The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 300

midnight to midda.y, from noon to midnight, Byche.r, which tho women of the place would into twelve hours of equal length. Some frequent. We need not, with Hengstenberg, difiloulties a.re reduced by the la.tl.er hypo- suppose that, from a religious motive, one of thesis (see M•Clellan a.nd Westcott, 'Ad- reverence for the well of J e.cob, this woman ditione.l Notes to John xix.;' Edersheim, had chosen the longer walk and ip-ee.ter l.o., i. 405; Moulton, in loco; Townson, exertion, in the heat of the day. No hint 'Discourses of the l<onr Gospels,' p. 215). of the kind occurs. 'fhe simple supposition The hour referred to would then be about that her home was hard by the well is suffi- six o'clock in the evening, the very time cient to explain the somewhat unusual cir- when purchases would be made, e.nd when cumstance that she shoultl have come alone women a.re in the habit of drawing we.ter. and e.t midday. No longer, as in ancient The difficulty that presents itself is the times, did women of social position perform brevity of the time remaining for e.11 that this duty (Gen. xxiv. 15; Exod. ii. 16). She he.ppens e.s described in vers. 27-38, by her action proclaimed her humble station broad de.ylight being a.lmost presupposed in life. Hard work is performed by women in ver. 35. Still, if "about the sixth hour" e.t the present day in the Ea•t ancl South. was five o'clock, even in January there J'esllS se.ith to her, Give me to drink. This would be possible time for the conversation, form of expression is not nncommon. The for the return of the disciples, e.nd e.lso for Lord was not only weary, but veritably the e.pproe.ch of the Samaritans; though it thirsty. He had taken upon himself all our must be remembered that twilight in innocent desires and cravings. "He would Pe.lestine is very brief, e.nd thnt the whole know all, that he might succour all," and waa ne.1·rative suggests the idea of leisure rather intent upon conferring a blessing by asking than hurried converse. If the Roman e. favour. He put it into her power to do him method of interpretation were adopted, the e. kindness, just as when God evermore says, sixth hour might mean six o'clock. in the "Give me thy heart," when he is yearning morning, which was thti hour intended, if to give himself to us. "It is more blessed the Roman computation must be supposed to give than to receive." He will e.i once in eh. xix. 14. This suggestion has further confer on this poor "waif and stray" the clifflcultiee. The weariness of the Lord at nnspeake.ble privilege of bestowing the cup that ee.l'ly hour would imply a long journey of cold water ou the Lord of all. It is not before daybreak, which iB extremely im- that in the first instant he implied that he probable (see eh. xi. 9). Besides, though was thirsting for her salvation ; that inter- Townson and M•Clellan lay emphasis on pretation would almost lift the narrative into this Roman computation of time in Asia the purely symbolic region, greatly to its Minor, and advance some proof of it, yet injury, and to the damage of the entire Home of their authorities are far from proving Gospel. it. Luthe.rdt says we have no right to sup- Ver. 8.-For his disciples had departed pose that John would deviate from the into the city to buy food. This is stated as current Jewish computation. "About the e. reason why he asked water from the chance sixth hour'' would therefore mean "about wayfarer, who had obviously with her the noon," the very time when it is so com- "woter-pot" and the ifvTII.TJµa. (ver. 11), a mon to rest after a morning journey. Liicke, word used for the rope with which the bucket Meyer, Heugstenberg, Godet, Lange, Schaff, or water-jar was let down into the well. Geikie, Watkins, all press the same inter- There ru-e very discordant statements e.s to pretation of the words. Liicke justly says the degree of separation which the Jews that there is no hint of the Lord and his insisted upon betweeu themselves and disciples inteuding to remain by the well, Se.me.rite.us. The later rabbis greatly but to pursue their journey after rest and aggravated the feeling. They refused to eat food. 1.rhis is inconsistent with the idea of the bread of Samaritans, e.s though it were an evening halt. more defiling than swine's flesh ; objected Vers. 7-26.-(2) The revelations ami to drink their wiue or vinegar; and, if this misunderstandings comprised in the intemew animosity at the time of Christ had been with the Samaritaneas. equally pronouuced, would have limited the Vers. 7-9.-(a) The Giver of all ask, disciples in their choice of food to uncooked alms,submitting to oonditions of humanity. eggs, fruits, and vegetables, r.nd possibly_ to • Ver. 7.-There cometh a woman of Se.maria meal and wine. But it seems, from the ea.rher to draw water. The l1< 'l"-ijs laµapelas un- rabbinical books (Edersheim quotes several, doubtedly qualifies the word 'Yuvfi, l\nd not which modify Lightfoot's authorities), _that lpxe,..,u; therefore the country, not the city, the meat of e. Samaritan was lawful food if au of Samaria is refen-ed to. Besides, thr.t city Israelite bad witnessed its killiug, and that was e.t much too great I\ distance to be the their bread, wine, etc., we1·e not forbidden. home of this Somaritaness. There Wllre We see no reuson for thi.uking that Jesus other B}lrings still ner.rer to the city of wus left absolutely alone on this occasion,  1G4 THE GOSPEL ACOORDING '1'0 S'l'. JOHN. [ou. 1v. 1-64.