But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.
23. But the hour cometh. Now follows the latter clause, about repealing the worship, or ceremonies, “C’est a dire, des ceremonies.” prescribed by the Law. When he says that the hour cometh, or will come, he shows that the order laid down by Moses will not be perpetual.
We have here an account of the good Christ did in Samaria, when he passed through that country in his way to Galilee. The Samaritans, both in blood and religion, were mongrel Jews, the posterity of those colonies which the king of Assyria planted there after the captivity of the ten tribes, with whom the poor of the land that were left behind, and many other Jews afterwards, incorporated themselves.
Commenting on John 4:4-26
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers,.... The worshippers of the true God, and who worship in a right manner, whether Jews or Samaritans, or of whatsoever nation: shall worship the Father; the one true God, the Father of spirits, and of all flesh living: in spirit; in opposition to all carnal conceptions of him, as if he was a corporeal...