20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:20-24)
Thoughts: One of Jesus' main and most remembered prophesies was that the Temple would be destroyed (cf. Jn. 2:19; Mt. 24:2). This is another reference- Jerusalem will lose its importance when it is destroyed within a generation of Jesus saying this (70 A.D.). In some ways because the Temple was destroyed, the worship to all non-Jews (including this Samaritan woman) would be opened. As usual, Jesus is concerned less about the exteriors of religion but the heart. What counts is not where we worship but that our hearts are worshiping God in spirit and in truth. That doesn't mean that we should not have places of worship. It certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't worship together. But the idea of one, holy place of worship was going away. Jesus cared for the soul of this woman, and He wants us to care for her and those like her. He wants all to come to Him. He wants us to worship God from our soul- our spirit. He wants us to worship God not just with our lips, or for show, but in truth.
Thoughts: One of Jesus' main and most remembered prophesies was that the Temple would be destroyed (cf. Jn. 2:19; Mt. 24:2). This is another reference- Jerusalem will lose its importance when it is destroyed within a generation of Jesus saying this (70 A.D.). In some ways because the Temple was destroyed, the worship to all non-Jews (including this Samaritan woman) would be opened. As usual, Jesus is concerned less about the exteriors of religion but the heart. What counts is not where we worship but that our hearts are worshiping God in spirit and in truth. That doesn't mean that we should not have places of worship. It certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't worship together. But the idea of one, holy place of worship was going away. Jesus cared for the soul of this woman, and He wants us to care for her and those like her. He wants all to come to Him. He wants us to worship God from our soul- our spirit. He wants us to worship God not just with our lips, or for show, but in truth.
Prayer: Lord, help me to worship you in Spirit and in truth.
(Mt. Gerazim- the Samaritan Mountain)
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