Chapter IV.
The third manifestation, which was made to the Samaritans.
1. When therefore Jesus knew etc. The Lord manifested himself above to the disciples and to the Jews: in this part he manifests himself to the Samaritans, and this by preaching and announcing to them the word of salvation. And this part has two parts. In the first is noted the opportunity for preaching: in the second, the form of preaching, at: A woman of Samaria came, where the Lord begins to preach to the Samaritan woman.
Now the opportunity was on the part of the place, and this indeed was twofold, namely for passing through and for resting.
2. (Verse 1). Therefore first the opportunity of the place for passing through is touched upon. For when he wished to go from Judea into Galilee, he needed to pass through Samaria. Therefore he says: When therefore Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard. They had heard, I say, from the disciples of John, who reported as envious persons and detractors: above in the third chapter: "They said: All are going to him": they had heard, I say, that Jesus makes more disciples and baptizes than John. And from this it was manifest to them that he was greater and more renowned than John, and already manifested to them. This they heard, because it had been so reported.
3. (Verse 2). Although Jesus did not baptize, but his disciples, lest they be provoked to envy.
4. (Verse 3). He left Judea and went again into Galilee: because he had gone once before, above in the first chapter. Chrysostom: "The Lord withdrew not for the sake of fear, but concealing their malice and envy": whence below in the seventh chapter: "Jesus walked in Galilee: for he did not wish to go into Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him." Thus, with preaching having been done to the Jews, the opportunity of preaching to the Samaritans presented itself: whence he says:
5. (Verse 4). Now he had to pass through the midst of Samaria. And thus the opportunity of the place for passing through was at hand: Luke 17: "As Jesus was going to Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria." As he passed through, so he had to return.
6. (Verse 5). He came therefore. Here the opportunity of the place for resting is touched upon, because he was weary, and a pleasant place presented itself; whence he describes the place by the city, when he says: He came therefore to a city of Samaria, which is called Sichar: Sichar in the Chaldaic language, Shechem in Hebrew. This is the city where Simeon and Levi slew the men in vengeance for the violation of their sister, Genesis 34. And this city was, supply: near the estate which Jacob gave to Joseph, his son: Genesis 48: "I give you one portion above your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow." And this place was suitable for resting, because it was pleasant. Therefore he says:
7. (Verse 6.). Now Jacob's well was there, that is, which Jacob had found, according to what is said below in the same chapter. And Christ was in need of rest: therefore it says: Jesus, being wearied from the journey, sat thus upon the well: because the place was cool, and the heat was already upon them. Therefore it adds: Now the hour was about the sixth: and so he was wearied from the long journey, and from fasting and heat. Whence the Lord himself says in the Psalm: "I am poor and in labors from my youth: and having been exalted, I was humbled and troubled."
8. Allegorically. Jesus, having left Judea, passes through the midst of Samaria into Galilee: because, with the Jews blinded, Christ passed over to the Father: for Galilee is interpreted as "passing over"; Romans 11: Blindness has befallen Israel, that the fullness of the Gentiles might enter: and Acts 13: Paul and Barnabas said to the Jews: It was necessary that the word be spoken to you first: but since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life: behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
Jesus, wearied from the journey, sits at the sixth hour: because the Son of God assumed our flesh with its penalties in the sixth age, as Augustine says. Jeremiah 14: Why will you be as a sojourner in the land and as a traveler turning aside to tarry?
He sits upon the well of water; because he rests upon the streams of grace, so as to pour them out upon those who believe in him: below in chapter 7: He who believes in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water shall flow from his belly.
9. It should be noted that Christ is said to sit upon the well: because he himself is the one in whom the well of all grace rests: whence rightly by that well is understood: Genesis 2: A spring rose from the earth and watered the whole surface of the earth. This is Christ, from whom proceeds a fourfold river or water, namely the water of cleansing. Concerning this water, Ezekiel 36: I will pour clean water upon you, etc.: and thus Christ is called the well of cleansing: this is baptism: Zechariah 13: There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean woman. For baptism cleanses the sinner and the unclean woman, because it destroys both original and actual sin.
The water of wisdom: Ecclesiasticus 15: She gave him the water of wholesome wisdom to drink: and this is sacred doctrine. And thus Christ is called the fountain of wisdom, Ecclesiasticus 1: The fountain of wisdom is the word of God on high. This irrigates the hearts of teachers: Proverbs 5: Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, etc.
The water of grace: concerning which, below in chapter 7: He who believes in me, rivers of living water shall flow from his belly. And thus Christ is called the fountain of grace: below in the same chapter: He who shall drink of the water that I will give him, it shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life: this is grace, Jeremiah 2.
The water of life, concerning which below in the same chapter: He who shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall not thirst forever. And thus Christ is called the fountain of life: Psalm: With you is the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light: and Apocalypse 7: The Lamb shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life.
All the waters of these fountains proceed from Christ: whence Isaiah 12: You shall draw waters with joy from the fountains of the Savior: but they flow only into the humble and the valleys: Psalm: You who send forth fountains in the valleys, that is, in the humble.
10. Note that the devil sits upon the fountain of uncleanness, concerning which Leviticus 20: He who shall lie with a woman in her menstrual flow and shall uncover her shame, and she shall open the fountain of her blood, both shall be put to death from the midst of their people. The menstruous and unclean woman is our flesh; he lies with her who satisfies her desires.
Of perverse imitation: Proverbs 25: A fountain troubled by the foot and a corrupted spring is the just man falling before the wicked. For the wicked man, when he considers the evil and the good in the just man, leaving aside the good, imitates the evil. — Of vain curiosity: Ecclesiasticus 26 says of the curious soul: As a thirsty traveler will open his mouth at every fountain and will drink of every water: because the curious wish to know everything and to try every kind of wisdom.
Of eternal damnation: Apocalypse 8: A great burning star fell upon the fountains of waters, and the name of the star is called Wormwood: because the devil fell from the empyrean heaven into the utmost calamity of punishments, to which he draws all who drink of him.
QUESTIONS.
11. Question I. For the understanding of the letter, it is first asked concerning what it says: When Jesus knew.
Either this is said according to his divinity, or according to his humanity: in whichever way this is said, it seems false, because Christ knew all things from his nativity; therefore he did not begin to know anything afterwards.
The response to this is that just as Christ is said to be ignorant because he does not make us know, as concerning the day of judgment, so he is said to know something for the first time because he first shows himself to know it. Whence he knew this beforehand, but nevertheless then first showed it.