You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus highlights a crucial distinction: the Samaritans worshipped an unknown deity because they only accepted the Pentateuch, missing the fuller revelation of God in the prophets. The Jewish people, though imperfect, had access to this complete scriptural record, which pointed directly to the coming salvation. This wasn't just about geography, but about the source and certainty of knowing God.
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is explaining that true worship isn't tied to a specific mountain but to God Himself. He directly contrasts the Samaritan worship, which he says is based on ignorance, with the worship of the Jews, which is rooted in knowledge and divine revelation. This leads to his pivotal statement that salvation originates from the Jewish people.
Why did Jesus say the Samaritan woman was worshipping 'what you do not know'?
Jesus distinguishes between true worship and ignorant worship. The Samaritan woman's tradition, while monotheistic, was incomplete. They only accepted the Pentateuch and lacked the fuller revelation found in the Prophets, which illuminated God's character and the coming Messiah.
Jesus declares 'salvation is from the Jews.' What makes this statement so significant?
This is a profound declaration about God's redemptive plan. Jesus is affirming that the lineage and historical covenant through which God chose to bring salvation into the world were entrusted to the Jewish people.
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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 takes place against a backdrop of deep historical and religious animosity between Jews and Samaritans, making Jesus' affirmation of Jewish worship and its connection to salvation particularly significant.
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 who intermingled with the remaining population, leading to the distinct Samaritan religious and ethnic identity.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of Jerusalem Temple
After returning from Babylonian exile, the Jews rebuilt their Temple in Jerusalem, solidifying its central role in their religious life and worship. This event further distinguished Jewish identity and practice from that of the Samaritans.
c. 400 BC
Samaritan Temple on Mount Gerizim
A Samaritan temple was built on Mount Gerizim, likely with Persian support, creating a rival center of worship to Jerusalem and intensifying the religious and political animosity between Samaritans and Jews.
c. 150 BC - AD 200
Period of Jewish-Samaritan Animosity
This era saw intense conflict and mutual disdain between Jews and Samaritans, including desecration of each other's holy sites and exclusion from religious practices, shaping the context for Jesus' encounter.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee, interacting with various Jewish groups and eventually encountering the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well.
This passage highlights that the Jews were entrusted with the very oracles of God, a key reason why their understanding of worship and salvation was superior, as Jesus asserts in John 4:22.
Isaiah 2:3This prophecy speaks of God's law going forth from Zion, which Jesus alludes to by stating salvation comes from the Jews, indicating their role as the source of divine revelation.
Micah 4:2Similar to Isaiah 2:3, this verse reinforces the idea that God's teaching would originate from Jerusalem, directly supporting Jesus' claim in John 4:22 that 'salvation is from the Jews.'
Luke 24:44-47Jesus explains to His disciples that the Scriptures (which He identifies as pointing to Him) must be fulfilled, underscoring that salvation and understanding of God's plan were rooted in the Jewish prophetic tradition.
Acts 1:8Jesus declares that the Gospel would spread from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, showing how the Jewish people were the foundational starting point for the salvation He spoke of to the Samaritan woman.
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 highlights a crucial distinction: the Samaritans worshipped an unknown deity because they only accepted the Pentateuch, missing the fuller revelation of God in the prophets. The Jewish people, though imperfect, had access to this complete scriptural record, which pointed directly to the coming salvation. This wasn't just about geography, but about the source and certainty of knowing God.
Jesus is explaining that true worship isn't tied to a specific mountain but to God Himself. He directly contrasts the Samaritan worship, which he says is based on ignorance, with the worship of the Jews, which is rooted in knowledge and divine revelation. This leads to his pivotal statement that salvation originates from the Jewish people.
Jesus is explaining that true worship isn't tied to a specific mountain but to God Himself. He directly contrasts the Samaritan worship, which he says is based on ignorance, with the worship of the Jews, which is rooted in knowledge and divine revelation. This leads to his pivotal statement that salvation originates from the Jewish people.
"You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." — Jesus highlights a crucial distinction: the Samaritans worshipped an unknown deity because they only accepted the Pentateuch, missing the fuller revelation of God in the prophets. The Jewish people,…
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Last reviewed October 2026