Some think that it means " God's gift, and especial!}^ His gift of grace," which is now being proclaimed and made manifest to the world by the appearing on earth of His Son. (See Eom. V. 15.) This seems to be the view of Cyril, Lampe, Theophylact, Zwingle, and Calvin.
Of these four views the last seems to me, on the whole, the most probable and satisfactory. The first sounds strange and unlike the usual teaching of Scripture. " If thou knewest the Holy Spirit, thou wouldst have asked," is an expression we can hardly expect at this period of our Lord's ministry, when the mission of the Comforter had not yet been explained. — The second view seems hardly more natural than the first. — Th3 third view is undoubtedly recommended by the fact that Christ is frequently spoken of as God's great gift to the world. If the woman had really known anything aright about Messiah, and had known that He was before her, she would have asked of Him living water. Nevertheless, it is a strong objection to this view, that it makes our Lord apparently say the same thing twice over. " If thou knewest Christ, and that it is Christ who speaks."
The last view makes the first clause general, " If thou knewest the grace of God," and the second particular, " If thou also knewest that the Saviour Himself was with thee.'' Thus both clauses receive a meaning.
[Living water.'] The meaning of this expression, like "the gift of God," is variously explained. Some, as Calovius and Chemnitius, seem to think it means the doctrine of God's mercy, pardon, cleansing, and justification. Others, as Chrysostom, Augustine, Cyril, Theophylact, Calvin, Beza, Gualter, Musculus, and Ferus, think it means the Holy Spirit, renewing, and sanctification.
I doubt whether either view is quite correct. I am inclined, with Bullinger and Rollock, to regard the expression as a general figurative description of everything which it is Christ's office to bestow on the soul of man, — pardon, peace, mercy, grace, justi- fication, and sanctification. As water is cleansing, purifying, cooling, refreshing, thirtt-satisfying to man's body, so are Christ's gifts to thei soul. I think everything that a sinful soul needs is purposely included under the general words, " living water." It comprises not only the justifying " blood which cleanses from all sin," but the sanctifying grace of the Spirit, by which we " cleanse ourselves from all filthiness,"— not only the inward peace which is the result of pardon, but the sense of inward comfort, which is the companion of renewal of hearts.
The idea of " water," we should remember, is specially brought forward in some of the Old Testamert promises of good things