to come. (S<3e Isai. xii. 3 ; xliv. 3 ; Ezek. xlvii. 1, &c. ; Zech. xiii. 1 ; xiv. 8.) A sprinkling of clean water was particularly men- tioned as one of the things Messiah was to give. (Isai. lii. 15 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 25.) To an intelligent reader of the Old Testament the mention of " living water," would at once raise up the idea of Messiah's times.
The word "living," applied here to water, must not be pressed too far. It does not necessarily mean anything more than fresh, running waters. Thus it is said that Isaac's servant "found a well of living waters." (G-en. xxvi, 19. See also Num. xix. 17; Gant. iv, 15.) There was undoubtedly a deep meaning in our Lord's words, and a tacit reference to the verse in Jeremiah, where God speaks of Himself as " the fountain of living waters." (Jer. ii. 13.) Nevertheless, the first idea that the words would convey to the woman's mind, would probably be no more than this, that he who sat before her had better, fresher, and more valuable water than that of the well. The fact is, that our Lord purposely used a figurative, general expression, in order to lead the woman's mind gently on. If He had said, " He would have given thee grace and mercy," she would have been unprepared for such purely doctrinal language, and it would have called forth prejudice and dislike.
There is a vast quantity of deep truth contained in this verse. It is rich in first principles, linked together in a most instructive chain. (1.) Christ has living water to give to men. (2.) If men would only ask, Christ would at once give. (3.) Men do not ask because they are ignorant. — The verse condemns all who die unpardoned. They have not because they ask not. They ask not because they are blind to their condition. To remove this blindness and ignorance must be the first object we should
The notion of Ambrose, Cyprian, and Rupertus, that " living water" here means baptism, is too monstrous to require refuta- tion. It is only a sample of the preposterous views of some of the Fathers and their followers about the sacraments.
Bengel remarks on this verse our Lord's readiness to draw lessons of spiritual instruction from every object near Him. To the Jews desiring bread, He spoke of the bread of life. (John vi. 33.) To the people at Jerusalem at break of day. He speaks of the light of the world, referring probably to the rising sun. (John viii. 2, 12.) To the woman coming to draw water, He speaks of living water.
U. — [The woman saith, cfx] The words of the woman in this and the folk wing verse, imply surprise, curiosity, and perhaps a slight sneer. At any rate tliey show that her attention waa
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arrested. A stranpre Jew at a well suddenly speaks to her about "living water." What could He mean? Was He in earnest or not? With a woman's curiosity she desires to know.
[Sir.] The Greek word so rendered is generally translated "Lord" This leads some, as Chrysost«jm, to think, that the wo- man's heart was so far impressed now, that sh^ purposely used a term of respect and reverence. We must not, however, lay too much stress on the word. It is certainly translated "Sir," in other places, where inferiors speak to superiors Matt, xiii 27; xxi. 30; xxvii. 63. John iv. 49; v. 7 ; xii. 21; xx. 15. Rev, vii. 14. Yet it is difficult to see what other word the woman could have used in addressing a strange man, without rudeness and discourtesy.
[Nothing to draw with.] — The Greek expression here is simply a substantive, meaning " an instrument for drawing water." What it was we are lefc to conjecture. Schleusner suggests from Nonnus that it must mean a cup fastened to a rope.
[The well is deep.] These words, according to the universal testimony of travellers at this day, are still literally true. The well is at least thirty yards deep, and to a person not provided with a rope, as the woman doubtless saw was our Lord's case, the water would be inaccessible.
[ Whence then....that living water.] The Greek word here rendered " that" is simply the article commonly translated " the." It is like " that prophet." (John i. 21.)
The ignorance of the woman in thinking of nothing but material water, naturally strikes us. Yet it is nothing more than we see in many other instances in the Gospels. Nicodemus could not see any but a carnal meaning in the new birth. The disciples could not understand our Lord's having "meat to eat," unless it was literal meat. The Jews thought the " bread from heaven " was hteral bread. (John iii. 4 ; iv. 33 ; vi. 34.) The natural heart of man always tries to put a carnal and material sense on spiritual expressions. Hence have arisen the greatest errors about the sacraments. 12.— [Art thou greater.] This question exhibits the woman's curiosity to know who the stranger before her could be. Who art thou that speakest of hving water? — It also savours of a sneer and incredulity. Dost thou mean to say that thou canst give me better and more abundant supplies of water, than a well which the patriarch Jacob found sufficient for himself and all his nume- rous company? Dost thou pretend to know of a better well? Art thou, a poor weary traveller in nppearance, so great a perion that thou dost possess a better well than Jacob possessed ?
[Our father Ja^ob....gave us the well] Let it be noted that