Monday, June 06, 2011

John 4:21-24. Salvation is from the Jew.

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Jesus responds to her without giving way on the historical issue; the Jews were indeed God's chosen instrument with which to reveal himself to the world. Yet a time is coming. The time is coming for all symbolism and ritual to be wiped away so that mankind can have no confusion or argument. True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit.

No longer will worshipers have to visit the Temple in Jerusalem, buy a couple of doves for sacrifice, exchange their money at the money-changers booths, observe certain days as sabbaths, rely on priests to approach God. To approach the Father the Spirit will be as close as breathing. Jesus is going to do this. He, and only he, is going to find a way through that curtain of separation. It is the way of sacrifice and it is God the Son who will make the access available. This is the way of truth.

Salvation is from the Jews; and one Jew in particular.

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