When Jesus was speaking to the samaritan woman at Jacob's well in John 4:22, he said Salvation is of the Jews. We know he came to save the whole world but what did he mean with that statement. Experienced christains please explain.

John 4:22
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Its because Israel was the chosen nation for the revelation of Gods glory.
If you study Daniel 9 prophecy, you'll realise that there was a calendar for restoration of glory to israel, Which gave detail account of the rebuilding of the temple, they day messiah will be born, when messiah would die, the rise of the antichrist .etc.

Daniel 9[b]:24-27 [/b]
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. [25] Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. [26] And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuar[/b]y; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. [27] [b]And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

In the Daniel 70 weeek ,each week stands for 7 years. In this prophecy, there was no metion of the gentiles. but the jews ,as regard salvation. When jesus came , he came to fulfil that, "the restoration of israel" first before consideration of the gentiles.
He forbade his disciples from preaching salvation to others,

Matthew 10:5-6
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: [6] But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

That was why Jesus didnt respond to the greekk woman.

Mark 7:26-27
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. [27] But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

But Israel lost out of their own lot by rejecting the very messiah that they have been waiting for.

John 1:11-12
He came unto his own, and his own received him not. [12] But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: