Εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ θεοῦ…
John 4:10 excerpt, SBL Greek Testament
Jesus is speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar. He tells her to give Him a drink, which clearly surprises her; as John says, Jews don’t make use of (συγχρῶνται) Samaritans.
And then Jesus replies, with the words above: “If you knew the gift of God…” (NIV and many other translations)
Which is correct-ish, but nonetheless misleading. If you are thinking of a beautifully wrapped box under the Christmas tree, think again.
δωρεὰν (dōre’an) is ‘gift’ but in the older sense of “it was within his gift”, meaning a substantial benefit which the King or other ruler was able to bestow. Specifically we find it in the sense of the grant of an estate, privileges and immunities.
The full sentence reads in the NIV
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
Because Jesus goes on to speak of living water, we make the connection, “oh, this is (just) the Gift of the Spirit” – and miss the whole point.
Jesus is speaking to a non Jew and telling her that if she understood the Kingdom (an estate, with privileges and immunities – immunity from the kingdom of the world, its demands and its corruption) which God freely bestows, and if she knew who Jesus was, she would ask and He would give her living water to drink.
Yes, Jesus is indeed referring to the gift of the Holy Spirit, but He is saying that receiving Him, ie the Spirit, is her access point to enter into, and enjoy the free gift of the Kingdom. An estate, with privileges and immunities. An offer good even for a Samaritan woman with an very complicated past.
An offer good even for you and me.
Jesus never speaks in religious platitudes. We need to stop hearing Him as if He was.
Seeing the Kingdom 