Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 4:42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard [him] ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.
42. thy saying ] Not the same word as in Joh 4:39, the Greek for which is the same as that translated ‘word’ in Joh 4:41. Joh 4:39 ; Joh 4:41 should be alike, viz. ‘word,’ meaning ‘statement’ in Joh 4:39 and ‘teaching’ in Joh 4:41. Here we should have ‘speech’ or ‘talk.’ In classical Greek lalia has a slightly uncomplimentary turn, ‘gossip, chatter.’ But this shade of meaning is lost in later Greek, though there is perhaps a slight trace of it here; ‘not because of thy talk;’ but this being doubtful, ‘speech’ will be the safer translation. The whole should run, no longer is it because of thy speech that we believe. In Joh 8:43 lalia is used by Christ of His own words; see note there.
we Have heard him ourselves ] Better, we have heard for ourselves. There is no ‘Him’ in the Greek. ‘The Christ’ is also to be omitted. It is wanting in the best MSS.
the Saviour of the world ] It is not improbable that such ready hearers would arrive at this great truth before the end of those two days. It is therefore unnecessary to suppose that S. John is here unconsciously giving one of his own expressions (1Jn 4:14) for theirs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Joh 4:42
Now we believe not because of thy saying: we have heard Him ourselves
The Samaritans confession of faith
I.
THE PERSONS FROM WHOM IT CAME. Samaritans out of the covenant, with imperfect notions of God and the Spirit of His worship, yet they were so captivated by Christs teachings that they felt He could be no other than the worlds Saviour.
II. THE JUST NOTIONS THEY EXPRESSED OF THE OFFICE OF CHRIST.
1. That He was to effect the salvation of the world, not of their race merely.
2. That He was to save by teaching the true religion. I know, said the woman, He will tell all things–i.e., concerning the worship of God, the topic of discussion.
3. Thus they must have placed the salvation itself in such a deliverance as these means were fitted to accomplish, viz., in deliverance from ignorance, hypocrisy, and superstition.
4. They were aware that the time was actually come for this Deliverers appearance: Jesus said, The hour cometh and now is. The woman responded, I know that the Messiah (lit.)
is now coming. Learn then
(1) How little benefit the external means of grace may prove to those whose minds, like those of the Jews, are occupied with adverse prejudices, so as to be negligent of their own improvement.
(2) What a proficiency may be made, by Gods blessing, on the diligent use of scanty talents. The Samaritans had no light but what came obliquely from the Jews, but they so far improved under their imperfect discipline as to attain views of the promised redemption which the Jews missed in spite of Moses and the Prophets.
III. THE WARMTH AND ENERGY OF THEIR CONVICTION. We know. Conclusion
1. Let every one take encouragement and learn the necessary assiduity in self-improvement.
2. Let no sinner despair of salvation. (Bp. Horsley.)
The progress of faith
I. ITS AWAKENING. Through indirect testimony concerning Christ. In this ease by speaking of the woman; in other cases through the witness born of and to Christ
1. By parents to children.
2. Ministers to congregations.
3. Teachers to scholars.
4. Believers generally to the world.
5. The scriptures to readers.
II. ITS CONFIRMATION. By the direct testimony of Christ Himself. In this case through Christs conversation with the Samaritans; in others, by the word of Christ carried home to the individual heart by the Spirit of Christ.
III. ITS ILLUMINATION. In the attainment of a true knowledge of Christs person and work. As here, learning led to believing, and believing to knowing; so will all in whom the ear and eye of faith are opened, the taking up of Christs word, and through that of Christ Himself, into the heart leads to that higher knowledge of Christ in which consists eternal life Joh 17:2). Lessons:
1. The value of Christian instruction.
2. The indispensableness of Christs own teaching.
3. The insight of faith. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)
Christ the Saviour of the world
I. THE STATE OF THE WORLD REQUIRED A SAVIOUR.
II. CHRIST BECAME THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD.
1. He was Divinely appointed (Joh 6:27; Isa 61:1-3).
2. He voluntarily assumed the office (1Ti 1:15).
III. THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST AS A SAVIOUR.
1. A willing Saviour.
2. A free Saviour.
3. An all-sufficient Saviour. He can save
(1) From the guilt and condemnation of sin (Rom 3:24).
