I was given John 4:22. John 4:22, KJV: Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
What does John 4:22 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
The nation of Israel is God's chosen people. This was the line which God chose to produce Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Romans 9:4–5). The truths of God's prophets came through this nation. Other people, such as the Samaritans, were not given this full level of revelation. They were allowed to see the same creation as all other people (Revelation chapter 1), but they did not "know" God as the Israelites did. This did not leave them incapable of knowing anything about God, but it did mean there was a limit to what they could understand.
Jesus is in the process of correcting the Samaritan woman's concept of God. Unlike Nicodemus, this woman was uneducated, poor, disrespected, outcast, and living in sin. And yet, those who worship God in spirit and truth are His: He wants those people to worship Him. This will be an incredibly uplifting message for a woman beaten up and thrown aside by the world. Verses 23 and 24 will put this new perspective into clear terms.
This section of John shows how Jesus' life on earth was meant to complete the old, imperfect, and temporary means of reconciliation with God. Jesus came as the new sacrifice for sin (John 1:29), replacing the old ways of atonement (John 2:6–9), with His body the new temple (John 2:19–21), bringing a new birth (John 3:1–7), a new and living water (John 4:11).
Context Summary
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.