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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers John 4:1–3. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We read of Christ's coming into Judea (Joh 3:22), after he had kept the feast at Jerusalem; and now he left Judea four months before harvest, as is said here (Joh 4:35); so that it is computed that he staid in Judea about six months, to build upon the foundation John had laid there. We have no particular account of his sermons and miracles there, only in general, Joh 4:1.
I.That he made disciples; he prevailed with many to embrace his doctrine, and to follow him as a teacher come from God.
His ministry was successful, notwithstanding the opposition it met with (Psa 110:2, Psa 110:3); mathētas poiei - it signifies the same with mathēteuō - to disciples. Compare Gen 12:5. The souls which they had gotten, which they had made (so the word is), which they had made proselytes. Note, It is Christ's prerogative to make disciples, first to bring them to his foot, and then to form and fashion them to his will. Fit, non nascitur, Christianus - The Christian is made such, not born such. Tertullian.
II.That he baptized those whom he made disciples, admitted them by washing them with water; not himself, but by the ministry of his disciples, Joh 4:2.
1.Because he would put a difference between his baptism and that of John, who baptized all himself; for he baptized as a servant, Christ as a master.
2.He would apply himself more to preaching work, which was the more excellent, Co1 1:17.
3.He would put honour upon his disciples, by empowering and employing them to do it; and so train them up to further services.
4.If he had baptized some himself, they would have been apt to value themselves upon that, and despise others, which he would prevent, as Paul, Co1 1:13, Co1 1:14.
5.He would reserve himself for the honour of baptizing with the Holy Ghost, Act 1:5.
6.He would teach us that the efficacy of the sacraments depends not on any virtue in the hand that administers them, as also that what is done by his ministers, according to his direction, he owns as done by himself.
III.That he made and baptized more disciples than John; not only more than John did at this time, but more than he had done at any time.
Christ's converse was more winning than John's. His miracles were convincing, and the cures he wrought gratis very inviting.
IV.That the Pharisees were informed of this; they heard what multitudes he baptized, for they had, from his first appearing, a jealous eye upon him, and wanted not spies to give them notice concerning him. Observe,
1.When the Pharisees thought they had got rid of John (for he was by this time imprisoned), and were pleasing themselves with that, Jesus appears, who was a greater vexation to them than ever John had been. The witnesses will rise again.
2.That which grieved them was that Christ made so many disciples. The success of the gospel exasperates its enemies, and it is a good sign that it is getting ground when the powers of darkness are enraged against it.
V.That our Lord Jesus knew very well what informations were given in against him to the Pharisees.
It is probable the informers were willing to have their names concealed, and the Pharisees loth to have their designs known; but none can dig so keep as to hide their counsels from the Lord (Isa 29:15), and Christ is here called the Lord. He knew what was told the Pharisees, and how much, it is likely, it exceeded the truth; for it is not likely that Jesus had yet baptized more than John; but so the thing was represented, to make him appear the more formidable; see Kg2 6:12.
VI.That hereupon our Lord Jesus left Judea and departed again to go to Galilee.
1.He left Judea, because he was likely to be persecuted there even to the death; such was the rage of the Pharisees against him, and such their impious policy to devour the man-child in his infancy. To escape their designs, Christ quitted the country, and went where what he did would be less provoking than just under their eye. For,
(1.)His hour was not yet come (Joh 7:30), the time fixed in the counsels of God, and the Old Testament prophecies, for Messiah's being cut off. He had not finished his testimony, and therefore would not surrender or expose himself.
(2.)The disciples he had gathered in Judea were not able to bear hardships, and therefore he would not expose them.
(3.)Hereby he gave an example to his own rule: When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. We are not called to suffer, while we may avoid it without sin; and therefore, though we may not, for our own preservation, change our religion, yet we may change our place. Christ secured himself, not by a miracle, but in a way common to men, for the direction and encouragement of his suffering people.
2.He departed into Galilee, because he had work to do there, and many friends and fewer enemies. He went to Galilee now,
(1.)Because John's ministry had now made way for him there; for Galilee, which was under Herod's jurisdiction, was the last scene of John's baptism.
