What is the meaning of John 4:21? Believe Me, woman, • Jesus begins with an invitation to personal trust: “Believe Me.” Similar calls appear in John 14:1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.” • Addressing the Samaritan woman tenderly, He speaks to every listener: faith is required before deeper truths can be grasped (John 3:36). • By calling her “woman,” a respectful term also used with His mother (John 2:4), He underscores dignity while challenging long-standing assumptions. Jesus replied, • Christ’s answer comes in response to her question about the proper place of worship (John 4:20). • As “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), His reply carries divine authority, settling any human debate (Matthew 17:5). • He reveals what only God can unveil: the approaching fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan (John 5:19). a time is coming • Jesus points forward to a distinct, imminent era inaugurated by His death and resurrection (John 12:23-24). • The phrase echoes prophecies of a new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 9:11-12). • Within just a few years, the veil in the Jerusalem temple will tear (Matthew 27:51), signaling unrestricted access to God. when you will worship the Father • Worship is redirected to the Father through the Son, highlighting relationship over ritual (Matthew 6:9; Galatians 4:6). • “You” is plural, embracing Samaritan and Jew alike (Ephesians 2:13-18). • Worship becomes a matter of spirit and truth (John 4:24), centered on the revelation of the Father’s character in Christ (John 14:6-9). neither on this mountain • Mount Gerizim, the Samaritan worship site (Deuteronomy 11:29; Joshua 8:33), will no longer define acceptable praise. • God is not confined to human-made shrines; He “does not dwell in temples made by hands” (Acts 17:24). • Physical geography surrenders to spiritual reality, freeing believers from localized religion (Malachi 1:11). nor in Jerusalem. • Even Jerusalem’s temple, ordained under the old covenant (2 Chronicles 6:6), will yield to a new dwelling place: the gathered people of God (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:5). • Jesus prophesies the very destruction of that temple in A.D. 70 (Luke 21:5-6), proving the transitory nature of earthly sanctuaries. • Ultimate worship centers on the risen Christ, who is Himself the true Temple (John 2:19-21; Revelation 21:22). summary John 4:21 announces a revolutionary shift: true worship is no longer restricted by ethnicity, location, or ceremony but is rooted in faith in Christ and relationship with the Father. Physical temples and mountains give way to a worship that flows from hearts indwelt by the Spirit, encompassing all who believe, everywhere, at all times. |
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