John 4:29

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) Is not this the Christ?—Better, is this the Christ? She felt that He was a prophet when His words revealed her past life (John 4:19). She has had the thought of Christ present to her mind when He teaches the nature of true worship (John 4:25). She has heard that He is the Messiah from His own lips (John 4:26); but she does not frame her question so as to expect the answer “Yes:” she states the fact of His knowing the life, known perhaps to many of them, and leaves them to form their own judgment.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:27-42 The disciples wondered that Christ talked thus with a Samaritan. Yet they knew it was for some good reason, and for some good end. Thus when particular difficulties occur in the word and providence of God, it is good to satisfy ourselves that all is well that Jesus Christ says and does. Two things affected the woman. The extent of his knowledge. Christ knows all the thoughts, words, and actions, of all the children of men. And the power of his word. He told her secret sins with power. She fastened upon that part of Christ's discourse, many would think she would have been most shy of repeating; but the knowledge of Christ, into which we are led by conviction of sin, is most likely to be sound and saving. They came to him: those who would know Christ, must meet him where he records his name. Our Master has left us an example, that we may learn to do the will of God as he did; with diligence, as those that make a business of it; with delight and pleasure in it. Christ compares his work to harvest-work. The harvest is appointed and looked for before it comes; so was the gospel. Harvest-time is busy time; all must be then at work. Harvest-time is a short time, and harvest-work must be done then, or not at all; so the time of the gospel is a season, which if once past, cannot be recalled. God sometimes uses very weak and unlikely instruments for beginning and carrying on a good work. Our Saviour, by teaching one poor woman, spread knowledge to a whole town. Blessed are those who are not offended at Christ. Those taught of God, are truly desirous to learn more. It adds much to the praise of our love to Christ and his word, if it conquers prejudices. Their faith grew. In the matter of it: they believed him to be the Saviour, not only of the Jews but of the world. In the certainty of it: we know that this is indeed the Christ. And in the ground of it, for we have heard him ourselves.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Is not this the Christ? - Though she probably believed it, yet she proposed it modestly, lest she should appear to dictate in a case which was so important, and which demanded so much attention. The evidence on which she was satisfied that he was the Messiah was that he had told her all things that she had done - perhaps much more than is here recorded. The question which she submitted to them was whether this was not satisfactory proof that he was the Messiah.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

29. is not this the Christ—The form of the question (in the Greek) is a distant, modest way of only half insinuating what it seemed hardly fitting for her to affirm; nor does she refer to what He said of Himself, but solely to His disclosure to her of the particulars of her own life.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

She invites them to him under the notion of a man, who had told her all things that she ever did. Christ doubtless had told her, and spoken to her, much more than John hath left us upon sacred record; yet not all things she ever did, but

all things (as often) signifies many things, and those such things as she might know that he who could tell those things could have told her all things, if they had been so proper for him to have repeated to her as those things which he did tell her. This induced her to believe that he was the Messiah; she offereth it to their opinion and judgment.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Come, see a man,.... An uncommon, an extraordinary man, a prophet, and, who himself says, he is the Messiah, who is now at Jacob's well; come, go along with me, and see him and converse with him, and judge for yourselves, who, and what he is: she does not say, "go and see"; for she proposed to go along with them herself, that she might have more conversation with him, and knowledge of him, and grace from him: so such that have tasted that the Lord is gracious, desire more grace from him, and communion with him.

Which told me all things that ever I did; the more remarkable things that had been done by her in the whole series of her life and conversation; referring more especially to the account he had given her of her having had five husbands, and what the man was she now lived with; when no doubt, all the transactions of her life were laid before her, and she had, at once, a view of all her iniquities; when her sins stared her in the face, and her conscience was filled with guilt and remorse, and her soul with shame and confusion; and so it is when Christ, by his Spirit, convinces of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment:

is not this the Christ? that was to come, has been promised and prophesied of, and we have expected, who is of quick understanding, and even God omniscient; surely this must be he, as he himself says he is.

Geneva Study Bible

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. all things that ever I did] How natural is this exaggeration! In her excitement she states not what He had really told her, but what she is convinced He could have told her. Comp. ‘all men’ in John 3:26, and ‘no man’ in John 3:32. This strong language is in all three cases thoroughly in keeping with the circumstances.

is not this the Christ?] Rather, Is this, can this be, the Christ? A similar error occurs John 18:17; John 18:25. Although she believes it she thinks it almost too good to be true. Moreover she does not wish to seem too positive and dogmatic to those who do not yet know the evidence. The form of question is similar to that in John 4:33 : both are put in a form that anticipates a negative answer; num not nonne.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 4:29. Πάντα, all things) These, no doubt, the woman explained to her fellow-citizens with a candid confession, although most of them were even known to them previously.—μή τι, is not) She herself has no doubt; but she invites the citizens to make acquaintance with Him, until [they also at last] say, [this is] indeed [ἀληθῶς, the Christ], John 4:42.

John 4:29

Vincent's Word Studies

All things

Jesus' insight in the one case convinced her that He knew everything, and to her awakened conscience it seemed as though He had told everything.

Is not this the Christ (μήτι ἐστιν)?

Rather, as Rev., can this be. The particle suggests a negative answer. Surely this cannot be, yet with some hope.