John 4

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

And he must needs go through Samaria.

Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

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

Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

And many more believed because of his own word;

And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.

Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.

So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.

The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

What does John 4:20 mean?

Explanation

John 4:20 speaks to a conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.

The woman is alluding to an ancient debate between the Samaritans and the Jews regarding the correct place of worship.

The Samaritans, whose religion was related to but distinct from Judaism, believed that Mount Gerizim was the chosen place for the worship of God, coinciding with their understanding of the Pentateuch.

However, Jews traditionally held that the Temple in Jerusalem was the exclusive, divinely appointed place of worship. The woman's statement reflects not only a localized contention but also addresses broader themes of religious exclusivity and the evolving concept of worship.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The verse is set during the Second Temple period when Judaism centered around the Temple in Jerusalem.

Samaritans, on the other hand, centered their worship on Mount Gerizim and held only the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) as scriptural authority, rejecting the Prophetic and other writings accepted by the Jews.

This divergence in religious practice between the two communities was a source of significant tension and created a schism between their religious identities.

Additionally, the historic existence of a temple on Mount Gerizim, which was destroyed by John Hyrcanus in the 2nd century BCE, further deepened the antagonism.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse is often interpreted as a preamble to Jesus' pronouncement that a time is coming where neither in Jerusalem nor on Mount Gerizim will be the true place of worship, but rather true worship will be in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24).

This suggests a theological shift from a focus on location and external rites to the nature of worship itself, emphasizing a personal and spiritual relationship with God.

For Samaritans, this could have been a revolutionary idea, potentially liberating yet challenging their traditional conceptions.

Practical Applications

The essence of this verse highlights the importance of recognizing how adherence to specific rituals and places may become secondary to the actual act of worship.

For contemporary practitioners, it's a call to focus on the sincerity and intention behind worship, rather than on the external forms.

This can lead to a more inclusive view that honors different expressions of faith and encourages a personal, intimate connection with the divine.

Cross-References

John 4:21-24 - Jesus discusses the coming time of worship in spirit and truth.
2 Kings 21:7; 2 Chronicles 33:7 - Jerusalem chosen as the place where God will put His name.
Deuteronomy 12:5 - Instruction to seek the place that the Lord will choose to put His name.

Language Study

In the original Greek, the term for "worship" used here is "προσκυνέω" (proskyneō), which generally means to kneel, prostrate oneself, or to pay homage.

The use of this term indicates that the act of worship is not merely attending a location but involves submission and reverence.

The phrase "in this mountain" refers to Mount Gerizim and "Jerusalem" symbolizes the epicenter of Jewish worship at the time.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The debate about sacred spaces is not unique to the Samaritans and Jews.

Throughout history, many religions have had specific places deemed as holy, such as the Kaaba in Islam, Mount Kailash in Hinduism and Buddhism, and various sacred sites in indigenous and pagan traditions.

This verse and the verses that follow contrast the idea of place-bound worship with a more universal approach, akin to the mystical strands within various traditions that also emphasize an internal, spiritual worship experience.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse itself does not directly intersect with scientific thought as it deals with religious practice and belief.

However, modern anthropology and sociology can offer insights into how and why certain places become designated as sacred and the effects of communal and intergroup conflicts over such sites.

Moreover, the psychological impact of worship and spiritual practices has been a subject of study, examining the potential cognitive and emotional benefits of engaging in such activities regardless of physical location.

Commentaries

Commentators vary in their interpretation of this verse.

Many Christian expositors see it as a reference to the coming universality of Christian worship.

In his commentary, Matthew Henry reflects on the tension between Samaritans and Jews and sees Jesus' response as moving away from ceremonial law to spiritual worship.

William Barclay notes the historic conflict over sacred places, and Jesus' shift to the importance of worship's nature rather than location.

These and other commentaries often agree that Jesus used this interaction to teach a transformative approach to worship, one that transcends traditional disputes and geographic bounds.

John 4

John 4

What does John 4:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 4:20 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?