(2.)Because John's imprisonment had now made room for him there. That light being now put under a bushel, the minds of people would not be divided between him and Christ. Thus both the liberties and restraints of good ministers are for the furtherance of the gospel, Phi 1:12. But to what purpose does he go into Galilee for safety? Herod, the persecutor of John, will never be the protector of Jesus. Chemnitius here notes, Pii in hc vit quos fugiant habent; ad quos vero fugiant ut in tuto sint non habent, nisi ad te, Deus, qui solus regugium nostrum es - The pious have those, in this life, to whom they can fly; but they have none to fly to, who can afford them refuge, except thee, O God.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Yet while acting thus in regard of His Humanity, He did not allow His Divinity to be overcast. And so, after His departure He again employed the same language as before. For He went not away into Galilee simply, but in order to effect certain important matters, those among the Samaritans; nor did He dispense these matters simply, but with the wisdom that belonged to Him, and so as not to leave to the Jews any pretense even of a shameless excuse for themselves.
(Hom. xxxi. 1) He did it too to pacify the envy of men, and perhaps to avoid bringing the dispensation of the incarnation into suspicion. For had he been taken and escaped, the reality of His flesh would have been doubted.
(Hom. xxxi. 1) Christ Himself did not baptize, but those who reported the fact, in order to raise the envy of their hearers, so represented it as to appear that Christ Himself baptized. (non occ.). The reason why He baptized not Himself, had been already declared by John, He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Luke 3:16) Now He had not yet given the Holy Spirit: it was therefore fitting that He should not baptize. But His disciples baptized, as an efficacious mode of instruction; better than gathering up believers here and there, as had been done in the case of Simon and his brother. Their baptism, however, had no more virtue than the baptism of John; both being without the grace of the Spirit, and both having one object, viz. that of bringing men to Christ.
(Hom. xxxi. 2) Christ on withdrawing from Judæa, joined those whom He was with before, as we read next, And departed again into Galilee. As the Apostles, when they were expelled by the Jews, went to the Gentiles, so Christ goes to the Samaritans. But, to deprive the Jews of all excuse, He does not go to stay there, but only takes it on His road, as the Evangelist implies by saying, And he must needs go through Samaria. Samaria receives its name from Somer, a mountain there, so called from the name of a former possessor of it. The inhabitants of the country were formerly not Samaritans, but Israelites. But in process of time they fell under God's wrath, and the king of Assyria transplanted them to Babylon and Media; placing Gentiles from various parts in Samaria in their room. God however, to show that it was not for want of power on His part that He delivered up the Jews, but for the sins of the people themselves, sent lions to afflict the barbarians. This was told the king, and he sent a priest to instruct them in God's law. But not even then did they wholly cease from their iniquity, but only half changed. For in process of time they turned to idols again, though they still worshipped God, calling themselves after the mountain, Samaritans.
(xxxi. 2) It was the place where Simeon and Levi made a great slaughter for Dinah.
(Hom. xxxi. 3) Christ prefers labour and exercise to ease and luxury, and therefore travels to Samaria, not in a carriage but on foot; until at last the exertion of the journey fatigues Him; a lesson to us, that so far from indulging in superfluities, we should often even deprive ourselves of necessaries: Jesus therefore being wearied with His journey, &c.
(Hom. xxx. 3) As if to say, not on a seat, or a couch, but on the first place He saw—upon the ground. He sat down because He was wearied, and to wait for the disciples. The coolness of the well would be refreshing in the midday heat: And it was about the sixth hour.
"When therefore Jesus knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus Himself baptized not but His disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee."
He indeed baptized not, but they who carried the news, desiring to excite their hearers to envy, so reported. "Wherefore then departed He?" Not from fear, but to take away their malice, and to soften their envy. He was indeed able to restrain them when they came against Him, but this He would not do continually, that the Dispensation of the Flesh might not be disbelieved. For had He often been seized and escaped, this would have been suspected by many; therefore for the most part, He rather orders matters after the manner of a man. And as He desired it to be believed that He was God, so also that, being God, He bore the flesh; therefore even after the Resurrection, He said to the disciple, "Handle Me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones"; therefore also He rebuked Peter when he said, "Be it far from Thee, this shall not be unto thee." So much was this matter an object of care to Him.
For this is no small part of the doctrines of the Church; it is the chief point of the salvation wrought for us; by which all has been brought to pass, and has had success, for it was thus that the bonds of death were loosed, sin taken away, and the curse abolished, and ten thousand Blessings introduced into our life. And therefore He especially desired that the Dispensation should be believed, as having been the root and fountain of innumerable goods to us.
