John 4:21

Jesus anticipates the question.  He tells her, “Listen, woman, trust me when I say the time will come when the worship of God will take place neither here or in Jerusalem.” John 4:21 EFP

Well, I guess the question is implicit in her previous statement, though she never really asks it.  “Which mountain is the right one?”  “Which tradition is God’s favorite?”  “Does God prefer Jerusalem or Samaria?”  “I know what your people say, sir, but what do you think God says?”  Jesus hears her questions loud and clear. 

Jesus answers with a preface that is equally intriguing.  What does he mean when he says worship will not take place neither in Samaria nor in Jerusalem?  Is this a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the Jews from Palestine?  Is this a prophecy of a time when worship will actually be absent from the land?  Or is it a descriptive assessment of what is to be in the days to come as a result of the present trajectory of religious bigotry and prejudice?  Will it not matter where you worship?  Is the manner of religious expression or the place of worship not important?  Enquiring minds want to know!

Come think of it, what is Jesus’ message to me?  Is this speaking to me as a spiritual leader of a congregation?  Is this bringing some sort of conviction to my personal veiled claim to religious superiority?  Is it saying religious differences are irrelevant?  I don’t think Jesus is going that far, since Scripture is unapologetic about its claim to be authoritative in areas of doctrine and religious practice.  So what is Jesus saying to the woman?  To me?  At this point I have to take him at his word when he says “worship” will not be defined by where it takes place—it is not worship simply because it happens in a place of worship or because someone somewhere has made a unilateral pronouncement.  Just saying something is worship does not mean such a declaration is honored by God.  Too much damage has been done to too many people by religious individuals who claim exclusive access to God, His will, and even his tastes.  You do not have to be religious to do evil, but when evil is done in the name of God, it becomes particularly heinous and disturbing to me.  I pray I will not fall into that temptation as I lead others.