The Samaritan Woman at the Well

Hello, I have a question, I would like to see if anyone can help me on. I was reading the Bible Knowledge Commentary on yesterday and there was a chart comparing Necodemus and the Samaritan Woman, in the chart it stated that the women would have met Jesus about 6pm, however, the bible says "the sixth hour," I would like to know how this calculation came about? Not sure they were using the Jewish or Roman time standard or something else. Please help anyone!

Thanks so much

Johnny

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JT (alabama24)

Johnny - First, welcome to the forums!

I would like to know how this calculation came about? Not sure they were using the Jewish or Roman time standard or something else.

If you read the comments in the BKC for verse 4:6, it says:

It was about the sixth hour, which according to Roman time reckoning would have been 6 p.m. (See comments on John 1:39; 19:14.)

The follow up passages reveal a little more:

The two disciples remained with Him that day, beginning at the 10th hour. That hour was 4 p.m. or 10 a.m., depending on whether the Fourth Gospel counted days from 6 a.m. (as the Synoptics customarily did) or from midnight or noon. The 10 a.m. times seems better and was the official Roman usage (cf. comments on 4:6; 19:14).

The sixth hour, by Roman reckoning of time, could indicate 6 a.m. (some scholars, however, take it to mean noon; cf. comments on 1:39; 4:6).

DMB

Johnny ... to add to what Alabama provided, you're correct ... the situation becomes confusing.

Here's from Utley (who I like a lot):
"There is much discussion about which method of reckoning time John used in his Gospel. Some references seem to be Jewish time and some Roman time. John seems to begin the day at 6 a.m.; therefore, Jesus is at the well at the hottest time of the day, noon.
Utley, R. J. D. (1999). Vol. Volume 4: The Beloved Disciple's Memoirs and Letters: The Gospel of John, I, II, and III John. Study Guide Commentary Series (43). Marshall, Texas: Bible Lessons International.

And Meyer:
"Here again we have not the Roman reckoning (see on 1:40), though the evening was the more usual time for drawing water. Still we must not suppose that, because the time was unusual, it was intended thereby that Jesus might know, in connection therewith, “that the woman was given Him of the Father” (Luthardt, p. 80). Jesus knew that, independently of the hour. But John could never forget the hour, so important in its issues, of this first preaching to the Samaritan woman, and therefore he names it. "
Meyer, H. A. W. (1874). Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John, Volume 1 (F. Crombie, Ed.) (W. Urwick & F. Crombie, Trans.). Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (204). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

And finally Brown in Anchor Yale:
'Noon. Literally “the sixth hour.” The woman’s choice of time for coming to the well is unusual; such a chore was done in the morning and evening. There is little likelihood in the suggestion (Lightfoot, p. 122) that the scene is deliberately being related to the crucifixion, where noon is also the hour (19:14) and Jesus is again driven to express his thirst (19:28). However, the great medieval hymn the Dies Irae seems to have made this connection: “Quaerens me sedisti lassus; redemisti crucem passus.” The suggestion that hours should be reckoned from midnight rather than from 6:00 a.m. (see Note on 1:39) would change the time notation in this verse to 6:00 a.m. Such an hour would fit the scene at the well, but would not fit “the sixth hour” of 19:14."
Brown, R. E., S.S. (2008). The Gospel according to John (I-XII): Introduction, translation, and notes (169). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.

Johnny Shepard

Thank you so much, I think I somewhat understand. So, the connection in John 4:6 would be the same day as John 1:39?

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

Hello, I have a question, I would like to see if anyone can help me on. I was reading the Bible Knowledge Commentary on yesterday and there was a chart comparing Necodemus and the Samaritan Woman, in the chart it stated that the women would have met Jesus about 6pm, however, the bible says "the sixth hour," I would like to know how this calculation came about? Not sure they were using the Jewish or Roman time standard or something else. Please help anyone!

Welcome [:D]

The Net Bible has footnotes in John 3:1 and John 4:6 plus the ESV Bible has a footnote in John 4:6

For screen shot, included three more commentaries: => UBS New Testament Handbook Series , => The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges: John and => Tyndale Commentaries (49 vols.)

Keep Smiling [:)]

Room4more

This is one of those: who dun’nit? type of passages. But I think that a good identifier as to the time being around noon, with consideration to the many many commentator’s, is the Woman.

Why? Well we must be mindful of the woman, apparently John relates that she was possibly a woman of ill repute and that would leads us to believe that she was also probably frowned upon[outcast] by the other women, as well as probably some men. So when we take the whole of the following conversation into perspective, it would lead us to believe that she would come to the well while others were not there, get her water and then be on her way……

using Logos Bible software, a brief search of the "sixth hour" produces many results, but you can narrow it down by historical[mannerisms] data.....[interesting that KS4J came up with close to the same resources.....]

********

using the "cluster graph" you can see slight difference in the respective translations, but they are not that far apart in the word usage.

DMB

Now RoomForMore, our pastor felt the personal need to 'point the finger' at the woman too and I'll ask you what I asked him ... what possessed anyone to think that. Especially since multiple husbands was not uncommon (older men marrying younger women and dieing). The last one could be betrothed we don't know. And Jesus doesn't appear to be condemning her; certainly the village seriously considers her testimony.

For comparison, another woman in Acts had two husbands before hitting 20 (both dieing off).

Johnny Shepard

Amen, thank you all so very much! However, I think what I m really driving at is help on figuring out how the Bible Knowledge Commentary chart came up with it's calculations. I've been trying to find info to support it, but can not on this passage (John 4:6) where they translate the sixth hour to mean 6:00p.m. Can anyone help me possibly understand how the Bible Knowledge Commentary came up with it's calculation?

Thanx

Johnny

Milford Charles Murray

This is one of those: who dun’nit? type of passages. But I think that a good identifier as to the time being around noon, with consideration to the many many commentator’s, is the Woman.

Why? Well we must be mindful of the woman, apparently John relates that she was possibly a woman of ill repute and that would leads us to believe that she was also probably frowned upon[outcast] by the other women, as well as probably some men. So when we take the whole of the following conversation into perspective, it would lead us to believe that she would come to the well while others were not there, get her water and then be on her way……

using Logos Bible software, a brief search of the "sixth hour" produces many results, but you can narrow it down by historical[mannerisms] data.....[interesting that KS4J came up with close to the same resources.....]

********

using the "cluster graph" you can see slight difference in the respective translations, but they are not that far apart in the word usage.

Peace to you, R4M! *smile* and to all!!! *smile* and Always Joy in the Lord!

I don't have the foggiest idea where you get your information about the woman at Samaria being a woman of ill repute?????? Where did John write that?

She had married and divorced again and again and again and was now living with a man when Jesus talked to her..... yes, that's so;

however, in the community in which I live, many who are married and divorced and/or living with someone who is not their spouse doesn't seem to phase the crooked and perverse generation in which we find ourselves.(and to which we are called upon to shine like stars holdng fast to the Word of LIfe!)

Our society doesn't seem to give a "tinker's damn" about how people live, and I wonder if they did there???

And, please note! She went back to town and witnessed! Didn't seem that unpopular, at all! Witnessed! About the Messiah! *smile* And, they listened and all came running out there!

*smile*

And! Jesus stayed there a couple of days! In Samaria of all places! *smile* I wonder how the disciples felt???

John 4:28–40 (ESV)

²⁸So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,

²⁹“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”

³⁰They went out of the town and were coming to him.

³¹Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”

³²But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

³³So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

³⁴Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

³⁵Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

³⁶Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

³⁷For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’

³⁸I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

³⁹Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.