Made and baptized. Both verbs are in the present tense. The narrator puts himself at the scene of the story: 7s making and baptizing.
2. Though (xatrouye). Lit., and yet. The report of Jesus’ baptizing brought to the Baptist by his disciples is corrected.
Baptized. The imperfect tense: it was not Ms practice to baptize.
3. He left (abjxe). The verb means literally to send away, dismiss. It is used of forgwing offences (Matt. vi. 43; Jas. v. 15); of yielding up (Matt. xxvii. 50); of letting alone (Matt. xix. 14); of allowing or permitting (Luke vi. 12). See on these passages. Its employment here is peculiar. Compare xvi. 28, of Christ’s leaving the world.
Again. Seei. 44.
4. Must needs. Because this was the natural route from Jerusalem to Galilee. Possibly with a suggestion of the ne- cessity arising from the Father’s will. John does not put this as a mission undertaken to the Samaritans. Jesus observed the law which He imposed on His disciples (Matt. x. 5).
5. Then (ovr). Not a particle of time, but of logical con- nection. Therefore, going by this route, He must needs, ete.
City. Not implying a place of great size or importance. Compare xi. 54; Matt. ii. 23.
Sychar. Commonly identified with Schechem, the modern Nablous, and regarded as a corruption of Sichem. Some modern authorities, however, argue that a place so famous as Schechem would not be referred to under another name, and identify the site with Askar, about two miles east of Nablous. The name Sychar means drunken-town or lying-town.,