Jesus did contrast physical-centered worship with spiritual-centered worship in the chapter we're discussing, but he did not go on to state, "Therefore, Rome isn't important for the plan of salvation." He was specifically addressing a dispute between the Samaritans and Jews about where the proper center of physical worship was, and if you notice, he sided with the Jews in recognizing the importance of Mount Zion over Mount Gezirim ("we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews"), so he did not teach physical location was irrelevant under the old dispensation. Nor did he say it was irrelevant under the new dispensation. What he said was, "God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth." He did not say that this meant his worshippers should disregard the role physical location played in the plan of salvation. What he was getting at becomes more apparent later in John when he talks about sending the Holy Spirit and about "other sheep that are not of this sheep pen", i.e., the evangelization of the Gentiles and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles. Rome became the epicenter of the evangelization of the Gentiles, which is one of the themes of Acts and Revelation and is alluded to other books.
Thank you for your reply. It’s certainly true that Jesus taught in parables. However, when his disciples didn’t understand a parable, He carefully and fully explained the meaning to them—and by extension to us.
The present case isn’t like that. I.e.: after they left Samaria, the disciples didn’t ask what Jesus had meant during His two days of teaching there. In fact, nowhere are Jesus’ words elaborated on. This is because they aren’t tricky or deceptive. He was asked about the proper physical locus for worship, and He gave a crystal clear answer.
Namely, ‘Not here or there, but from now on in spirit and truth.’
Worship under the Mosaic Law centered in Jerusalem. Jesus nailed the Law to the cross, and gave us a New Covenant. Having fulfilled the legalism of the Mosaic Law, Jesus now gives us relationship centered worship: namely, God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’
Jesus was too clear and honest in His teaching to mislead us. The Samaritan woman’s question concerned a physical locus for worship. Jesus explained that with the coming of the Messiah, location would be superceded by the state of the heart. This is consistent with all His other teachings. The New Covenant is a shift away from legalism and a shift toward spirit and truth. Our job is to heed His words, not to change them—and certainly not to add to them.