(2) From the dominion of sin and its polluting power (Tit 2:12; Tit 3:5).
(3) From the tormenting power, and the destructive consequences of sin (Heb 9:14; 1Pe 3:18).
(4) From the wrath of God, and the vengeance of everlasting fire 1Th 1:10; Rom 5:9).
IV. THE EVIDENCE THAT CHRIST WAS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. This is indeed the Christ, etc. Those who are saved by Christ can give the same testimony, for
1. They have the witness in themselves. They have proved the gospel to be the power of God to their salvation.
2. Believers are well assured that Christ was the Saviour of the world, by regarding the internal evidence of the Scriptures.
3. Christianity has survived all the attempts of its enemies to destroy it.
4. It is proved that Christ was the Saviour by a reference to the pages of history.
Application:
1. Let Christians examine and be satisfied with the truth of the gospel.
2. Be thankful for such a Saviour.
3. The rejector of Christ has cause for alarm. (Helps for the Pulpit.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 42. We have heard him ourselves] On seeing and hearing our Lord, the faith of those who had already believed on the woman’s testimony was abundantly confirmed; and, besides those, may others believed who had not heard the woman speak.
This is indeed the Christ] The promised Messiah.
The Saviour of the world.] Not of the Jews only, but of the Samaritans, and of the whole Gentile world.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Several things may be the occasion of faith, which are neither the principal efficient causes, nor the proper instrumental cause of it. The principal efficient cause of the faith of these Samaritans was, undoubtedly, the finger of God upon their souls, enlightening their minds with the saving knowledge of the gospel, and bowing their wills to the obedience of it. The proper instrumental cause was their hearing the words of Christ; but the occasion of this was what the woman had told them: so as, though they in a sense believed because of what she had said, because that occasioned their coming out to see and hear Christ; yet the proper instrumental cause was their hearing Christ, God upon their hearing him working in their hearts an ability and a willingness to receive and to close with Christ. Thus the church gives us the first occasion of receiving the Scriptures, and believing them to be the word of God: we, having them put into our hands by the church, read them, and find such impresses and stamps of Divinity in them, that we conclude, from our reason very probably, that they are more than human writings; but never firmly and fixedly receive them as such, until persuaded of it by the Holy Spirit. These Samaritans do not only own Christ as a prophet, nor do they only suspect that he must be the Messias, but they profess to know that he was the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And said unto the woman,…. Who, it appears, kept hearing Christ, attending on him, and conversing with him; for having tasted of his grace, she could not leave him:
now we believe, not because of thy saying; not on account of that only: it should seem that these were the same persons that believed upon her word before they went out of the city; and who, when come to Christ, invited him into it; and now, having heard his excellent discourses, were confirmed in the faith of him:
for we have heard him ourselves; not only externally with their bodily ears, but internally, having ears given them to hear, so as to understand what he said; to mix it with faith, and receive it in love; to feel the power of it in their hearts, and taste the sweetness of it, and be nourished by it; and so as to distinguish his voice from another’s, as Christ’s true sheep are capable of.
