Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth
A study of John 4:20-26
"Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he.""
John 4:20-26 ESV
Definitions of the original language in the context of this passage:
-Fathers (v.20): "πατέρες"; "πατήρ", "patēr"; masculine noun - a more remote ancestor, the founder of a race or tribe, progenitor of a people, forefather; i. e. ancestor's, forefathers.
-Worshiped: "προσεκύνησαν"; "προσκυνέω", "proskyneō"; verb - of homage rendered to God and the ascended Christ, to heavenly beings, and to demons: absolutely (our: 'to worship').
-Woman: "gynē", "γυνή"; feminine noun - a woman of any age; as a form of address, may be used either in admiration (Matt. 15:28) or indignation (Luke 22:57), or in kindness or favor (John 4:21; Luke 13:12), or in respect (John 2:4).
-Believe: "πίστευέ"; "πιστεύω" "pisteuō"; verb - intransitive, to think to be true; to be persuaded of; to credit, place confidence in; to believe one's words.
-Father (v.21, 23): "πατρί"; "πατήρ", "patēr"; masculine noun - God is called the Father of all rational and intelligent beings, whether spiritual or men, because he is their creator, preserver, guardian and protector.
-Salvation: "σωτηρία", "sōtēria"; feminine noun - deliverance, preservation, safety; in the technical, Biblical sense, the Messianic salvation.
-Jews: "Ἰουδαίων"; "Ἰουδαῖος", "Ioudaios"; adjective - the Jews, the Jewish race.
-The Hour: "ὥρα", "ōra"; feminine noun - any definite time, point of time, moment.
-Is Coming: "ἔρχεται"; "ἔρχομαι", "erchomai"; verb - to come, to appear; in a future sense, will come.
-Now: "νῦν", "nyn"; adverb - at this time, the present, now.
-True: "ἀληθινοὶ"; "ἀληθινός", "alēthinos"; adjective - in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real and true, genuine; as opposed to what is imperfect, defective, frail, uncertain.
-Worshipers: "προσκυνηταὶ"; "προσκυνητής", "proskynētēs"; masculine noun - a worshiper.
-Spirit (v.23): "πνεύματι"; "πνεῦμα", "pneuma"; neuter noun - the spirit, i. e. the vital principle by which the body is animated; the rational part of man, the power of perceiving and grasping divine and eternal things, and upon which the Spirit of God exerts its influence; (πνεῦμα, says Luther, "is the highest and noblest part of man, which qualifies him to lay hold of incomprehensible, invisible, eternal things; in short, it is the house where Faith and God's word are at home".)
-Truth: "ἀληθείᾳ"; "ἀλήθεια", "alētheia"; feminine noun - what is true in any matter under consideration; in truth, truly.
-Such People: "τοιούτους"; "τοιοῦτος", "toioutos"; adjective - such as this, of this kind or sort.
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