The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Chapter 4
When therefore Jesus knew , &c. . . . than John , that is, than John had made and baptized, says S. Augustine (lib. 2, de cons . Evang ., c. 18), for John was now in prison. For these things had happened through the occasion of John's imprisonment For Jesus, knowing of John's imprisonment, and fearing the envy and calumny of the Pharisees, who had already stirred up Herod against John, that they might not be the means of casting Himself also into prison through the instrumentality of Herod or Pilate, and put Him to death before the time predetermined by the Father, prudently retired out of Judea into Galilee. See what has been said about this on Matt iv. 12.
A/though Jesus, &c. Both because Jesus was occupied in the greater works of preaching and healing the sick; as Paul saith, "Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel" (1 Cor. i. 17), also that He might show that the efficacy of His baptism was greater than that of John's. See what has been said on iii. 32.
He left Judea, &c. Not as though He feared death, but that He might mollify the envy of the Pharisees, says S. Chrysostom. For the Pharisees were very influential. For most of the priests, senators, and magistrates belonged to their sect. This was the second occasion of Christ retiring into Galilee, the first being in
He must needs , &c. For Samaria lies betwixt Judea and Galilee. Cyril observes that Christ does not here go counter to his own command, by which He enjoined on His apostles not to go into the cities of the Samaritans (S. Matt. x. 5). For He there forbids them not to go to the Samaritans of set purpose, nor to continuously evangelise them, lest they should prejudice the Jews, who were their enemies, against themselves and the faith of Christ. Jesus on this occasion was only passing through Samaria on His way to Galilee.
Samaria was the district which was occupied by the tribe of
Ephraim, and half the tribe of Manasseh. It took its name of
Samaria from the royal city, which was built upon the hill Somer .
See 1 Kings xvi. 24.
Ver. 5. — He came therefore , &c. Sichar , i.e., Sichem . When Jeroboam revolted from Rehoboam, and usurped the kingdom of the
Ten Tribes, he made this city his capital. The capital was afterwards transferred by Omri to Samaria. Afterwards, in the time of Alexander the Great, Sichem was again made the capital of the region of Samaria, as Josephus testifies (Ant., ii. 8), and was called Neapolis. In the time of our Saviour Sichem was corrupted into Sichar. It is now called Naplous. This city was the site of many famous deeds mentioned in Scripture. Abraham journeying from
Mesopotamia into Canaan, came first to Sichem, and built an altar to the Lord, and received the promise of that land. See Gen. xil and xiii.
Jacob also returning from Mesopotamia fixed his tent here, and bought a piece of ground from the sons of Emmor (Gen. xxxiii.) Here Dinah, his daughter, was corrupted by the son of the King of Sichem (Gen. xxxiv.) Sichem was appointed one of the cities of refuge (Josh, xx.) Here the ten tribes revolted from Judea through the folly of Rehoboam. The bones of Joseph were buried at Sichem, as is related at the end of the Book of Joshua. S. Jerome (tract, de loc. Hebr.) says that Salem and Sichem were the same; Hence it follows that Melchisedec, the type of Christ, was also king of this city.
Near the parcel of ground, &c. See what I have said on Gen, xlviii. 22. Wherefore Joseph when he was dying in Egypt commanded his bones to be translated to Sichem, as to his own piece of land, which had been left him by the will of his father.
Ver. 6 .— Jacob's fountain ( Vulg.) This fountain was a well dug by Jacob, as appears from ver. 12. This is the meaning of the Hebrew beer. So S. Augustine says, giving the meaning of fons in Latin, “Every well is a fountain, but not every fountain a well. Where water springs out of the earth, and affords drink, it is called a fountain . If it is on the surface it is called a fountain only : but if it be deep, it is called a well, and loses the name of fountain.” Varro derives the word fons from fundo y to pour. A fountain, he says, is where living water is poured out of the earth. Jacob’s fount therefore was a well which Jacob had dug in this place for the use of himself and his family. Or he may have bought it of the
Shechemites, as Ruperti thinks.
