Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture John 4.1-42

Matthew Henry

tradition was that it was Jacob’s well.

concerning the water, v. 7–15.

(1.) Notice is taken of the circumstances that gave occasion to this discourse.

[1.]

There comes a woman of Samaria to draw water.

This intimates her poverty, she had no servant to be a drawer of water; and her industry, she would do it herself.

See here,

First, How God owns and approves of honest humble diligence in our places.

Christ was made known to the shepherds when they were keeping their flock.

Secondly, How the divine Providence brings about glorious purposes by events which seem to us fortuitous and accidental.

This woman’s meeting with Christ at the well may remind us of the stories of Rebekah, Rachel, and Jethro’s daughter, who all met with husbands, good husbands, no worse than Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, when they came to the wells for water.

Thirdly, How the preventing grace of God sometimes brings people unexpectedly under the means of conversion and salvation.

He is found of them that sought him not.

[2.]

His disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat.

Hence learn a lesson,

First, Of justice and honesty.

The meat Christ ate, he bought and paid for, as Paul, 2 Th.

3:8.

Secondly, Of daily dependence upon Providence: Take no thought for the morrow.

Christ did not go into the city to eat, but sent his disciples to fetch his meat thither; not because he scrupled eating in a Samaritan city, but,

1.

Because he had a good work to do at that well, which might be done while they were catering.

It is wisdom to fill up our vacant minutes with that which is good, that the fragments of time may not be lost.

Peter, while his dinner was getting ready, fell into a trance, Acts 10:10.

2. Because it was more private and retired, more cheap and homely, to have his dinner brought him hither, than to go into the town for it.

Perhaps his purse was low, and he would teach us good husbandry, to spend according to what we have and not go beyond it.

At least, he would teach us not to affect great things.

Christ could eat his dinner as well upon a draw well as in the best inn in the town.

Let us comport with our circumstances.

Now this gave Christ an opportunity of discoursing with this woman about spiritual concerns, and he improved it; he often preached to multitudes that crowded after him for instruction, yet here he condescends to teach a single person, a woman, a poor woman, a stranger, a Samaritan, to teach his ministers to do likewise, as those that know what a glorious achievement it is to help to save, though but one soul, from death.

(2.) Let us observe the particulars of this discourse.

[1.] Jesus begins with a modest request for a draught of water: Give me to drink.

He that for our sakes became poor here becomes a beggar, that those who are in want, and cannot dig, may not be ashamed to beg.

Christ asked for it, not only because he needed it, and needed her help to come at it, but because he would draw on further discourse with her, and teach us to be willing to be beholden to the meanest when there is occasion.

Christ is still begging in his poor members, and a cup of cold water, like this here, given to them in his name, shall not lose its reward.

[2.]

The woman, though she does not deny his request, yet quarrels with him because he did not carry on the humour of his own nation (v.

9): How is it?

Observe,

First, What a mortal feud there was between the Jews and the Samaritans: The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

The Samaritans were the adversaries of Judah (Ezra 4:1), were upon all occasions mischievous to them.

The Jews were extremely malicious against the Samaritans, “looked upon them as having no part in the resurrection, excommunicated and cursed them by the sacred name of God, by the glorious writing of the tables, and by the curse of the upper and lower house of judgment, with this law, That no Israelite eat of any thing that is a Samaritan’s, for it is as if he should eat swine’s flesh.”

So Dr. Lightfoot, out of Rabbi Tanchum.

Note, Quarrels about religion are usually the most implacable of all quarrels.

Men were made to have dealing one with another; but if men, because one worships at one temple and another at another, will deny the offices of humanity, and charity, and common civility, will be morose and unnatural, scornful and censorious, and this under colour of zeal for religion, they plainly show that however their religion may be true they are not truly religious; but, pretending to stickle for religion, subvert the design of it.

Secondly, How ready the woman was to upbraid Christ with the haughtiness and ill nature of the Jewish nation: How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me?

By his dress or dialect, or both, she knew him to be a Jew, and thinks it strange that he runs not to the same excess of riot against the Samaritans with other Jews.

Note, Moderate men of all sides are, like Joshua and his fellows (Zec.

3:8), men wondered at.

Two things this woman wonders at,

1.

That he should ask this kindness; for it was the pride of the Jews that they would endure any hardship rather than be beholden to a Samaritan.

It was part of Christ’s humiliation that he was born of the Jewish nation, which was now not only in an ill state, subject to the Romans, but in an ill name among the nations.

With what disdain did Pilate ask, Am I a Jew?

