This essay will explore the explicit aspect of transitioning the community of Samaritans from worship practices on Mt Gerizim to worship in “spirit and in truth” πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ. Jesus expressed a divine need to go through Samaria as recorded in John 4. The Greek verb, ἔδει, is used as a literary device to direct attention to the pressing need of Jesus. Fulfilling the divine need, Jesus encountered a woman of Samaria and in a lengthy transformative narrative, he transitions her worship practices, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father… But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:21, 23). Further, Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah, indicating his agency in the process of transition, “The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming … Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ λαλῶν σοι” (John 4:25-26). The fruit of the transition, “we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
In addition, the essay will briefly explore the historical context of Samaritan worship at Mount Gerizim up to the first century; the social and cultural aspects of the Samaritan and Jewish community relations which are paramount in the dialog; theological implications of transitioning worship in temples and mountains to “spirit and truth” regarding first century practices amongst both Samaritans and Jews; and finally, a discussion on contemporary modern application of worship in “spirit and truth.”