The three Evangelists have not made any statement opposed to the Evangelist John but only left unrecorded the Lord’s first advent in Galilee after his baptism. On this occasion he turned the water into wine there. For at that period John had not yet been cast into prison. And we are also to understand that these three Evangelists have introduced into the context of these narratives an account of another journey of his into Galilee that took place after John’s imprisonment, regarding which return into Galilee the Evangelist John himself furnishes the following notice: “When, therefore, Jesus knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus makes and baptizes more disciples than John (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judea and departed again into Galilee.” So, then, we perceive that by this time John had been already cast into prison, and further, that the Jews had heard that he was making and baptizing more disciples than John had made and baptized.
Our Lord left Judaea also mystically, i. e. He left the unbelief of those who condemned Him, and by His Apostles, went into Galilee, i. e. into the ficklenessa of the world; thus teaching His disciples to pass from vices to virtues. The parcel of ground I conceive to have been left not so much to Joseph, as to Christ, of whom Joseph was a type; whom the sun, and moon, and all the stars truly adore. To this parcel of ground our Lord came, that the Samaritans, who claimed to be inheritors of the Patriarch Israel, might recognise Him, and be converted to Christ, the legal heir of the Patriarch.
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Summary
John 4:3 succinctly describes Jesus' strategic movement from Judaea back into Galilee, a deliberate repositioning following the Pharisees' awareness of His burgeoning ministry. This geographical shift was not an act of retreat but a purposeful decision to avoid premature confrontation with religious authorities and to advance the divine timeline for His mission, setting the stage for significant encounters, particularly His pivotal ministry in Samaria.
Context
Literary Context
This verse immediately follows John 4:1-2, which reveals that the Pharisees had become aware that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist. This growing prominence and the potential for conflict with the established religious authorities in Jerusalem (the heart of Judaea) provide the immediate impetus for Jesus' departure. The move to Galilee, as indicated by "departed again," also implies a return to a region where He had previously ministered, but this return now carries a new strategic significance, directly leading to the unexpected and profound encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4:4-42.
Historical & Cultural Context
Judaea, particularly Jerusalem, was the center of Jewish religious and political power, dominated by the Temple and the Sanhedrin. Galilee, by contrast, was a more rural, ethnically diverse region to the north, often looked down upon by the Judaean elite as less sophisticated or religiously pure. The direct route between Judaea and Galilee typically involved passing through Samaria, a region inhabited by Samaritans, who were considered by many Jews to be ethnically and religiously impure, leading to deep-seated animosity and avoidance of their territory. Jesus' decision to leave Judaea and the subsequent necessity to travel through Samaria (as stated in John 4:4) directly challenges these prevailing cultural norms and prejudices.
Key Themes
John 4:3 contributes to several major themes within the Gospel of John and Jesus' ministry. It highlights Jesus' divine sovereignty and strategic wisdom, demonstrating that His movements are not reactive but part of a larger, divinely orchestrated plan to fulfill His mission. His departure from Judaea avoids a premature clash, showcasing divine timing and control over His circumstances. Furthermore, the move to Galilee, and subsequently through Samaria, underscores the expansion of the Gospel message beyond traditional Jewish boundaries, foreshadowing the universal scope of salvation that would eventually reach "all nations" as commanded in Matthew 28:19. This strategic repositioning also sets the stage for the theme of breaking down barriers, particularly between Jews and Samaritans, which is central to the narrative that immediately follows.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, meaning "to send forth, to leave, to let go, to forsake," implies a deliberate and conscious act of departure rather than a hasty retreat. Jesus was not fleeing out of fear but strategically disengaging from a situation that, if allowed to escalate, would have prematurely jeopardized His ministry before the appointed time for His ultimate sacrifice. It signifies His authority over His own movements and mission.
Meaning "to go off, to depart, to go away," this verb reinforces the idea of movement away from one place to another. In conjunction with "left," it emphasizes the actual physical journey undertaken by Jesus. This was a purposeful relocation, not a wandering, but a directed movement towards a new phase of ministry.
This adverb signifies a return or repetition, meaning "anew, back, once more." Its inclusion indicates that Galilee was not a new destination for Jesus but a familiar region where He had previously resided or ministered. The use of "again" suggests a strategic return to a base or region conducive to His current ministerial objectives, highlighting the cyclical yet progressive nature of His work.
