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more glorious. It is here life begun the first breathings and pantings of the soul for immortality-which shall be matured in the full and perfect bliss of heaven. 'Shall not see life.' Shall neither enjoy true life nor happiness here nor in the world to come. Shall never enter heaven. The wrath of God.' The anger of God for sin. Abideth on him.' This implies that ne is now under the wrath of God, or under condemnation. It implies also that it will continue to remain on him. It will abide or dwell there as its appropriate habitation. As there is no way of escaping the wrath of God but by the Lord Jesus Christ, so those who will not believe must go to eternity as they are.

CHAPTER IV.

1 WHEN therefore the Lord knew how the pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

'When the Lord knew.' When Jesus knew. 'How the pharisees had heard.' The pharisees here seem to denote the members of the sanhedrim or those who were in authority. They claimed the authority to regulate the rites and cerenonies of religion. See note, ch. i. 25. 'More disciples than John. The pharisees were displeased with the success of John, John i. 25. The reasons of this were probably the severity and justness of his reproofs, Matt. iii. 7, and the fact that he drew many after him, and thus weakened their authority and influence. Jesus was doing the same thing as John, on a larger scale, not only making disciples, but baptizing also without their authority, and drawing away the people after him.

2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Jesus himself baptized not.' If Jesus had baptized it might have made unhappy divisions among his followers: those might have considered themselves most worthy or honoured who had been baptized by him. Compare 1 Cor. i. 12-17.

3 He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee.

'He left Judea.' The envy and malice of the pharisees endangered his life. Though Jesus feared not death, and did not shrink from suffering, yet he did not needlessly throw himself into danger, or provoke opposition. He could do as much good in Galilee as in Judea, and he therefore withdrew himself from immediate danger.

4 And he must needs go through Samaria.

Samaria was between Judea and Galilee. The direct and usual way was to pass through Samaria.

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

'Sychar.' This city stood about fifteen miles south of the city called Samaria, between mount Ebal and mount Gerizim. It was one of the oldest cities of Palestine, and was formerly known by the name of Shechem, or Sichem, Gen. xxxiii. 18; xii. 6. Here Joshua assembled the people before his death, and here they renewed their covenant with the Lord, Josh. xxiv. It was destroyed by Abimelech, who beat down the city and sowed it with salt, Judges ix. 45. It was afterwards rebuilt, and became the residence of Jeroboam, the king of Israel, 1 Kings xii. 25. It was called by the Romans, Flavia Neapolis, and this has been corrupted by the Arabs into Naplous, its present name. It is still a considerable place, and its site is remarkably pleasant and productive. The parcel of ground.' The piece of ground; or the land, &c. That Jacob gave,' &c. See Gen. xlviii. 22.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

'Jacob's well.' This is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It was called Jacob's well probably either because it was handed down by tradition that he dug it, or because it was near to the land which he gave to Joseph. Sat thus.' Jesus was weary, and being thus weary, sat down on the well. 'The sixth hour." About twelve o'clock. This was the common time of the Jewish meal, and why his disciples were gone away to buy food, ver. 8.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water; Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

'Of Samaria.' Not of the city of Samaria, for this was at a distance of fifteen miles, but a woman who was a Samaritan, and doubtless from the city of Sychar. 'Give me to drink.' This was in the heat of the day, and when Jesus was weary with his journey. The request was also made that it might give him occasion to discourse with her on the subject of religion, and in this instance we have a specimen of the remarkably happy manner in which Jesus could lead on a conversation so as to introduce the subject of religion.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Buy meat.' Buy food.

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which

am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

'No dealings with the Samaritans.' See note, Matt. x. 5.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The word 'gift' here denotes favour. It may refer to the opportunity then afforded her of seeking salvation. If thou knewest how favourable an opportunity God now gives thee to gain a knowledge of himself, &c. And who it is,' &c. If thou knewest that the Messiah was speaking. Living water.' The Jews used the expression living water' to denote springs, or fountains, or running streams, in opposition 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 ver. 14. This was one of the many instances in which Jesus took occasion from common topics of conversation to introduce religious discourse. By studying his example and manner, we may learn to do the same.

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?

The

'Hast nothing to draw with.' It seems that there were no means of drawing water affixed to the well as with us. well is deep.' The one there now, is about 105 feet deep.

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

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'Art thou greater. Art thou wiser or better able to find water than Jacob was? It seems that she supposed he meant that he could direct her to some living spring, or to some better well in that region, and that this implied more knowledge or skill than Jacob had. To find water and to furnish a good well was doubtless considered a matter of signal skill and success. It was a subject of great importance in that region. 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. And drank thereof,' &c. A well from which Jacob and his sons and cattle had drank must be pure, and wholesome, 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.

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again :

'Shall thirst again.' Jesus did not directly say that he was greater than Jacob, but he gave her an answer by which she might infer that he was.

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

'The water that I shall give him.' Jesus here refers without doubt to his teaching, his grace, his Spirit, and the benefits which come into the soul that embraces his gospel. It is a striking image, and especially in eastern countries, where there are vast deserts and often a great want of water. The soul by nature is like such a desert, or like a traveller wandering through such a desert. It is thirsting for happiness, and seeking it every where and finds it not. It looks in all directions, tries all objects, but in vain. To such a weary and unsatisfied sinner the grace of Christ is as cold waters to a thirsty soul. Shall never thirst.' Shall not want for ever. He who drinks this will not wish to seek for happiness in other objects. Satisfied with the grace of Christ, he will not desire the pleasures and amusements of this world. 'Shall be in him.' The grace of Christ shall be in his heart; or the principles of religion shall abide with him. 'A well of water.' There shall be a constant supply, religion shal live constantly with him. Springing up.' This is a beautifu. image. It shall spring up like a fountain. Not like a stagnant pool; 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 religion always lives, always shows its beauties, and amidst all changes of external circumstances: in heat and cold, hunger and thirst, prosperity or affliction, life or death, it still lives on, and refreshes and cheers the soul. 'Into everlasting life.' It is not temporary, like the supply of the natural wants. It is not changing in its nature. It is not like a natural fountain or spring of water, to play awhile and then die away, as all natural springs will at the end of the world. It is eternal in its nature and supply, and will continue to live on for ever.

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

It may seem strange that the woman did not yet understand him; but it shows how slow sinners are to understand the doctrines of religion.

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

'Go, call thy husband.' We may admire the manner which our Saviour took to lead her to perceive that he was the Christ. She did not understand his instructions. He therefore proceeded to show her that he was acquainted with her life, and with her sins, and thus convinced her that he was qualified to teach her the way to heaven, and so prepared her to admit that he was the Messiah, ver. 29.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

'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. 'Hast well said.' Hast said the truth.

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

'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.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

A prophet.' The word here does not denote one who foretells future events, but one who knew her heart and life, and who must therefore be from God. Believing this she proposed to him a question respecting the proper place of worship, perhaps because she wished to divert the conversation from the unpleasant topic respecting her husbands. Nothing is more common than for sinners to change the conversation when it begins 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.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Our fathers. The Samaritans; perhaps also meaning to intimate that the patriarchs had done it also. See Gen. xii. 6; xxxiii. 20. 6 Worshipped.' Had a place of worship. In this

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