SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:22
Vosotros adoris lo que no sabis; nosotros adoramos lo que sabemos; porque la salud viene de los Judíos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 4:22
Verse 22. Ye worship ye know not what] The Samaritans believed in the same God with the Jews; but, as they rejected all the prophetical writings, they had but an imperfect knowledge of the Deity: besides, as they incorporated the worship of idols with his worship, they might be justly said to worship him whom they did not properly know. See the account of their motley worship, 2 Kings xvii. 26-34. But after Sanballat had built the temple on Mount Gerizim, the idolatrous worship of the Cutheans and Sepharvites, &c., was entirely laid aside; the same religious service being performed in the Samaritan temple which was performed in that at Jerusalem. We know what we worship] We Jews acknowledge all the attributes of his nature, and offer to him only the sacrifices prescribed in the law.
Salvation is of the Jews.] ek twn ioudaiwn estin, Salvation is from the Jews. Salvation seems here to mean the saviour, the Messiah, as it does Luke ii. 30; Acts iv. 12: and so the woman appears to have understood it, ver. 25. The Messiah was to spring from the Jews-from them, the preaching of the Gospel, and the knowledge of the truth, were to go to all the nations of the world. It was to the Jews that the promises were made; and it was in their prophetic Scriptures, which the Samaritans rejected, that Jesus Christ was proclaimed and described. See Isa. xi. 3.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. Ye worship ye know not what , etc.] However, as to her question, he more directly replies by condemning the Samaritans, and their ignorance in worship, and by approving the Jews; and so manifestly gives the preference to the Jews, not only with respect to the place, and object of worship, but with respect to knowledge and salvation. As for the Samaritans, he suggests, that they were ignorant, not only of the true object of worship, but knew not what they themselves worshipped; or, at least, were not agreed in it. The original inhabitants of those parts, from whence these Samaritans sprung, were idolatrous Heathens, placed by the king of Assyria in the room of the ten tribes he carried away captive; and these feared not the Lord, for they knew not the manner of the God of the land: wherefore lions were sent among them which slew many of them; upon which the king of Assyria ordered a priest to be sent to instruct them: but notwithstanding this, they had everyone gods of their own, some one, and some another; and so served divers graven images, they and their children, and their childrens children, to the time of the writer of the Book of Kings; (see 2 Kings 17:24-41). And though after Manasseh, and other Jews were come among them, and they had received the law of Moses, they might have some knowledge of the true God, yet they glorified him not as God; and though they might in words profess him, yet in works they denied him; and even after this they are very highly charged by the Jews with idolatrous practices on this mount. Sometimes they say the Cuthites, or Samaritans, worshipped fire; and at other times, and which chiefly prevails with them, they assert f198 , that their wise men, upon searching, found that they worshipped the image of a dove on Mount Gerizim; and sometimes they say f199 , they worshipped the idols, the strange gods, or Teraphim, which Jacob hid under the oak in Sichem; which last, if true, may serve to illustrate these words of Christ, that they worshipped they knew not what, since they worshipped idols hid in the mount. R. Ishmael bar Jose, they say went to Neapolis, (Sichem, called Naplous,) the Cuthites, or Samaritans came to him (to persuade him to worship with them in their mountain); he said unto them, I will show you that ye do not worship at this mountain, but the images which are hid under it; for it is written, ( Genesis 35:4); and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
And elsewhere it is reported of the same Rabbi, that he went to Jerusalem to pray, as before related on ( John 4:20), and after what passed between him, and the Samaritan he met with at Mount Gerizim, before mentioned, he added; and said to him, I will tell you what ye are like, (ye are like) to a dog that lusts after carrion; so because ye know the idols are hid under it, (the mountain,) as it is written, ( Genesis 35:4) and Jacob hid them, therefore ye lust after it: they said this man knows that idols are hid here, and perhaps he will take them away; and they consulted together to kill him: he arose, and made his escape in the night.