And know that this is indeed the Christ; the true Messiah, and not a false one; the Messiah spoken of by Moses, whose books the Samaritans received, as the seed of the woman, the Shiloh, and prophet, like to Moses; the Christ of God, who is anointed to be prophet, priest, and King. The Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions leave out the word “Christ”, and only read what follows,
the Saviour of the world: they knew him to be the Saviour, he who was spoken of as such; for his work to bruise the serpent’s head implies it, and his name Shiloh imports as much: and besides, he is called by Jacob God’s salvation, Ge 49:18. God appointed him as a Saviour; he sent him, and he came as such, and is become the author of salvation; and his name is called Jesus, on this account: and a great Saviour he is; both able, and willing; and he is suitable to the case of sinners; and is a complete, and an only one: and these Samaritans knew him to be “the Saviour of the world”; not of every individual person in it, for all are not saved by him; nor of the Jewish world, for many of them died in their sins; but of the Gentiles, in distinction from the Jews; see Joh 3:16; even of all God’s elect, whether among Jews or Gentiles; of all that believe in him, of whatsoever nation, and in whatsoever state and condition: so that their knowledge of him, and faith in him, were beyond that of the Jews, who looked upon the Messiah only as a Saviour of their nation; and that the Gentiles would have no manner of benefit and advantage by him: though the Jews b do call the angel in Ex 23:20 , “the Saviour”, or “Redeemer of” the world. And this the Samaritans might know from the writings of Moses, as from Ge 22:18 their present knowledge of Christ was not a mere notional, speculative, and general one, but was special, spiritual, and saving, which they had from the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ; they approved of him as their Saviour; they trusted in him as such; they had an experimental acquaintance with him, and practically owned him; and which they attained to by hearing him.
b Zohar in Gen. fol. 124. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Not because of thy speaking ( ). “No longer because of thy talk,” good and effective as that was. (cf. ) is talk, talkativeness, mode of speech, one’s vernacular, used by Jesus of his own speech (Joh 8:43).
We have heard (). Perfect active indicative of , their abiding experience.
For ourselves (). Just “ourselves.”
The Saviour of the world ( ). See Mt 1:21 for sosei used of Jesus by the angel Gabriel. John applies the term to Jesus again in 1Jo 4:14. Jesus had said to the woman that salvation is of the Jews (verse 22). He clearly told the Samaritans during these two days that he was the Messiah as he had done to the woman (verse 26) and explained that to mean Saviour of Samaritans as well as Jews. Sanday thinks that probably John puts this epithet of Saviour in the mouth of the Samaritans, but adds: “At the same time it is possible that such an epithet might be employed by them merely as synonymous with Messiah.” But why “merely”? Was it not natural for these Samaritans who took Jesus as their “Saviour,” Jew as he was, to enlarge the idea to the whole world? Bernard has this amazing statement on Joh 4:42: “That in the first century Messiah was given the title sotr is not proven.” The use of “saviour and god” for Ptolemy in the third century B.C. is well known. “The ample materials collected by Magie show that the full title of honour, Saviour of the world, with which St. John adorns the Master, was bestowed with sundry variations in the Greek expression on Julius Caesar, Augustus, Claudius, Vespasian, Titus, Trajan, Hadrian, and other Emperors in inscriptions in the Hellenistic East” (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 364). Perhaps Bernard means that the Jews did not call Messiah Saviour. But what of it? The Romans so termed their emperors and the New Testament so calls Christ (Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; Acts 3:23; Phil 3:20; Eph 5:23; Titus 1:4; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:6; 2Tim 1:10; 2Pet 1:1; 2Pet 1:11; 2Pet 2:20; 2Pet 3:2; 2Pet 3:18). All these are writings of the first century A.D. The Samaritan villagers rise to the conception that he was the Saviour of the world.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Said [] . The imperfect tense : said to the woman as they successively met her.
Saying [] . Another word is designedly substituted for logon, word (vv. 39, 41). In ver. 39 logov, word, is used of the woman, from the Evangelist ‘s standpoint, as being a testimony to Christ. Here the Samaritans distinguish between the more authoritative and dignified word of Jesus, and the talk of the woman. Rev., speaking. Compare the kindred verb lalew, in vv. 26, 27; also Joh 8:43; Mt 26:73.
The Christ. The best texts omit.
