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 4:21 mean?

Explanation

The verse John 4:21 is part of the conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well.

In this verse, Jesus is addressing the issue of worship and its location.

Jesus tells the woman that a time will come when worship will not be confined to specific places like Mount Gerizim (which is where Samaritans worshipped) or Jerusalem (where the Jews worshipped at the Temple) but will be more about the spirit behind the worship than the physical place.

The deeper meaning here is the indication of a shift from worship centered around physical locations to a more personal and spiritual experience, which ultimately points to the coming Christian dispensation characterized by a direct relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

At the time of Jesus, there were sharp religious and ethnic tensions between Jews and Samaritans.

These groups disagreed on the correct place of worship.

Jews insisted on Jerusalem as the chosen site according to their scriptures, while the Samaritans revered Mount Gerizim, based on their understanding of the Pentateuch.

With this verse, Jesus is transcending these ancient disputes and foretelling a new age where worship will not be limited to, or defined by, these sacred locales but by the nature of the relationship between worshippers and God.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives see this verse from varied angles:

Traditional Christianity: This verse is seen as a prophetic indication that Jesus is the Messiah and that through Him, God is establishing a new covenant with humanity.

Worship is to be in spirit and truth, not bound by location.

Judaism: The verse is part of the New Testament, which is not recognized in Judaism as scriptural.

Thus, traditional Jewish perspectives would not offer theological insight into this text.

Comparative Theology: Scholars might interpret this as demonstrating the universal nature of God and worship, emphasizing that true worship transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.

Practical Applications

The message in John 4:21 can be applied in contemporary settings to remind worshippers that the essence of worship is about the inward attitude rather than the external environment.

It teaches that one can connect with God anywhere and that sincere worship is not limited to certain places or rituals.

This verse can inspire inclusiveness in religious practices, focusing on the unity of believers.

Cross-References

John 4:23-24: "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."
Philippians 3:3: "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

Language Study

Woman (γυνή, gynē): Jesus addresses the Samaritan woman with a term that, while respectful, is typically impersonal, denoting a shift from her personal story to a more universal truth.
Believe me (πίστευσόν μοι, pisteuson moi): An imperative which underscores the authority of Jesus' insight and the importance of what He is about to reveal.
The hour cometh (ἔρχεται ὥρα, erchetai hōra): This phrase often signals a future change or event of significance, in this case, the transformation of worship paradigms.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Samaritan and Jewish beliefs closely parallel some of the broader religious patterns in the ancient world, where worship was often tied to specific temples, mountains, or other sacred spaces.

This idea is found in several ancient religions where gods were believed to inhabit certain locations.

The declaration by Jesus would have challenged such widely held notions, foreshadowing a spiritualization of worship.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse does not directly relate to scientific perspectives but speaks to the nature of religious expression, which may intersect with psychology and sociology.

Modern science might analyze the concept of "worship in spirit and truth" from the perspective of personal and communal religious experiences and their effects on human psychology and societal structures.

Commentaries

Matthew Henry: Henry regards this declaration as introductory to the New Testament form of worship, which would no longer be tied to "the shadows of the law" but rather to the "substance," which is Christ.
William Barclay: Barclay emphasizes the universal application of worship, suggesting that Jesus breaks down national and racial barriers.
**Craig S.

Keener**: Keener discusses the socio-historical backdrop of Samaria and highlights the fact that Jesus' statement indicates a prophecy being enacted, where worship places are not the focus, contrasting Samaritan and Jewish customs.

**I.

Howard Marshall**: Marshall views Jesus' statement as integral to understanding the nature of God, who seeks not merely ritualistic worship but worship that is genuine and from the heart.

John 4

John 4

What does John 4:21 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 4:21 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?