Verse Breakdown
"He left Judaea"
This phrase signifies Jesus' intentional withdrawal from the region of Judaea, particularly its religious and political center in Jerusalem. The reason, as stated in the preceding verses, was the growing awareness among the Pharisees of His increasing number of disciples, which posed a potential threat to their authority and could have led to an early, unwanted confrontation.
"and departed again into Galilee"
This clause describes Jesus' destination and the nature of His journey. His departure was a return to Galilee, a region associated with His upbringing and early ministry. This movement was not random but a strategic repositioning, enabling Him to continue His work in a less hostile environment and to reach new audiences, including the Samaritans on the way.
Literary Devices
The verse employs Strategic Movement as a key literary device, portraying Jesus' departure as a calculated act rather than an impulsive reaction. This highlights His divine wisdom and control over His ministry's timeline. The phrase "departed again into Galilee" also functions as Foreshadowing, subtly preparing the reader for the significant events that will unfold on this journey, particularly the encounter in Samaria. It sets the stage for the breaking of social and religious barriers, indicating that Jesus' mission extends beyond the traditional confines of Jewish Judaea. Additionally, the concise nature of the statement, juxtaposed with the profound implications of the move, demonstrates Understatement, as a simple geographical shift carries immense theological and missional weight.
Theological and Thematic Connections
John 4:3 reveals Jesus' profound understanding of divine timing and strategic wisdom in the face of opposition. His departure from Judaea was not an act of fear, but a demonstration of His sovereignty over His ministry's trajectory, ensuring that His mission unfolded according to the Father's perfect plan. This strategic withdrawal allowed Him to avoid premature conflict that could have hindered the full scope of His redemptive work, redirecting His efforts to fertile ground where new opportunities for ministry, like the encounter with the Samaritan woman, awaited. It underscores the principle that God's plans often involve unexpected shifts and movements to accomplish His greater purposes.
Reflection and Application
John 4:3 offers a powerful lesson in discerning God's leading and trusting His sovereign timing, even when it involves unexpected changes of direction. For believers today, this verse reminds us that following God's will may sometimes require us to leave comfortable or familiar situations, or to strategically withdraw from potential conflicts, not out of cowardice, but out of wisdom and alignment with His greater purposes. It encourages us to be flexible and responsive to the Holy Spirit's guidance, recognizing that God often orchestrates our movements to open new doors for ministry, reach overlooked people, or prepare us for future challenges. Our paths are not random; they are guided by a God who knows exactly when and where we need to be to fulfill our part in His unfolding plan. This verse challenges us to trust in His perfect timing and to embrace the strategic shifts He may call us to make, knowing that His ultimate aim is always our growth and the advancement of His kingdom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jesus leave Judaea and go to Galilee at this specific time?
Jesus left Judaea and departed again into Galilee primarily for strategic reasons, as indicated by the preceding verses in John 4:1-2. The Pharisees had become aware that Jesus was gaining more disciples than John the Baptist, a development that could have led to premature confrontation and opposition from the powerful religious authorities in Jerusalem. Jesus' departure was not a retreat born of fear, but a deliberate act of divine wisdom to avoid an untimely conflict that would have hindered the full scope of His ministry. By moving to Galilee, He ensured that His mission unfolded according to God's perfect timing and plan, leading directly to the significant encounter with the Samaritan woman and the expansion of His message beyond traditional Jewish boundaries.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
John 4:3, though seemingly a simple geographical notation, profoundly reveals the Christ-centered nature of Jesus' entire earthly ministry. His strategic departure from Judaea and return to Galilee is a microcosm of His perfect obedience to the Father's will and His mastery over the divine timeline for redemption. Unlike human leaders who might react impulsively to threats, Jesus, as the Son of God, moved with intentionality, always aligning His steps with the Father's preordained plan for salvation. This journey was not merely a physical relocation but a purposeful step towards His ultimate mission of seeking and saving the lost, exemplified immediately by His "must needs" journey through Samaria (as highlighted in John 4:4). This act foreshadows the universal scope of the Gospel, demonstrating that the Good News would transcend ethnic and religious boundaries, reaching "all the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Jesus' journey to Galilee, therefore, is a Christ-centered fulfillment of God's redemptive purpose, showcasing His sovereign control, His strategic wisdom, and His unwavering commitment to bringing salvation to all who would believe, regardless of their background, culminating in His ultimate sacrifice and resurrection, which opened the way for all humanity to come to God (Hebrews 9:28).