The Savior [ ] . John uses the word only here and 1Jo 4:14. See on Jesus, Mt 1:21. It is significant that this conception of Christ should have been first expressed by a Samaritan.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And said unto the woman,” (te gunaike elegon) “Then they said directly to the woman,” who had told them about the Christ, after they had “come with her,” at her invitation, and met the Christ.
2) “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: (hoti ouketi dia ten sen lalian pisteuomen) “That we believe no longer just because of your report or testimony,” that He told you He was the Christ, and that He sought you, Joh 4:25-26.
3) “For we have heard him ourselves,” (autoi gar akekoamen) “For we ourselves have heard,” as every man is called to do, Luk 14:35; Act 3:22-23.
4) “And know that this,” (kai oidamen hoti houtos) “And know, perceive or are convinced that this one,” and have no doubt, as witnessed by the Holy Spirit, God the Father, and John the Baptist, as well as the Christ Himself, Mat 1:16-17; Joh 1:29; Joh 4:25-26; Joh 17:3; 1Ti 4:10; Joh 4:14.
5) “Is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (estin alethos ho soter tou kosmou) “Is surely the Saviour or deliverer of the world,” of the world’s needs, confirming the testimony of the Samaritan woman, and an army, a host of personal witnesses of former days, Luk 2:25-38; Heb 12:1-2; Rom 1:16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
42. On account of thy speech. Though I have followed Erasmus in rendering this word by oratio, ( speech,) because loquela, which the ancient interpreter uses, is a barbarous term; yet I wish to warn my readers that the Greek word λαλία has the same meaning with the Latin word loquentia, that is, talk, or talkativeness; and the Samaritans appear to boast that they have now a stronger foundation than a woman’s tongue, which is, for the most part, light and trivial.
We believe. This expresses more fully the nature of their faith, that it has been drawn from the word of God itself, so that they can boast of having the Son of God as their Teacher; as, indeed, it is on his authority alone that we can safely rely. True, indeed, he is not now visibly present, so as to speak to us mouth to mouth; but, by whomsoever we happen to hear him, our faith cannot rest on any other than on himself. And from no other source proceeds that knowledge which is likewise mentioned; for the speech which comes from the mouth of a mortal man may indeed fill and satisfy the ears, but will never confirm the soul in calm confidence of salvation, so that he who has heard may be entitled to boast that he knows In faith, therefore, the first thing necessary is, to know that it is Christ who speaks by his ministers; and the next is, to give him the honor which is due; that is, not to doubt that he is true and faithful, so that, relying on so undoubted a guarantee, we may rely safely on his doctrine.
Again, when they affirm that Jesus is the Christ and the Savior of the world, they undoubtedly have learned this from hearing him. Hence we infer that, within two days, the sum of the Gospel was more plainly taught by Christ than he had hitherto taught it in Jerusalem. And Christ testified that the salvation, which he had brought, was common to the whole world, that they might understand more fully that it belonged to them also; for he did not call them on the ground of their being lawful heirs, as the Jews were, (87) but taught that he had come to admit strangers into the family of God, and to bring peace to those who were far off, (Eph 2:17.)
(87) “ Ainsi qu’estoyent les, Juifs.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(42) We have heard him ourselves.The Him is not part of the original text, and the sentence is more forcible without it: We have ourselves heard. Probably the Christ should also be regarded as no part of the original text, and the last clause should be, and know that this is truly the Saviour of the world. The result of their hearing is that they know. There is here, as frequently in St. John, stress laid upon the development of faith. We shall find it again in the following verses, which mark it in the case of the courtier.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
42. We have heard and know A preparatory faith comes by testimony, the fullness of faith by experience. These Samaritans did wisely; first they heard the truth, and then they tried it in practice. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
The Saviour of the world A sublime title, indicating that Jesus not only showed that Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile would come into one common dispensation of the Spirit, but that all alike could be saved by the Saviour and by the salvation that is from the Jews.
