In the fourth chapter of John, Jesus turned a simple request for a drink of water (v. 7) into a profound discussion of true worship (vs. 21-24). The Samaritan woman believed only the Pentateuch (first five books of the O.T.), was worshipping in the wrong place and living an immoral life, but Jesus’ treatment of her resulted in “many of the Samaritans of that city (believing) in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ’He told me all that I ever did’” (v. 39).

The contrast Jesus presented is not between sincere and insincere worship, nor truth versus error, but between Old Covenant and New Covenant worship. Israel was to worship in truth from the heart (Ex. 25:2). Jesus said that the Jews were right and the Samaritans wrong about the place of worship (v. 22), but under the New Covenant, which was about to be established, the location would not be significant.  We may compare it to the statement: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17). This does not mean that there was no grace and truth under the law, but that the genuine came through Christ. It is a contrast between shadow and substance (Col. 2:17). 

     The word Jesus used for truth (alethinos)) means the real, genuine or ideal. The Jews worshipped in spirit and truth, but in Christ we have the privilege of genuine worship which was only revealed in shadow in the Old Covenant.

To teach that we should go to Jerusalem to worship, offer incense, use musical instruments or perform other forms of Old Covenant worship is to turn from the real to the shadow, from grace and truth which came through Christ to the shadows delivered through Moses. True worship involves the expression of the heart toward God as Christ authorized.