She leaves the water-jar: zeal for the city’s good over the bodily errand
The evangelist did not record the leaving of the jar for nothing. On the surface it shows the Samaritan woman’s greater zeal: she leaves the jar behind, caring less for the bodily, lesser duty than for the many’s benefit. She is moved with deep love of neighbor, wanting to announce the Christ to her city.
Greek
Ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις · Δεῦτε ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον ὃς εἶπέν μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα · μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός;
οὐ μάτην οἶμαι ἀναγεγραφέναι τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν τὰ περὶ τῆς ἀφέσεως τῆς ὑδρίας. κατὰ μὲν τὴν λέξιν σπουδὴν ἐμφαίνει πλείονα τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος, καταλειπούσης τὴν ὑδρίαν καὶ οὐ τοσοῦτον πεφροντικυίας τοῦ σωματικοῦ καὶ ταπεινοτέρου καθήκοντος ὅσον τῆς τῶν πολλῶν ὠφελείας · φιλανθρωπότατα γὰρ κεκίνηται βουληθεῖσα τοῖς πολίταις εὐαγγελίσασθαι τὸν Χριστόν.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on John, Book 13 (later tomoi). Complete on this page: §§1–64.
English follows Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV (GCS 10, 1903). Heine FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Book 13 §§1–64 of the later books (13, 19, 20, 28, 32).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV = GCS 10 (1903) (Greek · Book 13 §§1–64)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.