John 4:20

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPED IN THIS MOUNTAIN - that is, mount Gerizim (; ; ; ). In the Samaritan Pentateuch, instead of "Ebal" () - on which Moses commanded the altar to be erected, with the Ten Commandments written upon the stones of it (see Deuteronomy 27:1) - the word "Gerizim" stands; and the Samaritans are tenacious of this reading as their warrant for holding Gerizim...

20._Our fathers. _It is a mistaken opinion which some hold, that the woman, finding the reproof to be disagreeable and hateful, cunningly changes the subject. On the contrary, she passes from what is particular to what is general, and, having been informed of her sin, wishes to be generally instructed concerning the pure _worship _of God. She takes a proper and regular course, when she consults _a Prophet, _that she may not fall into a mistake in the _worship _of God. It is as if she inquired at God himself in what manner he chooses to be _worshipped_; for nothing is more wicked than to contrive various modes of _worship _without the authority of the word of God. It is well known that there was a constant dispute between the Jews and the Samaritans about the true rule of worshipping God. Although the Cutheans and other foreigners, who had been brought into Samaria, when the ten tribes we...

4-26 There was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ's road from Judea to Galilee lay through Samaria. We should not go into places of temptation but when we needs must; and then must not dwell in them, but hasten through them. We have here our Lord Jesus under the common fatigue of travellers. Thus we see that he was truly a man. Toil came in with sin; therefore Christ, having made himself a curse for us, submitted to it. Also, he was a poor man, and went all his journeys on foot. Being wearied, he sat thus on the well; he had no couch to rest upon. He sat thus, as people wearied with travelling sit. Surely, we ought readily to submit to be like the Son of God in such things as these. Christ asked a woman for water. She was surprised because he did not show the anger of his own nation against the Samaritans. Moderate men of all sides are men wondered at. Christ took...

Verse John 4:20. _WORSHIPPED IN THIS MOUNTAIN_] Probably pointing to Mount _Gerizim_, at the foot of which Sychar was situated. The patriarchs had worshipped here - Jacob builded an altar on this mountain, and worshiped the true God: see Genesis 22:2; Genesis 33:20. Thus she could say, _Our fathers worshipped in this mountain_. On this mountain Sanballat had built them a temple, about 332 years before our Lord's incarnation. See Joseph. Antiq. xi. c. viii. s. 4, and 2 Macc. John 6:2. Many heathens considered particular places as having a peculiar _sanctity_ or _fitness_, for the worship of their deities, beyond ot

OUR FATHERS - The Samaritans; perhaps also meaning to intimate that the patriarchs had done it also. See Genesis 12:6; Genesis 33:20. WORSHIPPED - Had a place of worship. IN THIS MOUNTAIN - Mount Gerizim, only a little way from Sychar. On this mountain they had built a temple somewhat similar to the one in Jerusalem. This was one of the main subjects of controversy between them and the Jews. The old Samaritan Pentateuch, or five books of Moses, has the word “Gerizim” instead of “Ebal” in Deuteronomy 27:4. On this account, as well as because the patriarchs are mentioned as having worshipped in Shechem,

EXPOSITION JOHN 4:1 7. _The ministry and revelation of the Lord to those beyond the strict compass of the theocracy. _This passage describes an incident of consummate interest, and records a specimen of our Lord's intercourse with individuals, and the reaction of that instruction upon the disciples. The event is a solitary chink through which the light of historical fact falls upon an otherwise darkened and unknown period of the Saviour's life. When we skirt a forest we see at intervals, where by some accident of growth the light falls upon a narrow space, a miniature world of life and loveliness of every kind, suggesting what might happen if every square yard of the forest could receive a similar illumination. Every day of that wondrous life of Christ may have been equally full of meaning to some souls. "These things are written, that

OUR FATHERS WORSHIPPED IN THIS MOUNTAIN,.... Mount Gerizim, which was just by, and within sight; so that the woman could point to it; it was so near to Shechem, or Sychar, that Jotham's voice was heard from the top of it thither, Judges 9:6. By the "fathers", this woman claims as theirs, are meant, not the immediate ancestors of the Samaritans, or those only of some few generations past; but the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose descendants they would be thought to be; and they improved every instance of their worshipping in these parts, in favour of this mountain, being a sacred place. And Abraham did indeed build an altar to the Lord, in the plain of Moreh, Genesis 12:6 and which the Jews themselves z own, is the same with Sichem; but their tradition which Theophylact reports, that Isaac was offered upon

I have often read this chapter in your hearing, and you have often read it yourselves; but the Word of God is not like the grapes of an earthly vine, which when once trodden are exhausted. You may come to Holy Scripture again and again; it is like an ever-flowing fountain, the more you draw from it, the more you may draw. John 4:1. _When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples), he left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee._ Observe here that our Lord at first shunned conflict with the Pharisees. When he knew that they were jealous of him, he went away from Judaea to a more remote district, «into Galilee.» May he help us always to take that which may be the wiser course in every emergency! He was not guilty of cowardice; that, he could not be, for he was

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. He Must Needs Pass Through Samaria. (John 4:1 .)_ 2. At Sychar's Well; Jesus and the Samaritan Woman. (John 4:6 .) 3. The Woman's Witness and the Believing Samaritans. (John 4:27 .) 4. His Return to Galilee. (John 4:43 .) 5. The Second Miracle, the Healing of the Nobleman's Son. (John 4:46 .) In the Gospel of Matthew the Lord told His disciples not to go into the way of the Gentiles and not to enter into any city of the Samaritans. (Matthew 10:5

IV. 1- 42. CHRIST IN SAMARIA. John 4:1. Christ and the Samaritan Woman. The Lord (for the title _cf. John 6:23_, John 11:2; John 20:20; John 21:7, with certain parts of Lk., _e.g._ Luke 18:6 *), having learned that the Pharisees are aware of the success of His baptism, administered by His disciples, retires to Galilee, to avoid opposition which might lead to a premature crisis. This obliged Him to pass through Samaria, unless He chose the longer route through Peræ a, often adopted by strict J