at the end of the Book of Joshua. S. Jerome (tract. de loc. Hebr.) says that Salem and Sichem were the same. Hence it follows that Melchisedec, the type of Christ, was also king of this city.
near the land which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. See what I have said on Gen. xlviii. 22. Wherefore Joseph when he was dying in Egypt commanded his bones to be translated to Sichem, as to his own piece of land, which had been left him by the will of his father.
6. Now Jacob's well was there. This well was a well dug by Jacob, as appears from ver. 12. This is the meaning of the Hebrew beer. So S. Augustine says, giving the meaning of fons in Latin, “Every well is a fountain, but not every fountain a well. Where water springs out of the earth, and affords drink, it is called a fountain. If it is on the surface it is called a fountain only: but if it be deep, it is called a well, and loses the name of fountain.” Varro derives the word fons from fundo, to pour. A fountain, he says, is where living water is poured out of the earth. Jacob’s fount therefore was a well which Jacob had dug in this place for the use of himself and his family. Or he may have bought it of the Shechemites, as Ruperti thinks.
Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well; for He went about among the towns and villages on foot, even till His death. His apostles followed His example. Blessed Xavier and his followers lately did the same in India. Piously does S. Augustine say (Tract. 15),
“Not in vain is Jesus wearied; not in vain is the power of God fatigued: for not vainly is He wearied by whom the weary are refreshed. Not in vain is He wearied, when if He forsake us, we are weary, but if He be present with us, we are strong. For though Jesus was wearied with His journey, yet it was the strength of Christ which has created thee. The strength of Christ made thee, that that which was not might be: the weakness of Christ caused that that which was should not perish. He formed us by His strength: He sought us by His weakness. Therefore He Himself cherishes the weak, as a hen her chickens, for to her He compared Himself.”
on the well: Greek, ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ, at the fount, or near the well. Or strictly, above the fount, because the bubbling water was deep down in the well.
sat thus: 1. where He conveniently could. He sat upon the ground without a seat, as wayfarers are wont to sit down beside wells and fountains, for the sake of rest and refreshment. So S. Chrysostom and Euthymius.
2. Or more simply, He sat thus, means, as being tired with His journey. He sat as men are wont to sit when they are tired, showing by so doing that they are weary. So Cajetan and others.
3.sat thus may mean, in this way, i.e., under the circumstances which I will now pass under review. He sat thus, i.e., when it was the sixth hour, and the woman came to draw water, and the disciples had gone away to buy food.
It was about the sixth hour. He gives the reason why Jesus sat at the fountain; because He was wearied, hungry, and thirsty. It was the sixth hour, or mid-day, when the heat is greatest. Nonnus renders, It was the hour bringing thirst.
7. There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. of the district, not the city of Samaria. She came from the city of Sichar, which was near the well.
Jesus saith to her: Give me to drink: Jesus took the initiative in conversing with her. For He knew that the woman, being a Samaritan, would not do so, but would dislike Him as being a Jew. But “He who desired to drink thirsted for the faith of the woman,” says S. Augustine. Observe the wonderful affability and charity of Christ, in seeking to enter into conversation with a wretched harlot, that He might convert her, and through her a whole city.
8. For his disciples were gone into the city to buy meats. The word for gives the reason why Jesus asked drink of the woman; because His disciples, from whom otherwise He would have sought food and drink, had gone into the city to buy food. For Jesus wished to drink beside the well, and to drink from it, just as poor travellers are wont to do, especially in Syria and Arabia, and other hot countries where there is a scarcity of water. This happened by Christ’s tacit providence, that His disciples being all gone away into the city, He might by Himself be able more easily, in talking with this immodest woman, to spare her shame, and disclose her immodesty, and so convert her to faith and modesty.
9. Then that Samaritan woman saith to him: How dost thou, being a Jew, ask of me to drink, who am a Samaritan woman? Then in Greek and Hebrew often merely marks the beginning of a sentence. Here, however, it denotes an inference from the preceding question of Christ. Jesus had asked the woman for water; the woman therefore replied to His question, How is it, &c. The woman recognised Jesus to be a Jew from His dress and speech, which Christ, out of good feeling to His country, accommodated to that of his fellow-countrymen.
For the Jews do not communicate with the Samaritans, i.e., have no intercourse, do not use the same bed, or cup, or vessel, as though they were impure and abominable on account of their schism. These words may be either those of the Evangelist, or of the Samaritan woman. In either case they are very appropriate. Learn from this example how we ought to shun the friendship, looks, and conversation of heretics; for “their speech doth eat as doth a cancer,” saith S. Paul.
10. Jesus answered, and said to her: If thou didst know the gift of God, and who he is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. This gift is (1.) common, what God has given to every man, “if thou knowest that I am Christ, the Saviour of the world.” 2. Especial to thyself, what God now manifests to thee through Me, that through My conversation thou mayest have an opportunity of salvation, that thou mayest believe in Me, and so be justified and saved. So Maldonatus.
thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him. Greek, σὺ ἄν ἤτησας αὐτὸν, i.e., thou surely wouldst have asked. For ἂν here is an expletive and confirmatory particle. The Vulgate, however, has forsitan, perchance, to denote the free will of the asker.
and he would have given thee living water. Christ leads her from earthly water to spiritual water. Let religious and apostolical men do likewise. Observe, as a stagnant lake, or pool, is termed dead, because it moves not; so, on the contrary, flowing water is called living water, especially that which leaps forth, as it were, from fountains, as though animated by a living spirit.
Moreover, Christ’s evangelical doctrine is here called living water: so are the Holy Ghost and His grace. So S. Cyril, and other authors passim. It is called water (1.) because, like water, it cleanses the soul from sin. Indeed, it gives the soul new beauty and adornment, which water does not do: according to the words, “Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow” (Ps. L. vii). Again, though water washes, it likewise weakens and destroys. For we see that clothes which are washed, are cleansed indeed, but are worn away. But it is not thus with the Holy Ghost, for He cleanses the soul, and at the same time gives it greater strength. And the more the soul is washed the stronger it becomes.
2. Because the Holy Ghost and His grace cool the heat of concupiscence, and all the other passions of the soul.
3. Because it quenches spiritual thirst.
4. Because as water fertilises the earth, trees, and plants, so does grace render the soul fruitful in good works and all virtues. But grace does a greater work than water: for it elevates the soul, so that it not only produces natural good fruit, but the supernatural fruit of faith, hope, and charity, according to the words, “I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.” (John xv. 5). Again, water from a pear-tree produces pears, from a rose-bush roses. But grace brings forth in one and the same soul the fruits of all virtues, and that in a soul which before was so polluted by sin that it produced nothing but the evil fruits of wickedness.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit and His grace are called living water. 1. Because the Holy Ghost liveth in Himself with the fulness of His Divinity a blessed and Divine life, and imparts this His own life to the believing soul. Indeed, the Holy Ghost, with the Father and the Son, is uncreated and essential Life Itself, from which the natural and supernatural life of all angels, men, animals, and plants flows as from a fountain, yea, an ocean.
2. Because the grace of the Holy Spirit is the form by which life is lived according to the Spirit. Therefore grace is, as it were, the soul of the soul; the soul, I say, of virtue and holiness.
3. Because by His grace the Holy Ghost, who is Life Itself, dwells within us, and quickens us.
4. Because He effects that the soul shall be continually renewed unto what is good, ever arranging new steps in the heart, by which it mounts to better and higher things, according to the words “Blessed is the man whose help is from thee: in his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps,” (Ps. LXXXIII. 6). For as S. Ambrose says, “The grace of the Holy Spirit knows not tardy efforts, but constrains the soul to ascend with the Blessed Virgin the hills of virtues.”
5. S. Augustine says, Living water is so called, because it flows in such a manner that it is united with its fount or source. What is called dead water is that which is cut off from its source. Grace therefore is called living water because it is never separated from its fount, which is the Holy Ghost. Just as the Holy Ghost Himself is inseparable from His source, which is the Father and the Son, and ever liveth most closely united with them in the Divine Essence. Wherefore although the Holy Ghost pours Himself into the soul, yet He departeth not from the Father and the Son; yea, He causes the Father and the Son to enter into the soul together with Himself, that they all may dwell therein, as in their temple, according to the words (John xiv. 23), “If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him.” So S. Cyril (lib. 2, c. 22), “He calls the grace of the Spirit living, because it is life-giving; and because it is united to its source, and makes us to be united.” For grace always depends upon the Holy Spirit, and by it the Spirit dwells in us, and is united with us, and by it we are united to Him, according to the words, Or know you not, that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God; and you are not your own? (1 Cor. vi. 19).
6. The water of a fountain being brought down into the valleys by means of pipes, can again from them, by the continuous rush of the water from the fount, be drawn to as great a height as its original source. This is proved by constant experience. In like manner heavenly grace, like a fountain of gifts and virtues, flowing down from the Holy Ghost out of heaven, makes us to leap back as it were thither as high as its source, even to God and heaven. But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting. (John iv. 13, Vulg.)
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SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.
The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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