This episode brings together many of the integral themes discussed so far, highlighting the impossibility of unbelievers doing good works. This conclusion is inescapable in light of Jewish failure to produce good works. Uncircumcised in heart and ears, the best that Old Testament believers produced was worship contaminated by self-idolatry and works that were essentially "filthy rags." (Isaiah 64:6) For this reason Christ emphasized the absolute necessity of being born again (John 3:5-8 ) in order to "worship God in Spirit and truth" (John 4:24)
