Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
John
Book: John
Chapter: 4
Overview:
Christ's departure into
Galilee.
(1-3) His discourse with the
Samaritan
Woman.
(4-26) The effects of
Christ's
Conversation
with the
Woman of
Samaria.
(27-42) Christ heals the
Nobleman's
son.
(43-54)
1-3 Jesus applied himself more to preaching, which was the more
excellent, 1Co 1:17, than to
Baptism. He would
Put honour upon
his disciples,
By employing them to baptize. He teaches us that
the benefit of sacraments depends not
On the
Hand that
administers them.
4-26 There was great
Hatred between the
Samaritans and the
Jews.
Christ's
Road from
Judea to
Galilee lay through
Samaria.
We should not go into places of
Temptation but when we needs
must; and then must not
Dwell in them, but hasten through them.
We have here our
Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of
travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a
Man. Toil came in
with
Sin; therefore
Christ, having made himself a
Curse for us,
submitted to it. Also, he was a
Poor Man, and went all his
journeys
On foot. Being wearied, he sat thus
On the
Well; he had
No Couch to
Rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with
travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like
the
Son of God in such things as these.
Christ asked a
Woman for
water. She was surprised because he did not show the
Anger of
his own nation against the
Samaritans. Moderate men of all sides
are men wondered at.
Christ took the occasion to teach her
Divine things: he converted this
Woman,
By showing her ignorance
and sinfulness, and her need of a
Saviour.
By this living water
is meant the
Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the
Messiah had been promised in the Old
Testament. The graces of
the
Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that
knows its own nature and necessity. What
Jesus spake
figuratively, she took literally.
Christ shows that the water of
Jacob's
Well yielded a very short satisfaction. Of whatever
waters of comfort we
Drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever
partakes of the
Spirit of
Grace, and the comforts of the
Gospel,
shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul.
Carnal hearts look
No higher than
Carnal ends. Give it me, saith
she, not that I may have
Everlasting Life, which
Christ
proposed, but that I come not hither to draw. The
Carnal mind is
very ingenious in shifting off convictions, and keeping them
from fastening. But how closely our
Lord Jesus brings home the
conviction to her
Conscience! He severely reproved her present
state of
Life. The
Woman acknowledged
Christ to be a
Prophet.
The power of his
Word in searching the
Heart, and convincing the
Conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. It
should cool our contests, to think that the things we are
striving about are passing away. The object of
Worship will
continue still the same,
God, as a
Father; but an
End shall be
Put to all differences about the place of
Worship. Reason
teaches us to consult decency and convenience in the places of
our
Worship; but religion gives
No preference to one place above
another, in respect of
Holiness and approval with
God. The Jews
were certainly in the right. Those who
By the Scriptures have
obtained some knowledge of
God, know whom they
Worship. The
Word
of
Salvation was of the Jews. It came to other nations through
them.
Christ justly preferred the Jewish
Worship before the
Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be done
away.
God was about to be revealed as the
Father of all
believers in every nation. The
Spirit or the soul of
Man, as
influenced
By the Holy
Spirit, must
Worship God, and have
Communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent
prayers, supplications, and thanksgivings, form the
Worship of
an upright
Heart, in which
God delights and is glorified. The
Woman was disposed to leave the matter undecided, till the
coming of the
Messiah. But
Christ told her, I that speak to
thee, am He. She was an
Alien and a hostile Samaritan, merely
speaking to her was thought to disgrace our
Lord Jesus. Yet to
this
Woman did our
Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he
had done to any of his disciples.
No past sins can
Bar our
acceptance with him, if we humble ourselves before him,
believing in him as the
Christ, the
Saviour of the world.
27-42 The disciples wondered that
Christ talked thus with a
Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for
some good
End. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the
Word and
Providence of
God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that
all is
Well that
Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected
the
Woman. The extent of his knowledge.
Christ knows all the
thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And
the power of his
Word. He told her secret sins with power. She
fastened upon that part of
Christ's discourse, many would think
she would have been most shy of repeating; but the knowledge of
Christ, into which we are led
By conviction of
Sin, is most
likely to be sound and saving. They came to him: those who would
know
Christ, must meet him where he records his name. Our Master
has left us an
Example, that we may learn to do the will of
God
as he did; with diligence, as those that make a business of it;
with delight and pleasure in it.
Christ compares his work to
Harvest-work. The
Harvest is appointed and looked for before it
comes;
So was the
Gospel.
Harvest-time is busy time; all must be
then at work.
Harvest-time is a short time, and
Harvest-work
must be done then, or not at all;
So the time of the
Gospel is a
season, which if once past, cannot be recalled.
God sometimes
uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and
carrying
On a good work. Our
Saviour,
By teaching one
Poor
Woman, spread knowledge to a whole town. Blessed are those who
are not offended at
Christ. Those taught of
God, are truly
desirous to learn more. It adds much to the praise of our
Love
to
Christ and his
Word, if it conquers prejudices. Their
Faith
grew. In the matter of it: they believed him to be the
Saviour,
not only of the Jews but of the world. In the certainty of it:
we know that this is indeed the
Christ. And in the ground of it,
for we have heard him ourselves.
43-54 The
Father was a
Nobleman, yet the son was sick. Honours
and titles are
No security from sickness and
Death. The greatest
men must go themselves to
God, must become beggars. The
Nobleman
did not stop from his request till he prevailed. But at first he
discovered the weakness of his
Faith in the power of
Christ. It
is hard to persuade ourselves that distance of time and place,
are
No hinderance to the knowledge,
Mercy, and power of our
Lord
Jesus.
Christ gave an answer of peace.
Christ's saying that the
soul lives, makes it alive. The
Father went his way, which
showed the sincerity of his
Faith. Being satisfied, he did not
hurry home that night, but returned as one easy in his own mind.
His servants met him with the news of the
Child's recovery. Good
news will meet those that
Hope in
God's
Word. Diligent comparing
the
Works of
Jesus with his
Word, will confirm our
Faith. And
the bringing the cure to the family brought
Salvation to it.
Thus an experience of the power of one
Word of
Christ, may
settle the authority of
Christ in the soul. The whole family
believed likewise. The
Miracle made
Jesus dear to them. The
knowledge of
Christ still spreads through families, and men find
health and
Salvation to their souls.