John 4:22 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ye worship ye know not what:— The Samaritans worshipped the true God, and seem to have had as just notions of his perfections in general as the Jews; for they drew them from the five books of Moses, the authority of which they acknowledged. If so, the meaning of the clause in the original, can hardly be what our version has affixed to it, Ye worship ye know not what; but its proper translation seems to be, Ye worship the Deity whom ye do not know; viz. "by any revelation which he has made of himself to you," — the words το θειον, the Deity, being understood, "Whereas we Jews worship the Deity, whom we know; viz. by a revelation which he has made of himself to us;—for salvation is of the Jews:—What knowledge you have of salvation, as well as the author of salvation, cometh, by your own confession, from us;—you have your religion from us." If the reader thinks that this interpretation makes too great a supplement necessary, let him look to the following passages, particularly the words inserted in italics merely by the translators, as they stand in the common version: Mark 7:4; Mark 7:11.2 John 1:8. Joh 1:8; John 9:1; John 15:25 and particularly John 18:28 where the original words αλλ ινα φαγωσι το πασχα, must be rendered, But stood without, that they might eat the passover. These examples prove, that the elliptical stile is familiar to St. John; and the one last mentioned is no less peculiar than that which may be supposed in the passage under consideration. See also 2 Thessalonians 2:3 where the words, that day shall not come, are necessarilysupplied in our language by our translators. Some indeed give our Lord's words a more easy sense, thus: "Since God has declared that Jerusalem is the place of offering sacrifices acceptably, ye worship him without just conceptions of him, when you fancy he has chosen Gerizim." Yet it may be doubted whether the error of the Samaritans concerning the place of worship, would be reckoned by our Lord as a sufficient reason for saying of them, that they worshipped they knew not what. There are others who would paraphrase the whole passage thus: "As you take me for a prophet, believe me, that the occasion of this dispute about the place of worship, will soon be removed; sacrifices, now offered at both places, shall ere long cease for ever; a new dispensation will be opened, which will require the true disciples of it to worship in all places; every where offering up their hearts to God, and disposed to obey him in all things. When your ancestors came into this land, they knew not the manner of God's worship; and indeed knew not God himself: And even you, though better instructed, are yet, in both respects, defective in your knowledge. Knowledge is more abundant with us the people of the Jews; and from among the Jews cometh salvation, by reason of the Messiah's birth among them, who is to introduce this new dispensation, and to render a temple unnecessary, either on Gerizim, or at Jerusalem."