Understanding God, Myself, and the WorldChikamu

Worship at Mount Gerizim

During the times of the Old Testament and the life of Jesus, the Temple in Jerusalem symbolised the very presence of God on earth. This meant that, for the Jews, the Temple became the pinnacle of the worship of God. Because God dwelled in the Temple, the proper place and time for worship was at the Temple. This also meant that the Jews excluded all other people groups from worshiping God. For them, the Temple became a symbol of national pride. The danger, of course, is that if God could be limited to a time, a place, or a specific people group, then that time, place, or group would hold incredible political and cultural power. 

As Israel splintered into two nations, each king set up his own temple and proclaimed his temple as the true place of worship. Israel worshipped at Mount Gerizim (in Samaria) and Judah at Mount Zion (in Jerusalem). With the fall of Israel due to the invasion of the Assyrians, there was an injection of other ethnic groups into Israel. Israel never recovered after that, and only Judah remained to the south. Gradually the Samaritans developed as an ethnic group and came to see themselves as the true Israel. During the time of Jesus, there was severe friction in religious beliefs between the Jews and the Samaritans. Big questions were often asked: Which temple is the true temple in which to worship God? Who is worthy to worship God? Is it the Jews or the Samaritans? 

This background makes the passage of John 4 a gripping one, because it destroys our expectations of who God deems worthy of His time. Surely the Son of God, born a Jew, would not defile Himself with Samaritans? Every sane Jew did their best to avoid the Samaritans. Even more so, surely, He would avoid an adulterous Samaritan woman! But God makes light of our pretences and judgmental attitudes. Here is a moment that will echo into eternity. God meets an unworthy woman, and she ends up ascribing the ultimate worth to God. The whosoever can now worship God! 

More so, in this passage, Jesus changes the ritual of worship forever. For once and for all He stops worship that is limited to a space (whether in temples or churches) and a time (whether during sacred festivals or church services). Worship may happen in those places, but it is no longer defined by them. Rather, the focus point of our worship becomes a Person. And that Person is Jesus. He is the “Temple”. Our worship of God is centred around Him.  

Take 10 minutes to worship God (ascribe worth to Him).