John 4:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

NIV: God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.'

NASB: God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'

CSB: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth."

NLT: For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.'

KJV: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

NKJV: God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

In verse 23, Jesus gave the Samaritan woman a better explanation of what His offer of "water of life" really is. This woman's greatest thirst seems to have been for acceptance. This is why she stumbled from one bad relationship to the next (John 4:16–18). The kind of relationship she seeks can only be truly found in God, and only through Christ. So, Jesus explains to her that "true worship" of God does not require one to be Jewish, or Samaritan, or in the temple, or on the mountain. Rather, true worship requires spirit and truth, and God is seeking those who want Him in this way.

Verse 24 also makes a clear point that God, Himself, is spirit. God is not simply a more complex physical being, or a limited creature. In other words, God is not restricted to seeing, hearing, or being in a single location, like the false gods of most religions. This also helps to keep Genesis 1:26 in context. The fact that man is created in "the image" of God does not mean we have some physical resemblance to Him. We share his moral and rational nature.

John 4:5–26 describes one of the most famous moments in Jesus' earthly ministry. Here, He converses with a Samaritan woman. This particular woman is not only an ''unclean'' Samaritan, but an outcast among her own people. She attempts to avoid Jesus' teachings, giving flippant and sarcastic answers. Despite that, and despite knowing all about her sin, Jesus encourages her with the love of God. This breaks through her hard heart; as a result, many others are brought to meet Christ. The disciples are also taught a valuable lesson about the purpose of their mission.

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman who is drawing water from a well. Jesus both confronts her about her sin, and comforts her with the truth of the gospel. In particular, He explains that even though He knows her sins, He still seeks after her, and those like her. The woman returns to town, eventually bringing many people to meet Jesus. The disciples, meanwhile, have to be reminded of the purpose of their mission. Jesus also heals the son of a government official in a way that demonstrates the importance of trusting faith, rather than reliance on spectacle.

John chapter 4 continues the use of contrast. Jesus goes from conversing with an educated, powerful, prestigious man to talking to an outcast, unlearned, self-conscious woman. The combination of this passage, along with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, makes an important spiritual point. The gospel is for all people, in all places, and all times. Christ can reach each person exactly where he or she needs to be reached.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/2/2024 9:16:17 AM