The Woman’s View

First we must consider the history of the Samaritans. They were despised people by the Jews because they intermarried and separated themselves from the nations of Israel many years previously. Unless there was an emergency or no other way a Jew would walk around Samaria to avoid the people. (Just consider Jesus’ use of a Samaritan in the parable of the Good Samaritan.) Jesus goes through the country, on purpose, to minister to the people and reveal a bit of God’s plan for salvation.

So, if you read the entire story of the Samaritan Woman you find she is first amazed at Jesus presence and conversation. Unfortunately for her Jesus knows about her loose life style and living, outside of marriage, with a man even as she is at the well. To avoid the issue of her sinful lifestyle she changes the conversation to worship and the differences between Jews and Samaritans.
Thus we enter into the first problem with the Samaritan’s view. We notice first her concern is on the place of worship as differentiated between the Jewish teaching and the Samaritan teaching. Both trace their concepts of the location of worship through their ancestors. However, there is one great concept missing in her question. She is concerned about the where of worship and not about the who of worship.

This is the key point to observe in this lesson. Who do we worship? This will define, to some degree, the purpose and methods in our worship.

Jesus Response

Jesus does not blast out with condemnation on the woman’s question. As a matter of fact he actually answers he question and then goes on to explain the more relevant part of worship, the who to be worshiped.

In verse 21 we find the location of worship is not important! The time is coming when it won’t matter where you worship, in Jerusalem, on the mountain, in the church, on the street, in a house, in a theater, the location will become a non-question. However, the who will always be important as Jesus points her worship to the Father.

It is the Father we worship always. It is not the location, not the good performance of the worship team, not the preachers charismatic abilities, not the service leaders flow of the service, not the pianist, not the ushers, not even the people who are present, none of this matters in worship except that we worship the Father! These others may be worthy of praise for their practice and gifts, but they are not the point of worship. The point of worship is always the Father.

We must be careful who we are worshipping. The apostle John was privileged to receive the vision of Revelation and the culmination of God’s redemptive plan for man and the earth. He walked with Jesus first hand and entered into God’s heaven first hand. Still he made an error in worshipping the angel presenting the vision. Consider Revelation 22:8-9: (also Revelation 19:9-10)

8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. 9 Then he said to me, "See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." NKJV

Angels have become popular objects of worship in recent years. Television shows tout their presence and abilities to make life wonderful and marvelous. However, they are God’s servants, working today, but they are not God. Please not the last two words of these verses. Who are we to worship? Worship God!

For all those who want to get back to nature and the earth and be one with the world around us. Take heed, in Deuteronomy 4:19 God gives clear warning:

19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. NKJV

Nature is nice. We should respect the world God has given us. However, it is not a thing to be worshiped. Only God is to be worshiped. Austria is a very Catholic nation. Any perusal of the local church will find niches filled with Icons and other instruments of worship condoned by the church. Some may feel these are encouraging to worship but the scriptures have a different point of view. In Isaiah we have a great example in verse 46:6-7

6 They lavish gold out of the bag,
And weigh silver on the scales;
They hire a goldsmith, and he makes it a god;
They prostrate themselves, yes, they worship.
7 They bear it on the shoulder, they carry it
And set it in its place, and it stands;
From its place it shall not move.
Though one cries out to it, yet it cannot answer
Nor save him out of his trouble. NKJV

When we use the things of the world to focus our thoughts we are no longer focusing our thoughts on God but the things of the world. Personally, the only article which I find not distracting to my worshiping of God and concentrating on his holiness is a cross. Even these can be overdone and so grand and impressive as to draw our attention away from the one who died on the cross to save us to the craftsmanship of the man who created this image. The world is full of Christian images in shops all around and filling the trinket shelves of Christian Bookstores. We must be careful not to substitute a proper focus on God and his “worth-ship” for the comfort of clutching a religious souvenir in our hands.