Jesus therefore being wearied ; for He went about among the towns and villages on foot, even till His death. His apostles followed His example. Blessed Xavier and his followers lately did the same in India. Piously does S. Augustine say (Tract. 15), “Not in vain is Jesus wearied ; not in vain is the power of God fatigued : for not vainly is He wearied by whom the weary are refreshed. Not in vain is He wearied, when if He forsake us, we are weary, but if He be present with us, we are strong. For though Jesus was wearied with His journey, yet it was the strength of Christ which has created thee. The strength of Christ made thee, that that which was not might be : the weakness of Christ caused that that which was should not perish. He formed us by His strength : He sought us by His weakness. Therefore He Himself cherishes the weak, as a hen her chickens, for to her He compared Himself.”
Upon the fount: Greek, ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ, at the fount , or near the well. Or strictly, above the founts, because the bubbling water was deep down in the well.
Sat thus: where He conveniently could. He sat upon the ground without a seat, as wayfarers are wont to sit down beside wells and fountains, for the sake of rest and refreshment. So S. Chrysostom and Euthymius. Or more simply, He sat thus , means, as being tired with His journey. He sat as men are wont to sit when they are tired, showing by so doing that they are weary. So Cajetan and others.
3. Sat thus may mean, in this way , i.e., under the circumstances which I will now pass under review. He sat thus , i.e., when it was the sixth hour , and the woman came to draw water, and the disciples had gone away to buy food.
Sixth hour . He gives the reason why Jesus sat at the fountain ; because He was wearied, hungry, and thirsty. It was the sixth hour, or mid-day, when the heat is greatest. Nonnus renders, It was the hour bringing thirst.
A woman of Samaria: of the district, not the city of Samaria. She came from the city of Sichar, which was near the well.
Jesus saith to her. Jesus took the initiative in conversing with her. For He knew that the woman, being a Samaritan, would not do so, but would dislike Him as being a Jew. But “He who desired to drink thirsted for the faith of the woman,” says S. Augustine. Observe the wonderful affability and charity of Christ, in seeking to enter into conversation with a wretched harlot, that He might convert her, and through her a whole city.
Ver. 8. — For His disciples , &c. The word for gives the reason why Jesus asked drink of the woman; because His disciples, from whom otherwise He would have sought food and drink, had gone into the city to buy food. For Jesus wished to drink beside the well, and to drink from it, just as poor travellers are wont to do, especially in Syria and Arabia, and other hot countries where there is a scarcity of water. This happened by Christ’s tacit providence, that His disciples being all gone away into the city, He might by Himself be able more easily, in talking with this immodest woman, to spare her shame, and disclose her immodesty, and so convert her to faith and modesty.
Ver. 9. — The woman therefore saith , &c. Therefore in Greek and Hebrew often merely marks the beginning of a sentence. Here, however , it denotes an inference from the preceding question of Christ. Jesus had asked the woman for water; the woman therefore replied to His question, How is it, &c. The woman recognised Jesus to be a Jew from His dress and speech, which Christ, out of good feeling to His country, accommodated to that of his fellow-countrymen .
For the Jews , &c., i.e., have no intercourse, do not use the same bed, or cup, or vessel, as though they were impure and abominable on account of their schism. These words may be either those of the Evangelist, or of the Samaritan woman. In either case they are very appropriate. Learn from this example how we ought to shun the friendship, looks, and conversation of heretics; for “ their speech doth eat as doth a cancer,” saith S. Paul.
Ver. 10. — Jesus answered , &c. If thou knewest the gift of God. This gift is (i.) common, what God has given to every man, “if thou knowest that I am Christ, the Saviour of the world.” 2. Especial to thyself what God now manifests to thee through Me, that through My conversation thou mayest have an opportunity of salvation, that thou mayest believe in Me, and so be justified and saved. So Maldonatus.