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The secret of true worship is revealed in the words of Christ. It will
be neither in Samaria, with its mixed motives, nor in Jerusalem, with its
Divinely appointed ritual. The true worshipper worships the Father. He
worships 'in spirit, and in truth', and the Father seeketh such to worship
Him. It is entirely foreign to the thought of reverencing a Father that the
sons be cumbered with ceremonials and ordinances. Tabernacles, temples,
sacrifices, priests, vestments, holy days, and the like all indicate that the
worshippers are at a distance. Those that have access to the Father can need
none of these things.
We are grateful to have seen at least this amount of light upon the
nature of true worship, even though much may still be hidden from our eyes.
It is extraordinary at first sight to think that the Saviour
condescended to discuss the matter of worship with a poor sinful Samaritan
woman, but said nothing about it to the master of Israel, Nicodemus, who
apparently would have been so much better qualified to discuss the subject.
When, however, we remember that the flesh profiteth nothing, that Nicodemus
was no more able to appreciate the nature of true worship than the Samaritan
woman, we recognize the workings of grace and with bowed hearts prepare to
read once more concerning true worship in a truer frame of mind.
The revelation of the Samaritan woman's private life caused her to
pause and to say, 'Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet', but whether the
sudden introduction of the highly controversial subject of worship was made
by her in an attempt to prevent any further reference to her private life,
or, whether being convinced both of her own sinfulness and the fact that she
stood in the presence of One Who could enlighten her on such a subject, we
may never know; possibly the woman's motives, like so many of our own, were
mixed.
Whatever be the truth of the matter, the Saviour most graciously
allowed the new subject full scope, and the subsequent record made by John
has provided us with, perhaps, the most comprehensive statement as to the
nature of true worship that the New Testament contains. The thought
uppermost in this woman's mind was the correct 'place' where worship should
be offered,
'Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem
is the place where men ought to worship' (John 4:20).
Before discussing the relative merits of Samaria and Jerusalem as the
place where worship should be offered, the Saviour set both aside by saying:
'Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is
of the Jews' (John 4:22).
In this utterance the Lord brings to light two essential elements in
all true worship. First 'knowledge' which stands in severe contrast with
blind tradition, superstition and unreasonable practices. Now knowledge in
such matters as worship must come as a revelation, and while the Samaritans
possessed the five books of Moses, they were denied the light and leading of
the rest of the Old Testament. Here therefore emerges another essential
principle. True worship must be based upon revealed truth. This we can see
is expressed negatively in Matthew 15, 'In vain they do worship Me, teaching
for doctrines the commandments of men' (Matt. 15:9).