John 4:10 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Jesus answered,—if thou knewest the gift of God,— If thou knewest what an opportunity God hath put into thine hand, of receiving the greatest blessing that ever was bestowed, as well as who, and how great a person, he is that speaks to thee; instead of scrupling to grant him so small a favour, thou wouldst surely have asked him: (for such is the force of the original) and he, without objecting to thee on account of the people to whom thou belongest, would readily have given thee living water; far better than what thou art now drawing: by which our Lord intimated his ability and readiness to communicate those influences of God's holy Spirit, which afford the noblest refreshment to the soul, and are therefore often described by water. It is certain, that the phrase living water, signifies in many good authors spring water, or running water, in opposition to that which stagnates; yet as our Lord elsewhere, in a remarkable passage recorded by this evangelist, Ch. John 6:51 calls himself living bread, because by feeding upon him lifeis to be obtained,—it is proper to adhere literally to the original in the version; though there is no doubt that the woman understood our Lord, not of living spiritual water, but of some fine spring water, which flowed so easily as not to need the pains of drawing, and was, on this account, at least, preferable to that of Jacob's well: and our Lord's reply, John 4:13-14 shews that the simile would hold in that respect. Our Lord, on this occasion, demonstrated the greatness of his condescension and benevolence; for though this woman was a person of an infamous character, and though he himself was pressed with thirst, he delayed refreshing himself that he might bring her who was spiritually dead, to the water of life. Comp. Leviticus 14:6. Jeremiah 2:13.