Was this beautiful commencement a failure? Did no future church exist in Samaria? Our Saviour did, indeed, for the same reasons as induced him (see note on Mat 10:5) to direct his apostles to avoid (not the way, but) the cities of the Samaritans, pass rapidly on to Galilee. But the wayside seed was, perhaps, not lost. We find that the apostles had rare success there; the harvest, perhaps, of this wonderful sowing. Act 8:5-25. In this town of Sichem arose Justin Martyr, one of the greatest Christian writers of the second century. Samaria became early the seat of an episcopate.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Ver. 42. Not because of thy saying ] Properly, because of thy prittle prattle, , propter loquacitatem tuam. So perhaps it seemed to some of them at first, who believed indeed when they heard him. Plato gives a good rule, Consider not so much as , who saith, as what is said. Prejudicate opinion bars up the understanding; muddy water in a vessel causeth the best liquor to run over. Intus existens prohibet alienum.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
said = were saying: i.e. as one and another spoke.
not = no longer. Greek. ouketi.
indeed = truly. Compare App-175., and p. 1511.
Christ = All the texts omit “the Christ”, but not the Syriac. See App-94, note 3.
Saviour. In John only here, and 1Jn 4:14. See note on Mat 1:21.
the world. Greek. kosmos. App-129., i.e. of the Gentiles as well as the Jews. See note on Joh 1:9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 4:42. , now no longer) The true progress of faith is here evinced.-, ourselves) Augustine admirably remarks on this passage: At first it was by the report of others, afterwards by His own presence [the men were led to believe]. This is the way in which those who are abroad, and are not yet Christians, are dealt with in the present day. Christ is announced as having come, through Christian friends; that woman as it were, that is, the Church, announcing the tidings. Men come to Christ, and believe, through that report. He remains with them two days, i.e. He gives them the two precepts of charity:[88] and far more persons, and more firmly too, believe in Him, that He is indeed Himself the Saviour of the world. Hence it is evident in what sense that hackneyed quotation ought to be understood: I indeed would not believe the Gospel, did not the authority of the Catholic Church admonish (others read, move) me to do so: Contra Ep. fundamenti, Chap. v.[89] Inasmuch as in this passage Augustine is not teaching, but is opposing the Manicheans.[90]- , of the world) not merely of the Jews. Faith frees from party zeal: they believe in Jesus, since He is the Saviour of the world, having laid aside their boasting of their fathers,[91] Joh 4:12, Art Thou greater than owe father Jacob, etc.
[88] To love Christ, and to love one another.-E. and T.
[89] The authority of the Church is here not her infallibility, but her faithful testimony.-E. and T.
[90] The Edition of E. B. and Steudel caused me great difficulty by a misprint, Non docet Augustinus, sed Manichus adversum tenet. The large Ed. of 1759 solved it by the true reading, Manichis. Calvin, Inst., lib. i., ch. Joh 7:3, answers the argument drawn by Romanists from the words of Augustine, here quoted, by saying, that Augustine, in the passage referred to, speaks of himself as a Manichean; viz. that he means that, when a Manichean, he was moved by the authority of the Church to believe the Scriptures. So also Musculus, who considers crederem and commoveret to be equivalent to credidissem and commovisset. Augustine, in the words immediately following, says, Those whom I obeyed when they said to me, Believe the Gospel, why should I not obey when they tell me, Believe not Mani? Whence it is plain, he is speaking of himself as an unbeliever, and is informing us how he was first converted from being a Manichean to be a Catholic Christian, namely, by listening to the voice of the Church. But that voice is the voice of testimony, not the voice of infallible authority.-E. and T.
