John 4:19

“The woman saith unto him, Sir, etc.] With another countenance, and a different air and gesture, with another accent and tone of speech, dropping her scoffs and jeers: I perceive that thou art a prophet; such an one as Samuel was, who could tell Saul what was in his heart, and that his father’s asses were found, and where they were, (<090919>1 Samuel 9:19,20); and as Elisha, whose heart went with his servant Gehazi, when Naaman turned to him to meet him, and give him presents; and who could tell, ere the king’s messenger came to him, that the son of a murderer had sent to take away his head, (<120526>2 Kings 5:26 6:32). And such a prophet, that had such a spirit of discerning, this woman took…”

“Sir, I perceive, &c.--Seeing herself all revealed, does she now break down and ask what hopes there might be for one so guilty? Nay, her convictions have not reached that point yet. She ingeniously shifts the subject from a personal to a public question. It is not, "Alas, what a wicked life am I leading!" but "Lo, what a wonderful prophet I got into conversation with! He will be able to settle that interminable dispute between us and the Jews. Sir, you must know all about such matters--our fathers hold to this mountain here," pointing to Gerizim in Samaria, "as the divinely consecrated place of worship, but ye Jews say that Jerusalem is the proper place--which of us is right?" How slowly…”

“A prophet - One sent from God, and who understood her life. The word here does not denote one who foretells future events, but one who knew her heart and life, and who must therefore have come from God. She did not yet suppose him to be the Messiah, John 4:25. Believing him now to be a man sent from God, she proposed to him a question respecting the proper place of worship. This point had been long a matter of dispute between the Samaritans and the Jews. She submitted it to him because she thought he could settle the question, and perhaps because she wished to divert the conversation from the unpleasant topic respecting her husbands. The conversation about her manner of life was a very…”

“Sir, I perceive - So soon was her heart touched. John 4:20”

“4:19-20 The woman dodged Jesus’ moral probing and brought up the historical ethnic division between Jews and Samaritans. 4:19 a prophet: Jesus revealed knowledge about the woman (4:16-18) that was inaccessible to the average person (cp. 1:48). • As the woman’s understanding of Jesus unfolded, her names for him became increasingly well informed. Earlier she recognized him as a Jew (4:9) and called him sir (4:11, 15, 19). Later she thought he might be the Messiah (4:29). Finally, the people of the village recognized him as Savior of the world (4:42). Her growing understanding of Jesus’ identity is a testimony to John’s readers (see 20:31).”

“I perceive: Joh 4:29, Joh 1:48, Joh 1:49; Kg2 5:26, Kg2 6:12; Luk 7:39; Co1 14:24, Co1 14:25 a prophet: Joh 6:14, Joh 7:40, Joh 9:17; Luk 7:16, Luk 24:19 John 4:20”