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John 4:22

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Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Ye {G5210} worship {G4352} ye know {G1492} not {G3756} what {G3739}: we know {G1492} what {G3739} we {G2249} worship {G4352}: for {G3754} salvation {G4991} is {G2076} of {G1537} the Jews {G2453}.

You people don’t know what you are worshipping; we worship what we do know, because salvation comes from the Jews.

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Ye worship that which ye know not: we worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.

Commentary

Context of John 4:22

This verse is part of Jesus' profound conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. The Samaritans, a people of mixed Jewish and Gentile heritage, had their own religious traditions, including worshipping on Mount Gerizim, distinct from the Jewish worship in Jerusalem. The woman raises the question of the proper place of worship (John 4:20), to which Jesus responds by affirming the historical and theological lineage of the Jewish people as the chosen vessel for God's revelation and the channel through which salvation would come. His statement clarifies the Samaritans' incomplete understanding of God's redemptive plan compared to the divinely revealed truth given to the Jews.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Source of True Revelation: Jesus asserts that the Jews possessed a more accurate understanding of God and His will, rooted in the covenants and prophecies given to them. Unlike the Samaritans, whose worship was based on a partial and corrupted tradition, the Jewish people had been entrusted with the full revelation of God's law and promises.
  • Salvation's Jewish Origin: The pivotal phrase, "salvation is of the Jews," does not imply that salvation is exclusively for Jews, but rather that the Messiah, the means of salvation, would come through the Jewish lineage. This points directly to Jesus Himself, who is the promised seed of Abraham and the Son of David, fulfilling centuries of prophecy.
  • Preparation for Universal Worship: This declaration sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent teaching in John 4:23-24, where He moves beyond the geographical debate to emphasize worship "in spirit and in truth." By acknowledging the Jewish foundation of salvation, Jesus validates the historical path God laid out, while simultaneously preparing for a new era where worship would transcend ethnic and geographical boundaries, accessible to all who believe.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "salvation is of the Jews" translates from the Greek soteria ek ton Ioudaiōn. The word soteria (salvation) encompasses deliverance, preservation, and wholeness, pointing to the comprehensive redemption offered by God. The preposition ek (of/from) denotes origin or source. This emphasizes that the *channel* through which God's saving plan would be realized was the Jewish people, culminating in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah.

Practical Application

John 4:22 reminds us of the divine order and God's sovereign plan throughout history. It teaches us:

  • The Importance of Knowing Whom We Worship: Our worship gains depth and authenticity when based on a true understanding of God's character and His redemptive work, as revealed in Scripture.
  • God's Faithfulness to His Promises: The verse underscores God's faithfulness in bringing forth the Messiah through the lineage He chose, fulfilling the earliest promises of redemption.
  • The Universality of Salvation Through a Specific Source: While salvation originates "of the Jews" (through Christ), it is offered to all humanity. This verse, therefore, is not about exclusion, but about establishing the precise historical and theological roots of the universal Gospel, which is available to "whosoever believeth in him" (John 3:16).
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Acts 17:23 (16 votes)

    For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

  • Isaiah 2:3 (15 votes)

    And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

  • Romans 9:4 (14 votes)

    Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;

  • Romans 9:5 (14 votes)

    Whose [are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

  • Luke 24:47 (13 votes)

    And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

  • Psalms 147:19 (12 votes)

    He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.

  • Acts 17:30 (12 votes)

    And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: