SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:18
porque cinco maridos has tenido; y el que ahora tienes no es tu marido; esto has dicho con verdad.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 4:18
Verse 18. Thou hast had five husbands] It is not clear that this woman was a prostitute: she might have been legally married to those five, and might have been divorced through some misbehaviour of her own, not amounting to adultery; for the adulteress was to be put to death, both by the Jewish and Samaritan law, not divorced: or she might have been cast off through some caprice of her husband; for, in the time of our Lord, divorces were very common among the Jews, so that a man put away his wife for any fault. See the note on Matt. v. 31. Some are so very fond of exaggerating that nothing can pass through their hands without an increase: hence Heracleon says she had six husbands, and Jerome modestly gives her twenty- two! Viginti duos habuisti maritos, et ille a quo sepelieris non est tuus. "Thou hast had twenty-two husbands and he by whom thou shalt be buried is not thine." Epist. xi. He whom thou now hast is not thy husband] nun on eceiv, ouk esti sou anhr. Bishop Pearce would translate this clause in the following manner: There is no husband whom thou now hast- or, less literally, Thou hast no husband now: probably the meaning is, Thou art contracted to another, but not yet brought home: therefore he is not yet thy husband. See Rosenmuller. Bishop Pearce contends that our Lord did not speak these words to her by way of reproof: Because it is not likely that a woman so far advanced in years as to have had five husbands should have now been found living in adultery with a sixth person. 2. Because it is not likely that our Lord would not, in some part of his discourse, have reproved her for her fornication, especially if guilty of it under such gross circumstances. 3. Nor is it likely that a woman of so bad a life should have had so much influence with the people of her city that they should, on her testimony, ver. 39-42, believe Jesus to be the Messiah. 4. Nor is it at all likely that when a discovery of her guilt was made to her, by one whom she acknowledged to be a prophet, ver. 19, the first thing which came into her thoughts should be the important question in religion, about the place appointed by God for his worship, so warmly contested between the Jews and Samaritans. 5. Nor is it at all probable that a person of such a bad life, without any mentioned sign of repentance, should have been the first (perhaps the only private person) to whom Jesus is recorded as declaring himself to be the Christ, as he does to her, ver. 26.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. For thou hast had five husbands , etc.] Which she either had had lawfully, and had buried one after another; and which was no crime, and might be: the Sadducees propose a case to Christ, in which a woman is said to have had seven husbands successively, in a lawful manner, ( Matthew 22:25-28). Or rather, she had had so many, and had been divorced from everyone of them, for adultery; for no other cause it should seem did the Samaritans divorce; seeing that they only received the law of Moses, and rejected, at least, many of the traditions of the elders; and since they are particularly said f189 not to be expert in the law of marriages and divorces: and the rather this may seem to be the case, as Dr. Lightfoot observes; since these husbands are mentioned, as well as he with whom she lived in an adulterous manner; and which suggests, that she had not lived honestly with them: and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband ; that is, not thy lawful husband, as the Persic version reads, and Nonnus paraphrases; being not married to him at all, though they cohabited as man and wife, when there was no such relation between them: in that saidst thou truly ; or that which is truth: thus Christ the omniscient God, who knew her full well, and the whole of her past infamous conversation, and her present lewd and wicked way of living, exposes all unto her.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-26 - There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ' road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go int places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toi came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us submitted to it. Also, he was a poor man, and went all his journeys of foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to res upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things a these. Christ asked a woman for water. She was surprised because he di not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderat men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teac her Divine things: he converted this woman, by showing her ignoranc and sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. By this living water i meant the Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the Messiah ha been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that knows its own nature an necessity. What Jesus spake figuratively, she took literally. Chris shows that the water of Jacob's well yielded a very short satisfaction Of whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace, and the comforts of the gospel, shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. Give it me, saith she not that I may have everlasting life, which Christ proposed, but that come not hither to draw. The carnal mind is very ingenious in shiftin off convictions, and keeping them from fastening. But how closely ou Lord Jesus brings home the conviction to her conscience! He severel reproved her present state of life. The woman acknowledged Christ to be a prophet. The power of his word in searching the heart, and convincin the conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. I should cool our contests, to think that the things we are strivin about are passing away. The object of worship will continue still the same, God, as a Father; but an end shall be put to all difference about the place of worship. Reason teaches us to consult decency an convenience in the places of our worship; but religion gives n preference to one place above another, in respect of holiness an approval with God. The Jews were certainly in the right. Those who by the Scriptures have obtained some knowledge of God, know whom the worship. The word of salvation was of the Jews. It came to othe nations through them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish worship befor the Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be don away. God was about to be revealed as the Father of all believers in every nation. The spirit or the soul of man, as influenced by the Holy Spirit, must worship God, and have communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent prayers, supplications, an thanksgivings, form the worship of an upright heart, in which God delights and is glorified. The woman was disposed to leave the matte undecided, till the coming of the Messiah. But Christ told her, I tha speak to thee, am He. She was an alien and a hostile Samaritan, merel speaking to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus. Yet to thi woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he had done to any of his disciples. No past sins can bar our acceptance with him, i we humble ourselves before him, believing in him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Greek Textus Receptus
πεντε 4002 A-NUI γαρ 1063 CONJ ανδρας 435 N-APM εσχες 2192 5627 V-2AAI-2S και 2532 CONJ νυν 3568 ADV ον 3739 R-ASM εχεις 2192 5719 V-PAI-2S ουκ 3756 PRT-N εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S σου 4675 P-2GS ανηρ 435 N-NSM τουτο 5124 D-ASN αληθες 227 A-ASN ειρηκας 2046 5758 V-RAI-2S-ATT