[91] The Vers. Germ. is more clearly in accordance with this observation, as omitting along with the larger edition, New Testament, the reading ; than the Ed. 2, Gr., which leaves the addition to the reader to decide upon.-E. B.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 4:42
Joh 4:42
and they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy speaking: for we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world.-The feeling of the people toward the woman is shown in their thinking it more creditable to believe on Jesus from hearing him than from the report she gave of him. So they rather taunt her that they believed through the teachings of the Savior. But Jesus seems to have accepted the faith of both, and I cannot resist the feeling that he was better pleased with those who the more readily believed on him, even through the poor woman. Only one point was needed to fix the faith in Christ. That is, is God with him, does he talk and act in divine authority? If so, all he says or claims to be is to be believed. The readiness to believe, like Nathanael, the Israelite without guile, like this woman on the first clear evidence of superhuman knowledge and of those who readily received her testimony, is the evidence of an artless and candid heart and soul and is more pleasing to God than those who are slower to accept the divine evidence or act on the simple instruction of the Savior.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Saviour (See Scofield “Rom 1:16”)
world kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield “Mat 4:8”)
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
for: Joh 1:45-49, Joh 17:8, Act 17:11, Act 17:12
and know: Joh 4:29, Joh 1:29, Joh 3:14-18, Joh 6:68, Joh 6:69, Joh 11:17, Isa 45:22, Isa 52:10, Luk 2:10, Luk 2:11, Luk 2:32, Act 4:12, Rom 10:11-13, 2Co 5:19, 1Jo 4:14
Reciprocal: 1Ki 17:24 – Now by this Isa 45:15 – O God Mar 8:29 – Thou Luk 9:20 – The Joh 4:25 – Messias Joh 4:39 – for Joh 4:48 – Except Joh 6:14 – This Joh 7:41 – This is Joh 11:27 – Yea Act 8:6 – with one Act 13:23 – raised 2Ti 1:10 – our Tit 1:4 – our 1Pe 2:7 – you 1Jo 2:2 – for the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
REASONS FOR FAITH
Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Joh 4:42
This incident reminds us that there are different stages and different degrees of faith. The men of Samaria first of all believed on the evidence of the woman of Samaria who had spoken with our Lord by the well; then they began to make personal inquiries into the truth, about which they heard; and finally their personal experience led them to know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Here then we may find for ourselves one or two thoughts.
I. The evidence of authority.Why do we believe in Christ? Why do we believe in the Christian faith, in the Christian religion? In the first stage, we believe wholly and entirely and completely upon the evidence of others. And what are the kinds of evidence which we hear and which we trust?
(a) There is the witness of the Church.
(b) And then there is the witness of the Saints.
(c) And then there is the evidence of some one whom we have known.
II. The evidence of experience.Religion has to be corroborated by personal experience. We ought all of us to be able to reach a time when we can say, Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Christ says it must be a matter of practice, it must be a matter of obedience, if the faith which has been accepted on authority is to become the faith which is strengthened and corroborated by experience. Let me take one or two instances of the way in which this may be done, or may not be done.
(a) The love of God. Why do we in the first place believe in the love of God? Simply because we were taught it. But little by little, what was perhaps the barren dogma, God is love, passes into a living experience.
(b) The case of prayer. Now here is a matter in which we may all of us feel difficulties of some sort or another. But the value of prayer can only be known by those who pray. You will find with those who really pray that the difficulties which physical science puts about prayer do not seem to hurt them or frighten them at all. Why not? Because they have on their side a great personal experience: they know whatever may be the difficulties of prayer, it has put them into closer communion with God; it has given them a new life and new spirit.
(c) Obedience. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine. The sayings of Christ are things which can never be proved by demonstration; they can only be verified by experience.
III. See Christianity from the inside.Before we can judge of Christianity or the Christian religion, we have to see it from inside. That is to say, we have to try it. Only those who have made the venture of faith can convert what at first is a mere hypothesis into a practical certainty.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2
There is no evidence that Jesus performed any miracle among these Samaritans. They explained their conversion on the ground of hearing His word. Jesus was able by his teaching to convince these people that he was the great One that was promised in the Scriptures and had been taught them by their leaders.