ship of the unknown is common to vulgar ignorance and to philosophic culture ; to the Samaritan woman, and to the Athe- nian philosophers. Compare John vii. 28; viii. 19, 27. The neuter expresses the unreal and impersonal character of the Samaritan worship. As the Samaritans received the Penta- teuch only, they were ignorant of the later and larger revela- tion of God, as contained especially in the prophetic writings, and of the Messianic hope, as developed among the Jews. They had preserved only the abstract notion of God.
We. Jesus here identifies Himself with the Jewish people. The essence of the true Jewish worship is represented by Him.
Know what we worship (apockvvoduev 6 oldapev). Lit., and as Rev., we worship that which we know. On know, see on ii. 24. The neuter that which, is used of the true as of the unreal object of worship, perhaps for the sake of correspond- ence with the preceding clause, or because the object of wor- ship is conceived abstractly and not personally. Compare xa HE
Salvation (7 cwrnpia). The word has the article: the salva- tion, promised and to be revealed in Christ.
Is of the Jews. Rev., rightly, from the Jews (éx). Not therefore belongs to, but proceeds from. See Gen. xii.; Isa. ii. 3; Mic. iv. 2. Even the Old Testament idea of salvation is bound up with Christ. See Rom. ix. 4,5. The salvation is from the Jews, even from that people which has rejected it. See oni. 19. On the characteristic 7s from, see on i. 46. The passage illustrates John’s habit of confirming the divine author- ity of the Old Testament revelation, and of showing its fulfil- ment in Christ.
23. And now is. This could not be added in ver. 21, be- cause local worship was not yet abolished; but it was true as regarded the true worship of the Father by His true worship- pers, for Jesus was already surrounded by a little band of such, and more were soon to be added (vv. 39-42). Bengel says