John 4:12

The Pulpit Commentary - John 4:12

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle? We observe here the Samaritaness's claim to be a descendant of Ephraim, of Joseph, of Jacob himself who dug the well. By rising up behind the family of Ephraim to the father of Judah as well as of Joseph, the woman claims a kind of kinship with Jesus. The "our" in this case is not a monopoly of the honours of Jacob for herself and her people. Her national pride is softening... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 4:12

Art thou greater? - Art thou wiser, or better able to find water, than Jacob was? It seems that she supposed that he meant that he could direct her to some living spring, or to some better well in that region, and that this implied more knowledge or skill than Jacob had. To find water and to furnish a good well was doubtless considered a matter of signal skill and success. It was a subject of great importance in that region. This shows how ready sinners are to misunderstand the words of Christ,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 4:10-12

John 4:10-12. Jesus answered And in his answer shows her that he was not under the power of such common prejudices; If thou knewest the gift of God Which he is now bestowing on mankind by his Son; meaning the Holy Spirit and its fruits, styled, as here, δωρεα του Θεου , the gift of God, Acts 8:20, and η δωρεα , the gift, Acts 11:17; and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me to drink How great a person he is who is now conversing with thee. Instead of scrupling to grant him so... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 4:1-42

23. Jesus in Samaria (John 4:1-42)When the Pharisees saw the crowds following Jesus they took an increasing interest in him. No doubt they were becoming jealous and soon might become violent. Jesus therefore decided to leave Judea for Galilee (John 4:1-3).As Jesus approached one of the villages of Samaria, he began a conversation with a Samaritan woman whom he met at a well (John 4:4-9). The woman had a similar problem to Nicodemus in that she interpreted Jesus’ words literally instead of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 4:12

Art thou , &c., or Surely Thou art not ( App-105 ). thereof = out of (Greek. ek. App-104 .) it. and. Figure of speech Polysyndeton. App-6 . children = sons. App-108 . cattle . Greek. Plural of thremma. Occurs only here. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 4:12

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?Art thou greater than ... Jacob ...? Indeed a greater than Jacob was there, and a greater than Moses, and a greater than Jonah, and a greater than Solomon; and the very fact of this woman's employment of such a question is of deep interest. Some have understood her words as a scornful denial that Christ had any power to give the living water he had mentioned; but it appears... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 4:12

John 4:12. Art thou greater than our Father Jacob,— "Are you a person of greater power, or more in favour with God, than our common father Jacob, that you can procure water for yourself by supernatural means?—He was obliged to dig this well for the supply of himself and his family; can you create water?"—The mention of Jacob as a progenitor was highly proper in an address to a Jew; who might be supposed to reverence that patriarch in the highest manner, as well as the Samaritans, and could... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 4:12

12. Art thou greater, c.—already perceiving in this Stranger a claim to some mysterious greatness. our father Jacob—for when it went well with the Jews, they claimed kindred with them, as being descended from Joseph but when misfortunes befell the Jews, they disowned all connection with them [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 9.14,3]. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 4:1-26

1. The interview with the Samaritan woman 4:1-26There are several connections between this section and the preceding ones that provide continuity. One is the continuation of water as a symbol (cf. John 2:6; John 3:5; John 4:10-15). Another is the continuation of conversation in which Jesus reveals Himself as the fulfillment of what the Old Testament anticipated."Nicodemus was an eminent representative of orthodox Judaism. Now John records an interview Jesus had with one who stood for a class... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 4:1-42

D. Jesus’ ministry in Samaria 4:1-42The writer now showed Jesus moving north from Judea into Samaria where He had another important conversation with another person who was completely different from Nicodemus. As in the previous chapter, theological explanation follows personal encounter in this one. read more

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