John 4:21 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - John 4:21-24

The spirit of the true worship. Our Lord acts a prophet's part in answer to her inquiries. 1. THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE NEW WORSHIP . "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." 1 . All localized worship was soon to end. 2 . The fatherhood of God emancipates worship from every limitation of time and space. Men will worship God as a Father. The title is characteristic of this Gospel. II.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - John 4:21

Believe me - As she had professed to believe that he was a prophet, it was right to require her to put faith in what he was about to utter. It also shows the importance of what he was about to say.The hour cometh - The time is coming, or is near.When neither in this mountain ... - Hitherto the public solemn worship of God has been confined to one place. It has been a matter of dispute whether that place should be Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim. That controversy is to be of much less importance than... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 4:21

John 4:21. Jesus saith to her In answer to this case of conscience; Believe me Our Lord uses this expression only once, and that to a Samaritan. To his own people, the Jews, his usual language is, I say unto you. The hour cometh Which will put an entire end to this controversy; when ye Both Jews and Samaritans; shall neither worship in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem As preferable to any other place: nay, when an end will be put to the worship at both places; and the true worship... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 4:1-42

23. Jesus in Samaria (John 4:1-42)When the Pharisees saw the crowds following Jesus they took an increasing interest in him. No doubt they were becoming jealous and soon might become violent. Jesus therefore decided to leave Judea for Galilee (John 4:1-3).As Jesus approached one of the villages of Samaria, he began a conversation with a Samaritan woman whom he met at a well (John 4:4-9). The woman had a similar problem to Nicodemus in that she interpreted Jesus’ words literally instead of... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 4:21

Woman. See on John 2:4 . believe Me. App-150 . See note on John 1:7 . This formula occurs only here and 14. 11. neither . . . nor . Greek. oute . . . oute. at. Greek. en. App-104 . the Father. See App-98 , and note on John 1:14 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 4:21

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, and now is, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall ye worship the Father.Jerusalem had been until that time the correct place to worship God, but Jesus deferred that part of the answer in order to reveal that a totally new system was about to be initiated, in which the PLACE of worship would have no significance at all. God may be worshipped properly ANYWHERE, provided only that the divine worship is tendered in spirit... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 4:21

John 4:21. Woman, believe me, &c.— To understand the force of our Lord's reply, it will be necessary to recur to the origin of this dispute between the two nations. We shall first premise that Christ waves the decision of the question put to him by the woman, and with good reason; for he was about to destroy all local worship, by introducing a religion suited to all climates, and to be observed in all nations of the world. To talk then of the preference of this or that mountain, or to... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 4:21

21-24. Woman, c.—Here are three weighty pieces of information: (1) The point raised will very soon cease to be of any moment, for a total change of dispensation is about to come over the Church. (2) The Samaritans are wrong, not only as to the place, but the whole grounds and nature of their worship, while in all these respects the truth lies with the Jews. (3) As God is a Spirit, so He both invites and demands a spiritual worship, and already all is in preparation for a spiritual economy, more... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 4:1-26

1. The interview with the Samaritan woman 4:1-26There are several connections between this section and the preceding ones that provide continuity. One is the continuation of water as a symbol (cf. John 2:6; John 3:5; John 4:10-15). Another is the continuation of conversation in which Jesus reveals Himself as the fulfillment of what the Old Testament anticipated."Nicodemus was an eminent representative of orthodox Judaism. Now John records an interview Jesus had with one who stood for a class... read more