John 4:12
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Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
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].
Open source ↗It was, more than any thing else, the glory of the land of Israel, that it was Emmanuel's land (Isa 8:8), not only the place of his birth, but the scene of his preaching and miracles. This land in our Saviour's time was divided into three parts: Judea in the south, Galilee in the north, and Samaria lying between them. Now, in this chapter, we have Christ in each of these three parts of that land. I. Departing out of Judea (Joh 4:1-3). II. Passing through Samaria, which, though a visit in transitu, here takes up most room. 1. His coming into Samaria (Joh 4:4-6). 2. His discourse with the Samaritan woman at a well (v. 7-26). 3. The notice which the woman gave of him to the city (Joh 4:27-30). 4. Christ's talk with his disciples in the meantime (Joh 4:31-38). 5. The good effect of this among the Samaritans (Joh 4:39-42). III. We find him residing for some time in Galilee (Joh 4:43-46), and his curing a nobleman's son there, that was at death's door (Joh 4:46-54).
Open source ↗4:12 our ancestor Jacob: The Samaritan woman appealed with reverence to the sacred traditions attached to the well rather than to the presence of God before her.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.
Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”
For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.
Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.