The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 301

and, from John's hnbituFtl method of 1woid- (but thou dost not ;-this conclusion is In- ing direct mention of himself, it becomes volved in the form of the conditional sen. perf<'<'tly possible thFtt he we.s there listening tence), and who it is that 111.ith unto thee, silently to e.11 these grncious words. Moulton Give me to drink. Ma.ny suggestions a.re c-annot doubt that 1he beloved disciple sub- offered as to the meaning here of the "gift ~equently reoeived the whole from the Lord's of God." Elsewhere (oh. iii. 16) Christ is own lips; but there is no ree.son to conclude himself God's Gift, and St. Pa.ul spoo.ks the.t he must he.ve been absent, and very of Christ e.s God's unspeo.kable Gift much to suggest his quiet presence (Weiss, (Hengsten berg). Pa.ul e.leo deola.res tha.t • Life of Christ,' ii. 84). "the gift of God is eternal life throngl1 Ver. 9.-The Same.titan woman therefore Jesus Christ." The living water, the re- Baith to him, How is it(comparethis "how" freshing, life-giving stream of blessedness with that of Nicodemus. Jesus had at once which Christ is opening in this wilderness, provoked inquiry, which he was not unwill- is the meaning put back by some into these ing t-0 gratify)-How is it that thou, being a memorable word11 as they first fell from the Jew1 She would have known tha.t he wa.s lips of Jesus. So Lampe a.nd Godet. But a Jew by his speech, for the Sama.rite.us were Augustine and others point to eh. vii. 89, accustomed to turn the sound of ,h into that where John tells us tha.t the living water of of s; e.nd so, 'When Jesus said in Je'\\ish which Jesus speaks as welling up like 11, Are.ma.ic, Teni Ush<lwtk, "Give me to drink," river in the heart of o. believer, in the bosom while she would herself ha.ve 11a.id, Teni lise- of one who ha.s come to him to slake his koth, his speech would betray him. Again, otherwise quenchless thirst, is " the Spirit," the contour of the Jewish face differs which those who believe on him should re- greatly from that of the Samaritan, a.nd the ceive when Jesus would be glorified. This customary fringes on their robes were of sublime renewal of the greatest gift of God different national colours. Moreover, his np- by the Spirit is set forth under similar ima- pea.re.nce, travel-stained, weary, and thirsty, gery in Isa.. xliv. 8 a.nd Joel ii. 28. However, on the great highway between Galilee e.nd words a.re functions of two minds; wha.t they Judma, would have suggested at once the.t must or might ha.ve meant to her must have he we.s no Samaritan. .A.skest driilk from been Christ's meaning when he uttered them. me, who am a Samarite.n, and a woman, too ! The exple.na.tory clause, Who it is that saith Already this was a startling puzzle, for her to thee, Give me to drink, solves the per- experience so far be.d only shown her that plexity. That the Son of God, tha.t the Logos Jews have no dealings (e. word only once a.nd in flesh, should have so emptied himself of here used in the New Testament) withSama- his eternal glory a.s to a.sk for we. ter from a ri:ta.ns. 1 Most commentators suppose that Sa.ma.ritan, and a woman, is in itself a. gift, this is an explana.t-Ory remark of the evange- the supreme gift, of God. She did not know list. pointing to the absence, in e. hostile a.nd the fulness of his 110.tnre. So Lange, naughty spirit, of nil plea.sa.nt relations be- Grotius, a.nd others. A remark by Dr. tween the peoples (see note a.t commence- Yeomans is singularly suggestive: "The ment of chapter). We a.re not compelled to context shows tha.t ' the gift of God' is 11, gift this conclusion. The words me.y just as which God ha.d already given, rather tha.n likely have been the pert, half-ironical tone one yet held in reserve-the actual gift of his of the woman, who was drawing a. contrast condescension, rather the.n the offered gift of between the current profession of Israelites living water, or the Holy Ghost." Ha.d she and the request which the need of Jesus known it and put the two thoughts together bad extorted (Moulton). The eighth verse in the rudest fa.shion,shewould ha.ve known ha.d just se.id that the disciples had clearly the gift of God, a.nd she would ha.ve become some dealings with Sama.rita.ns, and he.d gone the suppliant a.t once a.nd he the Giver. to purche.se food a.t Sycha.r, ta.king with them Thou wonldeet have e.sked (prayed, ta.ken the the apparatus used for drawing water. This position of the inferior) of him, and he would Inst fa.et is the evangelist's reason for intro- have given to thee living water. (For the ducing the remark of the woman. He would phrase, "living water," see Gen. :u:vi. 19; hardly he. ve made it himself. and for its a.pplication, Zech. xiv. 8; Jer. ii. Vere. 10-15.-(I,) The liuing water ojfeJ"ed 13; Rev. viL 17; :ui. 6; :u:ii.1.) The Divine ur.d miBund,erswod. supply of heaven-sent life, which will slake Ver. 10.-Jesus answered and said unto 11,ll thirst for lesser gifts, and which will her, If thou hadst known the gift of God constitute the perennial bleseedneBS of saved and glorified spirits. The gift of God is the 1 The Revised Version ha.a indicated in full discovery of persone.1 relations with the the margin tha.t this clause is omitted by veritable Source of all life. This lecomee ancient 11.uthorities. 'fischendorf (8th edit.) life eternal e.s it leads to knowledge of the omits it, with i:-t•, D, a, b, tJj Tregelles, West- only God and Jealll Ohrist whom he ha.s cott 11.nd Hort, retain it, with T.B., R.T., etc. sent; and usistn full realization of the life, on. 1v. 1-54.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 165