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Selected Verse: John 4:24 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 4:24 |
King James |
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| God is A spirit - This is the second reason why men should worship him in spirit and in truth. By this is meant that God is without a body; that he is not material or composed of parts; that he is invisible, in every place, pure and holy. This is one of the first truths of religion, and one of the sublimest ever presented to the mind of man. Almost all nations have had some idea of God as gross or material, but the Bible declares that he is a pure spirit. As he is such a spirit, he dwells not in temples made with hands Act 7:48, neither is worshipped with men's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, Act 17:25. A pure, a holy, a spiritual worship, therefore, is such as he seeks - the offering of the soul rather than the formal offering of the body - the homage of the heart rather than that of the lips. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
God
(See Scofield) - (Joh 1:18). |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
God is a Spirit (πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός)
Or, as Rev., in margins, God is spirit. Spirit is the emphatic word; Spirit is God. The phrase describes the nature, not the personality of God. Compare the expressions, God is light; God is love (Jo1 1:5; Jo1 4:8). |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| God is a Spirit - Not only remote from the body, and all the properties of it, but likewise full of all spiritual perfections, power, wisdom, love, holiness. And our worship should be suitable to his nature. We should worship him with the truly spiritual worship of faith, love, and holiness, animating all our tempers, thoughts, words, and actions. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
God is a Spirit - This is one of the first, the greatest, the most sublime, and necessary truths in the compass of nature! There is a God, the cause of all things - the fountain of all perfection - without parts or dimensions, for he is Eternal - filling the heavens and the earth - pervading, governing, and upholding all things: for he is an infinite Spirit! This God can be pleased only with that which resembles himself: therefore he must hate sin and sinfulness; and can delight in those only who are made partakers of his own Divine nature. As all creatures were made by him, so all owe him obedience and reverence; but, to be acceptable to this infinite Spirit, the worship must be of a spiritual nature - must spring from the heart, through the influence of the Holy Ghost: and it must be in Truth, not only in sincerity, but performed according to that Divine revelation which he has given men of himself. A man worships God in spirit, when, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, he brings all his affections, appetites, and desires to the throne of God; and he worships him in truth, when every purpose and passion of his heart, and when every act of his religious worship, is guided and regulated by the word of God. "The enlightened part of mankind," says Abu'l Fazel, "knows that true righteousness is an upright heart; and believe that God can only be worshipped in holiness of Spirit." Ayeen Akbery, vol. iii. p. 254.
"Of all worshippers," says Creeshna, "I respect him as the most devout, who hath faith in me, and who serveth me with a soul possessed of my spirit." Geeta, p. 68. |
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.