732
ILk.v.3. ἐποίησα. 40. Ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν of Σαμαρεῖται, ' ἠρώτων mi4o. . αὐτὸν " μεῖναι παρ αὐτοῖς: καὶ " ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. 41. καὶ ni Mac. xi. κ F eae = nM is a ‘ 40. πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, 42. TH τε γυναικι ἔλεγον, “"Ὅτι οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύοµεν’ αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν, καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου,
ὁ Χριστός.” 1 ο ΕΜ iE Mera δὲ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ ° ἀπῆλθεν 3 εἰς
t. Iv. 14.
τὴν Γαλιλαίαν.
44. αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐμαρτύρησεν, ὅτι προφήτης
1 ο Χριστος omitted in Φ48ΒΟ vulg. and Memph.; found in AC*DL. 2 Omit και απηλθεν with BCD, T., Ti., W.H.
talk with the woman.—Vv. 39-42 briefly sum up the results of the Lord’s visit.— Ver. 39. Out of Sychar many of the Samaritans believed on Him. This faith was the result of the woman's testimony, διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικὸς μαρτυροῦσης; her testimony being, εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα érroinoa.—Ver. 40. Their faith showed itself in an invitation to Him to remain with them ; in compliance with which invitation, impressive as com- ing from Samaritans, He remained two days.—Ver. 41. The result was that πολλῷ πλείους, a far larger number than had believed owing to the woman’s report now believed διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, on account of what they heard from Jesus Himself. This is a faith approved by John, because based not on miracles but on the word of Christ.—ovKérte . . . καὶ οἴδαμεν. No longer do we believe on account of your talk [λαλιάν, not λόγον], for we ourselves have heard and know. ‘This could only be said by those who went out first from the city, not by those many more who afterwards believed. They felt that their faith was now firmer and stronger, more worthy to be called faith. This mature belief expressed itself in the confession οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς 6 σωτὴρ τοῦ Kdopov 6 Χριστός. The title “Saviour of the World’’ was of course prompted by the teaching of Jesus Him- self during His two days’ residence. To suppose, with several interpreters, that it is put into the mouth of the Samaritans by the evangelist is to suppose that during these two days Jesus did not disclose to them that He was the Saviour of the World. [‘‘ It probably belongs not to the Samaritans but to the evangelist. At the same time it is possible that such an epithet might be employed by them merely as synonymous with ‘ Messiah’”’ —Sanday.]
Doubt has been cast on the historicity
of this narrative by Baur, who thinks the woman is a type of susceptible heathen- dom ; and by Strauss, who thinks it was invented for the purpose of showing that Jesus personally taught not only in Galilee, Judaea, and Perea, but also in Samaria. ‘‘ How natural the tendency to perfect the agency of Jesus, by τερτε- senting Him to have sown the heavenly seed in Samaria, thus extending His Ministry through all parts of Palestine ; to limit the glory of the apostles and other teachers to that of being the mere reapers of the harvest in Samaria; and to put this distinction, on a suitable occasion, into the mouth of Jesus!” Holtzmann’s idea of this section of the Gospel issimilar. The fictitious character
of the narrative seems to be mainly
based on its great significance for the life of Christ. As if the actual events of His life were not significant. Stress too is laid on the circumstance that among simple peoples all striking incidents, conversations, recognitions, take place at wells. In other words, wells are common meeting-places, therefore this meeting at a well cannot have taken place.
Vv. 43-54. fesus passes into Galilee and there heals the son of a nobleman.— Ver. 43. Mera δὲ τὰς δύο ἡμέρας. ‘And after the two days,” see νετ. 49.---ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν, “He departed thence,” i.e., from Sychar.—eis τὴν Γαλιλαίαν, “into Galilee,” carrying out the intention which had brought Him to Sychar, iv. 3.— Ver. 44. The reason for His proceeding to Galilee is given in ver. 44.-- αὐτὸς yap 6 ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐμαρτύρησεν, ‘for Jesus Himself testified”. The evangelist would not have presumed to apply to Jesus the proverbial expression, προφή- της ... οὐκ ἔχει, but Jesus Himself used it. The saying embodies a common observation. Montaigne complained that