John 4:22
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus isn't just saying the Samaritans are wrong; he's subtly highlighting that their worship, based on the Pentateuch alone, lacks the full, unfolding story of God's salvation revealed in the prophets. This deeper revelation, which the Jews possessed, is the very foundation from which true knowledge of God and His saving work flows.
Jesus points out a crucial difference: the Samaritans' worship was based on a limited understanding, missing the fuller revelation found in the prophets and the promised Messiah. In contrast, the Jews, from whom salvation originates, possessed this deeper knowledge, making their worship rooted in certainty.
Jesus points out a stark difference between His worship and the Samaritan woman's. What exactly separates them?
Jesus confronts the Samaritan woman with a profound truth: her worship is based on ignorance, while His (and by extension, true worship) is based on knowledge.
What They Didn't Know:
What Jesus Knew:
This isn't just an academic difference; it's the core of genuine worship. Worship that isn't rooted in knowing God through His Word and His Son will always fall short.
Jesus boldly declares 'salvation is from the Jews.' What makes this statement so significant, and why does it matter?
This statement isn't about ethnic pride; it's about divine history and purpose.
A Divine Trust:
Understand the original words
sōtēria · Greek Noun
The comprehensive work of God to deliver humanity from the penalty and power of sin, fulfilled supremely in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
This conversation occurs against a backdrop of centuries of religious and ethnic animosity between Jews and Samaritans, stemming from their diverging histories and differing canons of scripture. Jesus' bold declaration that 'salvation is from the Jews' highlights the unique historical role of Israel in God's redemptive plan, even as he calls for a worship that transcends geographical and ethnic boundaries.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and resettling the area with foreigners. This event led to the religious and ethnic separation between the remaining Israelites (who would become known as Samaritans) and those in the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile of Judah
The Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling the Judeans. This event, while devastating, ultimately strengthened Jewish identity and their commitment to their scriptures and traditions.
c. 538 BC
Return from Babylonian Exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia allowed the exiled Judeans to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This marked the beginning of the Second Temple period and a renewed emphasis on Jewish law and scripture.
c. 4th-1st century BC
Samaritan Temple on Mount Gerizim
This passage highlights the unique advantage the Jews had in being entrusted with God's oracles, directly supporting Jesus' claim that 'salvation is from the Jews' because they were the custodians of divine revelation.
Micah 4:2This prophecy states that nations will stream to Jerusalem saying 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD...' This links to Jesus' point that true knowledge and worship, and ultimately salvation, originate from the Jewish people.
Isaiah 2:3Similar to Micah, this verse foretells that 'the word of the LORD shall go forth from Jerusalem,' emphasizing the Jewish lineage from which God's truth and salvation would emanate.
John 1:11This verse states 'He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him,' underscoring the paradox that while salvation originated from the Jews, not all within that nation recognized or accepted it, even as Jesus identifies with them here.
Acts 4:12Peter declares 'And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved,' reinforcing the idea that salvation is a singular, divinely appointed path, which historically began with the Jews and culminates in Christ.
ellicottJohn 4:22: "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews."
(22) For salvation is of the Jews. —This verse has sorely tried critics who seek to construct the Gospel out of their judgments of what it should be. It can be no difficulty to those who seek to form their judgments from the Gospel as it is. Assume that the Gospel belongs to the Greek thought of the close of the second century, and the verse must be omitted, though it is certainly part of the origin…
vincentJohn 4:22: "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews."
Ye know not what (ὁ οὐκ οἴδατε)Literally, what ye know not. Rev., rightly, that which ye know not. Compare Acts 17:23, where the correct reading is ὃ, what, instead of ὃν, whom: "what therefore ye worship in ignorance." This worship of the unknown is common to vulgar ignorance and to philosophic culture; to the Samaritan woman, and to the Athenian philosophers. Compare John 7:28; John 8:19,…
Jesus isn't just saying the Samaritans are wrong; he's subtly highlighting that their worship, based on the Pentateuch alone, lacks the full, unfolding story of God's salvation revealed in the prophets. This deeper revelation, which the Jews possessed, is the very foundation from which true knowledge of God and His saving work flows.
Jesus points out a crucial difference: the Samaritans' worship was based on a limited understanding, missing the fuller revelation found in the prophets and the promised Messiah. In contrast, the Jews, from whom salvation originates, possessed this deeper knowledge, making their worship rooted in certainty.
Jesus points out a crucial difference: the Samaritans' worship was based on a limited understanding, missing the fuller revelation found in the prophets and the promised Messiah. In contrast, the Jews, from whom salvation originates, possessed this deeper knowledge, making their worship rooted in certainty.
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The Flow of Salvation:
Jesus is grounding the woman's quest for true worship in the divine history that leads directly to Him. The lineage of salvation, though temporarily embodied in one nation, was always intended for the world.
The Samaritans, having developed their own distinct religious identity, built a temple on Mount Gerizim, rivaling the Jerusalem Temple. This deepened the animosity between Jews and Samaritans, with each viewing the other as heretical.
c. 130 BC
Destruction of Samaritan Temple
John Hyrcanus, a Jewish leader, destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. This event further intensified the bitter religious and cultural divide between Jews and Samaritans.
c. AD 20s-30s— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Samaria
Jesus, a Jewish man, intentionally traveled through and ministered in Samaria, culminating in his encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. This conversation directly addresses the deep-seated religious differences and prejudices between Jews and Samaritans.
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." — Jesus isn't just saying the Samaritans are wrong; he's subtly highlighting that their worship, based on the Pentateuch alone, lacks the full, unfolding story of God's salvation revealed in the prophe…
