John 4:20-24

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

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

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

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

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

Having become convinced that Jesus was a prophet, the woman’s mind turned to worshiping God (v.20).

The Samaritans worshiped on nearby Mount Gerizim (v.20) where, they believed (incorrectly), that Abraham offered Isaac. They built a temple on the mountain. It was destroyed by Hyrcanus in 129 BC. Where to worship was the leading cause of contention between the Samaritans (who only used the Pentatuch) and the Jews (who had God’s entire revelation to that point).

Jesus told her of a coming day (v.21) when worship would be unconnected from the mountain and from Jerusalem.

Ye worship ye know not what (v.22) — The Samaritans followed a man-made religion with no authority.

Salvation (v.22) — the woman needed to be saved, not concern herself with issues about where to worship

The salvation is of the Jews (v.22). Jesus was referring to Himself. Salvation, in Hebrew, is “Jehoshua.” Jesus (Greek) comes from the Hebrew word. But also, until Paul was sent to the Gentiles, nobody could be saved except through the Jewish religion.

The hour cometh (v.23) — a prophecy of the kingdom. It was offered first at Pentecost when the Spirit was given, Christ was risen, and the Jews worshiped God. The temple veil was ripped. But then the Jews rejected the Holy Spirit, and the kingdom was delayed.

Father seeketh (v.23) — God seeks us for the purpose of worshiping Him.

In the Old Testament, God is never worshiped as Father, only as Jehovah. Only through the Son is the relationship between the Father (God) and the believers (sons of God) established.

God is a spirit — not limited to a specific place, omnipresent.

worship in Spirit (v.24) — not external rites, but to worship with the mind and heart.

in truth (v.24) — in a true way, according to God’s Word