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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
O how great the wisdom of the woman! how meekly doth she receive the reproof! "How should she not," saith some one? Tell me, why should she? Did He not often reprove the Jews also, and with greater reproofs than these? (for it is not the same to bring forward the hidden thoughts of the heart, as to make manifest a thing that was done in secret; the first are known to God alone, and none other knoweth them but he who hath them in his heart; the second, all who were sharers in it know;) but still when reproved did not bear it …
Cyril of Alexandria
To whom is it not now evident that the Saviour was not ignorant that she was bereft of any rightful husband and that He made the enquiry about her husband who was not, a plea for making known hidden things? For He was thus with difficulty able to help her no longer marvelling at Him as one of us, but as now above man, by reason of His wondrous knowledge of her circumstances. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
She, in order to more quickly conceal and at the same time obtain, says: "I have no husband." Now the Lord, through prophetic knowledge, reveals His power, enumerates her former husbands, and exposes the one whom she is now concealing.
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
And, the husband being not yet called, still she does not understand, still she minds the flesh; for the man is absent: "I have not," saith she, "a husband." And the Lord proceeds and utters mysteries. Thou mayest understand that woman really to have had at that time no husband; she was living with some man, not a lawful husband, rather a paramour than a husband. And the Lord said to her, "Thou hast well said, I have not a husband." How then didst Thou say, "Call thy husband"? …
Thomas Aquinas
Here (v 17), the woman is found guilty by Christ. First, her answer is set down. Secondly, the encounter in which she is found guilty by Christ. As to the first, we should note that the woman, desiring to hide her wrongdoing, and regarding Christ as only a mere man, did answer Christ truthfully, although she kept silent about her sin, for as we read, "A fornicating woman will be walked on like dung in the road" (Sir 9:10). She said, I have no husband. …
Bonaventure
"The woman answered and said: I have no husband." From this truthful response, the Lord, having taken the occasion, adds the revelation of the secret. Whence there also follows: "Jesus says to her: You have spoken well: I have no husband," because she confessed the truth.
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