ACC ~ John 4 v9

THE VIRTUE OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: It is evident that the blessed John wanted to reveal the virtue of the woman through this story. This request for water was not to be taken lightly. She instead first brings up the rules of the law. With great honesty she did not tolerate this infringement of the law even with strangers, even though it could have happened easily and almost necessarily [because of the thirst needing to be quenched]. Therefore, in order that it might not appear that the woman did not want to give water to the foreigner out of meanness or hostility, the Evangelist added these words: “Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans,” so that we might know that she refused to give him water not as to someone who was a stranger to her religion but because she wanted to warn him not to transgress the rules of the law by being led by his thirst. At this stage our Lord took this answer of the woman as the right opportunity for his teaching. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 2.4.9. [1]

[1] CSCO 4 3:87.

SAMARITANS CAN HAVE DEALINGS WITH JEWS, NOT VICE VERSA

CHRYSOSTOM: After the Jews returned from their captivity, they were jealous of the Samaritans whom they regarded as outsiders and enemies…. The Samaritans did not use all the Scriptures, but only the writings of Moses, and made little use of the prophets. They were eager to claim their Jewish origin and prided themselves on Abraham, whom they called their forefather since he was from Chaldea, and also Jacob since they were his descendants. But the Jews considered them Gentiles and thought they were as much an abomination as the rest of the Gentile world…. And so the woman, on being told, “Give me a drink,” very naturally asks, “How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?”… She knew he was a Jew from his appearance and speech. Observe how considerate she is here. For even if our Lord had been bound to abstain from dealing with her, that was his concern, not hers. The Evangelist does not say that the Samaritans would have no dealings with the Jews but that the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. The woman, however, though not at fault herself, wished to correct what she thought was done unlawfully. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 31.2, 4. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:108-9**.

JEWS WOULD NOT EVEN USE THEIR VESSELS

AUGUSTINE: The Jews would not even use [the Samaritans’] vessels. And as the woman brought with her a vessel to draw the water, it made her wonder that a Jew sought a drink from her—something Jews were not accustomed to do. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 15.11. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:102*.

CHRIST ABOLISHES THE CEREMONIAL LAW FOR THE FUTURE

CHRYSOSTOM: But why did Christ ask for a drink when the law did not permit it? It is no answer to say that he knew ahead of time that she would not give it, for in that case, he clearly should not have asked for it. Rather, his very reason for asking was to show his indifference to such observances since, if he was going to induce others to abolish them, then it was even more important for him to pass them by. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 31.4. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:109**.