ACC ~ John 4 v21

CHRIST CALLS FOR FAITH

CHRYSOSTOM: Everywhere, beloved, we have need of faith. Faith is the mother of all good, the medicine of salvation in order to obtain any real good. Without it, it is impossible to possess any of the great doctrines. Those who try anything without it are like those who venture on the sea without a boat and are drowned because they can barely swim…. Similarly, those who try to figure things out before they have learned anything are prone to suffer shipwreck…. To insure that this does not happen to us, let us hold fast to the sacred anchor [1] by which Christ brings over the Samaritan woman now. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 33.1, 2. [2]

[1] Faith; cf. 1 Tim 1:19.

[2] NPNF 1 14:115**.

CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IS NOT BOUND TO A PARTICULAR PLACE

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Jesus equally condemns the foolishness of all, saying that the worship of both Jews and Samaritans shall be transformed to a truer worship. Jesus in effect says that people will no longer seek after a particular place where God properly dwells. Rather, Jesus is both able to fill and able to contain all things. And so, they shall worship the Lord “every one from his place,” [1] as one of the holy prophets says. Jesus implies that his own sojourn in the world with a body is the time and season for a change of such customs. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.4. [2]

[1] Zeph 2:11.

[2] LF 43: 211**.

THE CHURCH BUILT OUT OF LIVING STONES

ORIGEN: The Jews stand for those who think intelligently and salvation is from them. The Samaritans represent the heterodox. So they deify Gerizim, which means “separation” or “division.” … The Jews, on the other hand, revere Zion, which signifies “watchtower.”… Inasmuch, then, as the hour mentioned by the Lord has not yet come when they worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem, one must flee the mountain of the Samaritans and worship God on Zion, where Jerusalem lies. Christ calls this Jerusalem the city of the great king. [1] And what else would the city of the great king, the true Jerusalem, be than the church that is built of living stones? This is the place of the holy priesthood, the place where spiritual sacrifices are offered to God by people who are spiritual and who have understood the spiritual law. [2] But when the fullness of time is imminent, [3] when one is no longer in the flesh but is in the Spirit and everyone is no longer still in the type but is in truth, then one must no longer bring true worship and perfect piety to Jerusalem to be offered. Such a person has been prepared so that he is like those whom God seeks to worship him. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 13.81, 83, 85. [4]

[1] See Mt 5:35.

[2] See 1 Pet 2:5; Rom 7:14.

[3] See Gal 4:4.

[4] FC 89:85-86**; SC 222:72-76.