The claim of the Samaritans, that Mt. Gerizim was the true centre of the worship of Jehovah, rested upon a statement in their version of the Pentateuch (Dt 21*'- where 'Gerizim' is substi- tuted for ' Ebal ' of MT) definitely prescribing that an altar should be built there. They also sup- ported the claim of their shrine by traditions in which it was represented as the mountain on which Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac (cf. G. A. Smith, HGHL 334, note), the place where Abraham was met by Melchizedek, and also the scene of Jacob's dream.
Apart from such traditions, the position of Mt. Gerizim and its vis-t't-vis Mt. Ebal, at the head of the pass leading right through from the river Jordan to the sea, and also at the point where the great north road from Jerusalem to Galilee inter- sects this pass, has given them a commanding place in the topography of the Holy Land, and has led to their association with important events in the history of Israel. Shechem, which lay between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, is associated with the entrance of both Abraham and Jacob into the promised land (Gn 12^ 33'*). It was near Shechem that Jacob purchased the parcel of land from the children of Haraor, on which he erected an altar, and sank a well for his family and flocks. It was in this parcel of land that Joseph was buried (Jos 24^2) sit. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, again, were the scenes of the great inaugural service of all Israel on taking possession of the promised land (Dt 11^- ^° •27"- '% Jos g^^-*"). And it was at Shechem that Joshua gathered together the people for the re- newal of the covenant, ' and took a great stone and set it up there under an oak that was by the sanctuary of the Lord ' (Jos 24'- '■*). It was on Mt. Gerizim that Abimelech, Gideon's son, spoke his parable of the trees (Jg S^i 9^- ''■"'). It was at Shechem also that all Israel gathered to make Rehoboam king (1 K 12'), and this was the original capital of the Northern Kingdom.
In order to understand the significance of the question which the woman put to Jesus at the well ( Jn 4-°), it is necessary to remember that she must have been well instructed in the notable history of Mt. Gerizim, and would accept all the traditions of her people without question. At the same time her own religious faith was probably bankrupt. She had not found God on Mt. Gerizim. There is a vein of scepticism in her words, as of one who, having lost personal faith, points with scorn to the differences of those who worship the same God. Yet even in her scepticism there is a
pparent tliat this a living message for her. On tion involved Jesus pronounces quite definitely in V.--, but not before He has lifted the whole subject
GESTURES
GESTURES
645
out of this barren controversy and set it in relation to the fundamental principles of His teaching. There is embedded in the very beginning of the Samaritan worship of Jehovah the idea that Jehovah is the 'God of the land' (2 K 17-"), and throughout the whole controversy between Jeru- salem and Mt. Gerizim there is to be found the assumption that His worship must have a local centre. To this Jesus makes answer, ' God is Spirit. ' It follows at once from this fundamental idea of the true nature of God that the essential quality in worship which is acceptable to Him is not the place where it is oft'ered, but the disposition of the worshipper. Wendt points out that our Lord's teaching in this passage as to the true nature of worship is a corollary of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, that the heart (the whole inward nature) is the true seat of the righteousness of the people of God. So that for the ethical expansion ot Jn 4^^- '^ we naturally turn to Mt 5-7, even as in Jn 4-'' we find the great doctrinal foundation alike of right conduct and right worship.
Literature.— Stanley, SP v. ; G. A. Smith, HGHL 120, 332 ; Schurer, HJP n. i. 6 ; Muirhead, Times of Christ, 108 ; Dods, * St. John ' in Expos. Bible, ix. and x. ; Wendt, Teaching of Jesjis, i. 320 ; artt. ' Gerizim ' and ' Shcchem ' in Hastings' DB ;
' ■ Andrew N. Bogle.
GESTURES.— Dr. Johnson defines 'gesture' as
(1) 'action or posture expressive of sentiment';
(2) 'movement of the bocly.' Adopting these de- finitions, we may consider the significance of the gestures recorded or implied in the Gospels.
1. Christ heals of blesses with an outward gesture.— In most of these cases the gesture is probably intended to confirm faith ; a visible sign accompanies the action. Thus (ft) we read of our Lord taking the sick person by the hand, as in the case of Simon's wife's mother (Mk P' and || Mt.), Jairus' daughter (Mk 5" and || Mt. Lk.), and the child with the dumb spirit (Mk 9^7). Similarly St. Peter takes by the hand tlie man at the gate of the temple and Tabitha (Ac 3' g"). Dr. Swete (on Mk 9^) suggests that this gesture Avas used when great exhaustion had preceded, (b) Jesus lifted up His hands to bless (Lk 24'"). (c) Jesus stretched forth His hand to heal, and touched or laid hands on the sick, as in the case of the leper in Mk !«' (and || Mt. Lk.). In Ac i^" the Apostles speak of God the Father .stretching forth His hand to heal. Other instances of Jesus' touching the patients, doubtless, as a rule, to confirm their faith, are : the blind men in Mt ff^ 20^ (the parallels to the latter in Mk.-Lk. mention no touching), the bier on which the widow's son at Nain lay (Lk 7"), the woman with the spirit of infirmity (Lk 13"), perhaps the dropsical man (Lk 14'', see" Plummer, til loc), Malchus (Lk 22»i, the only account of this healing). Further, St. Luke speaks of a large number of sick folk brought to our Lord at sunset, when He ' laid his hands on every one of them and healed them' (Lk 4", not || Mt. Mk.). The healings by anointing would also involve a touch, as by the Twelve (Mk 6"), or in the case of the blind man anointed \vith clay (Jn 9") ; cf. Ja 5" for tlie custom in the Apostolic Church. Similarly we read of the sick touching Jesus, — the woman with tlie issue of blood (Mk 5=" and 1! Mt. Lk.), the si(!k at Geiniesaret and the neighbourhood (Mk 6°* and II Mt.); and St. Luke (6") says that 'all the multitude sought to touch Him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. ' 'This ' touch ' of the Lord is recalled by the cures that are recorded to have been worked by handkerchiefs or aprons carried away from the body of St. Paul (Ac 19"), and by the shadow of St. Peter (Ac 5'^, where it is implied that many tried to touch him). And inas-