This week I had the pleasure of slowly working through some of the themes located in John 4 that are often overlooked by the modern reader. After starting the class off with the 6th hour (only in 4:6 and 19:14) and Jesus' declaration of thirst (4:13-15 and 19:28), we got to the discussion of worship in 4:21-24. The focus on the spirit brought back to mind the preparatory staging of chapter 3, especially 3:31-36, to prepare the reader for the dialogue of chapter 4.
If one is to worship God in spirit and truth, then understanding the source of spirit is critical. That brings me back to John 3.5-6 as a launching point. "I tell you the truth, unless one is born of the water and the spirit it is not possible to enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the spirit is spirit." Transposing this on John 4.24, one could say, "God is spirit and only those who are born of the spirit can worship him." In between these two passages rests John 3.31-36, where it could be said, "the one who comes from heaven speaks of the things of heaven, which are the words of God, because God does not limit the outpouring of his spirit."
Thus the answer to the question, "who can worship in spirit?" is answered before the question is asked. "The ones on whom God has poured out his spirit because they receive the words of the one God sent." This worship is synonymous with eternal life, the reason the Son came (3.16).
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