Thus he made himself not only of no reputation, but of ill reputation; but herein he has set us an example of swimming against the stream of common corruptions.

We must, like our master, put on goodness and kindness, though it should be ever so much the genius of our country, or the humour of our party, to be morose and ill-natured.

This woman expected that Christ should be as other Jews were; but it is unjust to charge upon every individual person even the common faults of the community: no rule but has some exceptions.

2.

She wonders that he should expect to receive this kindness from her that was a Samaritan: “You Jews could deny it to one of our nation, and why should we grant it to one of yours?”

Thus quarrels are propagated endlessly by revenge and retaliation.

[3.] Christ takes this occasion to instruct her in divine things: If thou knewest the gift of God, thou wouldst have asked, v. 10.

Observe,

First, He waives her objection of the feud between the Jews and Samaritans, and takes no notice of it.

Some differences are best healed by being slighted, and by avoiding all occasions of entering into dispute about them.

Christ will convert this woman, not by showing her that the Samaritan worship was schismatical (though really it was so), but by showing her her own ignorance and immoralities, and her need of a Saviour.

Secondly, He fills her with an apprehension that she had now an opportunity (a fairer opportunity than she was aware of) of gaining that which would be of unspeakable advantage to her.

She had not the helps that the Jews had to discern the signs of the times, and therefore Christ tells her expressly that she had now a season of grace; this was the day of her visitation.

a.

He hints to her what she should know, but was ignorant of: If thou knewest the gift of God, that is, as the next words explain it, who it is that saith, Give me to drink.

If thou knewest who I am.

She saw him to be a Jew, a poor weary traveller; but he would have her know something more concerning him that did yet appear.

Note, (a.) Jesus Christ is the gift of God, the richest token of God’s love to us, and the richest treasure of all good for us; a gift, not a debt which we could demand from God; not a loan, which he will demand from us again, but a gift, a free gift, ch.

3:16.

(b.)

It is an unspeakable privilege to have this gift of God proposed and offered to us; to have an opportunity of embracing it: “He who is the gift of God is now set before thee, and addresses himself to thee; it is he that saith, Give me to drink; this gift comes a begging to thee.” (c.)

Though Christ is set before us, and sues to us in and by his gospel, yet there are multitudes that know him not.

They know not who it is that speaks to them in the gospel, that saith, Give me to drink; they perceive not that it is the Lord that calls them.

b.

He hopes concerning her, what she would have done if she had known him; to be sure she would not have given him such a rude and uncivil answer; nay, she would have been so far from affronting him that she would have made her addresses to him: Thou wouldest have asked.

Note, (a.)

Those that would have any benefit by Christ must ask for it, must be earnest in prayer to God for it.

(b.)

Those that have a right knowledge of Christ will seek to him, and if we do not seek unto him it is a sign that we do not know him, Ps. 9:10.

(c.) Christ knows what they that want the means of knowledge would have done if they had had them, Mt. 11:21.

c.

He assures her what he would have done for her if she had applied to him: “He would have given thee (and not have upbraided thee as thou doest me) living water.”

By this living water is meant the Spirit, who is not like the water in the bottom of the well, for some of which he asked, but like living or running water, which was much more valuable.

Note, (a.)

The Spirit of grace is as living water; see ch. 7:38.

Under this similitude the blessings of the Messiah had been promised in the Old Testament, Isa.

12:3; 35:7; 44:3; 55:1; Zec.

14:8.

The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that knows its own nature and necessity.

(b.) Jesus Christ can and will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him; for he received that he might give.

[4.]

The woman objects against and cavils at the gracious intimation which Christ gave her (v.

11, 12): Thou hast nothing to draw with; and besides, Art thou greater than our father Jacob?

What he spoke figuratively, she took literally; Nicodemus did so too.

See what confused notions they have of spiritual things who are wholly taken up with the things that are sensible.

Some respect she pays to this person, in calling him Sir, or Lord; but little respect to what he said, which she does but banter.

First, She does not think him capable of furnishing her with any water, no, not this in the well that is just at hand: Thou has nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.

This she said, not knowing the power of Christ, for he who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth needs nothing to draw.

But there are those who will trust Christ no further than they can see him, and will not believe his promise, unless the means of the performance of it be visible; as if he were tied to our methods, and could not draw water without our buckets.

She asks scornfully, “Whence hast thou this living water?

I see not whence thou canst have it.”

Note, The springs of that living water which Christ has for those that come to him are secret and undiscovered.

The fountain of life is hid with Christ.