Not Knowing What You Worship - John 4:22

John the apostle wrote how Jesus met a “Samaritan woman” at a well located in Sychar. As they conversed the woman said, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and you say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus said unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father”, and in chapter four and verse twenty-two of his book, John shared how Jesus said to the woman, “you worship you know not what” where we read:

You worship you know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

The verse reads, “You worship you know not what:” John began with the words, “you worship” or “you, Samaritan woman, give adoration and homage to” “you know not what” which means “that which you do not perceive, understand, discover or discern”. John shared how Jesus told the “Samaritan woman” she did not “understand or discern” that to which she gave adoration.

The verse continues, “we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”. John added the words, “we know what we worship” which means “we, Jesus and the Jewish people, perceive, understand, discover and discern that to which they gave adoration and homage”: “for salvation” or “because, since and on account that deliverance, preservation and safety” “is of the Jews” which means “exists from the people in the Jewish nation as respects to birth, origin and religion”. John shared how Jesus said He and the people within the “Jewish nation” understood and discerned to whom they gave adoration and homage because “deliverance and preservation” had it's origin with the Jews.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how Jesus conveyed His understanding concerning the origin of worship to the “Samaritan woman”. He knew the “Samaritans” really did not understand who they “worshiped”, but the Jewish people did. “Salvation” to mankind came through the Jewish nation, and Jesus Himself was Jewish. They knew God to whom they gave “adoration”, but they were unaware that Jesus was God come in the flesh to provide “salvation” to them. God loves every person, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Those who submit their lives to Him will be forgiven of their sins and inherit everlasting life with God. Let all who read these words become familiar with the true and living God and His Son Jesus who came to provide them with “salvation”.

Next time John shares how Jesus says to the woman, “the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".