The Meaning of John 4:28 Explained

John 4:28

KJV: The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

YLT: The woman then left her water-jug, and went away to the city, and saith to the men,

Darby: The woman then left her waterpot and went away into the city, and says to the men,

ASV: So the woman left her waterpot, and went away into the city, and saith to the people,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The woman  then  left  her  waterpot,  and  went her way  into  the city,  and  saith  to the men, 

What does John 4:28 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The fact that the woman left her water pot at the well suggests that she felt such excitement at having apparently discovered the Messiah that all but telling others left her mind. The Apostle John may have included this detail because her act had symbolic significance. Some commentators suggested that in her excitement she abandoned the old water pot (ceremonial structure) that was no longer necessary (cf. John 4:23). I doubt this interpretation and tend to view this detail as simply evidence of her excitement. There is plenty of symbolism in this story already that Jesus explained.
It would have been natural for the woman to report her discovery to the men in Sychar since they would have had to determine if Jesus really was the Messiah.

Context Summary

John 4:27-38 - The Rewards Of Service
As soon as Jesus opens the living spring within our hearts, we abandon our water pots. When we are saved, we must hasten with the tidings to those with whom we have sinned. First find Christ for yourself; then say, "Come and see." He who knows us with an unchallengeable knowledge cannot be other than the Christ.
The disciples were naturally astonished when they came upon this interview. They might have asked the woman what she was seeking, and the Master why He was talking to her. But they were silent; the awe of God was upon them. Their natural care for their beloved leader led them to press on Him the viands they had purchased, but they were destined to learn that the soul may be nourished in obeying the will of God. The whiteness of the harvest appeared in the crowds that were coming down the valley; but at harvest time we are sometimes apt to forget the sower who passed home without seeing the result of his labor. That is not the divine method. The sower is rewarded for his share, as the reaper for his-they rejoice together. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 4

1  Jesus talks with a woman of Samaria, and reveals his identity to her
27  His disciples marvel
31  He declares to them his zeal for God's glory
39  Many Samaritans believe on him
43  He departs into Galilee, and heals the ruler's son that lay sick at Capernaum

Greek Commentary for John 4:28

Left her waterpot [απηκεν την υδριαν]
First aorist active indicative of απιημι — aphiēmi ingressive aorist, in her excitement and embarrassment. It was too large for speed anyhow (John 2:6). And says Graphic historic present indicative again. [source]
Water-pot []
See on John 2:6. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 4:28

John 4:11 To draw with [ἄντλημα]
The noun means what is drawn, the act of drawing, and the thing to draw with. Here the bucket, of skin, with three cross sticks at the mouth to keep it open, and let down by a goat's-hair rope. Not to be confounded with the water-pot ( ὑδρία ) of John 4:28. The word is found only here in the New Testament. [source]
John 2:6 Water-pots [ὑδρίαι]
Used by John only, and only in the Gospel, John 2:7; John 4:28. Water -pots is literally correct, as the word is from ὕδωρ , water. [source]
John 1:39 They came []
The best texts add οὖν , therefore. So Rev. This connecting particle is found in John's Gospel as often as in the other three combined, and most commonly in narrative, marking the transition from one thing to another, and serving to connect the several parts of the narrative. See John 1:22; John 2:18; John 3:25; John 4:28, John 4:30, etc. Much more frequently thus than in the discourses, where it would be used to mark a sequence of thought. Still such instances occur, as John 4:21, John 4:25; John 3:29; John 8:5; John 4:11. [source]
John 2:6 Waterpots [υδριαι]
Old word from υδωρ — hudōr (water) and used in papyri for pots or pans for holding money or bread as well as water. These stone See Mark 1:44; Luke 2:22 for the word καταρισμος — katharismos (from καταριζω — katharizō) which fact also raised a controversy with disciples of John because of his baptizing (John 3:25). Containing Present active participle feminine plural of χωρεω — chōreō old verb from χωρος — chōros place, space, having space or room for. Two or three firkins apiece The word μετρητης — metrētēs from μετρεω — metreō to measure, simply means “measurer,” an amphora for measuring liquids (in Demosthenes, Aristotle, Polybius), the Hebrew υδρια — bath (2 Chronicles 4:5), here only in N.T., about 8-1/2 English gallons. Each ανα — hudria thus held about 20 gallons. This common distributive use of υδρια — ana occurs here only in this Gospel, but is in Revelation 4:8. In John 4:28 a much smaller hudria was used for carrying water. [source]

What do the individual words in John 4:28 mean?

Left then the water pot of her the woman and went away into city says to the men
Ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς πόλιν λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις

Ἀφῆκεν  Left 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
ὑδρίαν  water  pot 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὑδρία  
Sense: a vessel for holding water.
αὐτῆς  of  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
γυνὴ  woman 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
ἀπῆλθεν  went  away 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀπέρχομαι  
Sense: to go away, depart.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
πόλιν  city 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: πόλις  
Sense: a city.
λέγει  says 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώποις  men 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.

What are the major concepts related to John 4:28?

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