But this was not the case of the Jews: we know what we worship ; Christ puts himself among them, for he was a Jew, as the woman took him to be; and, as man, was a worshipper of God; he feared, loved, and obeyed God; he trusted in him, and prayed unto him; though, as God, he was the object of worship himself: and the true worshippers among the Jews, of which sort Christ was, knew God, whom they worshipped, spiritually and savingly; and the generality of that people had right notions of the God of Israel, having the oracles, and service of God, and being instructed out of Moses, and the prophets: for salvation is of the Jews ; the promises of salvation, and of a Saviour, were made to them, when the Gentiles were strangers to them; the means of salvation, and of the knowledge of it, as the word, statutes, and ordinances, were enjoyed by them, when others were ignorant of them; and the Messiah, who is sometimes styled Salvation, (see Genesis 49:18 Psalm 14:7 Luke 2:30), was not only prophesied of in their books, and promised unto them, but came of them, as well as to them; and the number of the saved ones had been for many hundreds of years, and still was among them; the line of election ran among them, and few among the Gentiles were called and saved, as yet.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 4-26 - There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ' road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go int places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toi came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us submitted to it. Also, he was a poor man, and went all his journeys of foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to res upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things a these. Christ asked a woman for water. She was surprised because he di not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderat men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took the occasion to teac her Divine things: he converted this woman, by showing her ignoranc and sinfulness, and her need of a Saviour. By this living water i meant the Spirit. Under this comparison the blessing of the Messiah ha been promised in the Old Testament. The graces of the Spirit, and his comforts, satisfy the thirsting soul, that knows its own nature an necessity. What Jesus spake figuratively, she took literally. Chris shows that the water of Jacob's well yielded a very short satisfaction Of whatever waters of comfort we drink, we shall thirst again. But whoever partakes of the Spirit of grace, and the comforts of the gospel, shall never want that which will abundantly satisfy his soul Carnal hearts look no higher than carnal ends. Give it me, saith she not that I may have everlasting life, which Christ proposed, but that come not hither to draw. The carnal mind is very ingenious in shiftin off convictions, and keeping them from fastening. But how closely ou Lord Jesus brings home the conviction to her conscience! He severel reproved her present state of life. The woman acknowledged Christ to be a prophet. The power of his word in searching the heart, and convincin the conscience of secret things, is a proof of Divine authority. I should cool our contests, to think that the things we are strivin about are passing away. The object of worship will continue still the same, God, as a Father; but an end shall be put to all difference about the place of worship. Reason teaches us to consult decency an convenience in the places of our worship; but religion gives n preference to one place above another, in respect of holiness an approval with God. The Jews were certainly in the right. Those who by the Scriptures have obtained some knowledge of God, know whom the worship. The word of salvation was of the Jews. It came to othe nations through them. Christ justly preferred the Jewish worship befor the Samaritan, yet here he speaks of the former as soon to be don away. God was about to be revealed as the Father of all believers in every nation. The spirit or the soul of man, as influenced by the Holy Spirit, must worship God, and have communion with him. Spiritual affections, as shown in fervent prayers, supplications, an thanksgivings, form the worship of an upright heart, in which God delights and is glorified. The woman was disposed to leave the matte undecided, till the coming of the Messiah. But Christ told her, I tha speak to thee, am He. She was an alien and a hostile Samaritan, merel speaking to her was thought to disgrace our Lord Jesus. Yet to thi woman did our Lord reveal himself more fully than as yet he had done to any of his disciples. No past sins can bar our acceptance with him, i we humble ourselves before him, believing in him as the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Greek Textus Receptus
υμεις 5210 P-2NP προσκυνειτε 4352 5719 V-PAI-2P ο 3739 R-ASN ουκ 3756 PRT-N οιδατε 1492 5758 V-RAI-2P ημεις 2249 P-1NP προσκυνουμεν 4352 5719 V-PAI-1P ο 3739 R-ASN οιδαμεν 1492 5758 V-RAI-1P οτι 3754 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF σωτηρια 4991 N-NSF εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPM ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
22. Ye know not what (o ouk oidate). Literally, what ye know not. Rev., rightly, that which ye know not. Compare Acts xvii. 23, where the correct reading is o, what, instead of on, 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 vii. 28; viii. 19, 27. The neuter expresses the unreal and impersonal character of the Samaritan worship. As the Samaritans received the Pentateuch only, they were ignorant of the later and larger revelation of God, as contained especially in the prophetic writings, and of the Messianic hope, as developed among the Jews. They had preserved only the abstract notion of God.We. Jesus here identifies Himself With the Jewish people. The essence of the true Jewish worship is represented by Him.
Know what we worship (proskunoumen o oidamen). Literally, and as Rev., we worship that which we know. On know, see on ii. 24. The neuter that which, is used of the true as of the unreal object of worship, perhaps for the sake of correspondence with the preceding clause, or because the object of worship is conceived abstractly and not personally. Compare xiv. 9.
Salvation (h swthria). The word has the article: the salvation, promised and to be revealed in Christ.
Is of the Jews. Rev., rightly, from the Jews (ek). Not therefore belongs to, but proceeds from. See Genesis 12; Isa. ii. 3; Micah iv. 2. Even the Old Testament idea of salvation is bound up with Christ. See Rom. ix. 4, 5. The salvation is from the Jews, even from that people which has rejected it. See on i. 19. On the characteristic is from, see on i. 46. The passage illustrates John's habit of confirming the divine authority of the Old Testament revelation, and of showing its fulfillment in Christ.
