Study notes on John 7:37-39

Study Notes for John 7:37-39

Introduction

This passage became a favorite of mine after reading Jack Miller’s book Outgrowing the Ingrown Church. The book tells his story of the Lord renewing his faith in Christ and the promises of God’s grace that were available to him by continual repentance and faith. I really needed to experience the same renewal in my own life and ministry.(and still do!) So, I started committing the passage to memory. Since then I have often referred to this passage as I cast vision for our ministry to college students here in Atlanta and to unreached peoples throughout the world.

Here is a compilation of some of my study notes on the passage that you can read as you reflect on this wonderful and potent passage from the Gospel of John.

I.                   

I. The  Passage

³⁷ On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as^bthe Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” ³⁹ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. ^[1]

II.                A Commentary

Rivers of Water

7:37. The “last day” of the Feast of Tabernacles (7:2) probably refers to the eighth day. For at least the first seven days of the feast, priests marched in procession from the Pool of Siloam to the temple and poured out water at the base of the altar. Pilgrims to the feast watched this ritual, which Jews throughout the Roman world thus knew; it was even commemorated on souvenir jars they could take home with them.

7:38. The public reading of Scripture at this feast included the one passage in the Prophets that emphasized this feast, Zechariah 14, which was interpreted in conjunction with Ezekiel 47. Together these texts taught that rivers of living water would flow forth from the temple (in Jewish teaching, at the very center of the earth, from the foundation stone of the temple), bringing life to all the earth. The water-drawing ceremony (7:37) (originally meant to secure rain) pointed toward this hope.

Because the water of verse 38 flows to and not from the believer (v. 39), 7:37–38 may be punctuated to read: “If anyone thirsts, let this one come to me; and let whoever believes in me drink. As the Scripture says … ” (The original manuscripts had no punctuation.) Verse 38 may thus declare that Jesus fulfills the Scriptures read at the feast, as the foundation stone of a new temple, the source of the water of life (cf. 19:34; Rev 22:1).

7:39. Most of Judaism did not believe that the Spirit was prophetically active in their own time but expected the full outpouring of the Spirit in the messianic age or the world to come. Water usually symbolized Torah (law) or wisdom in Jewish texts, but John follows Old Testament precedent in using it for the Spirit (Is 44:3; Ezek 36:24–27; Joel 2:28).

^[2]

III.             A theological reflection

A very good piece on Biblical theology related to this passage can be found at http://www.ukapologetics.net/07/livingwater.htm

The concept of living water and the promise of the Holy Spirit is traced throughout scripture. It culminates in the picture of the final rest of God’s people around the throne of Christ.

Revelation 22:17 (NIV)

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.^[3]

IV.            Some thoughts of Application (These are my own reflections)

a.       The first question this passage encourages us to ask and respond to personally and corporately is, “are we thirsty?” Do we see our true need for the LORD and the renewing work of His Spirit? Do we truly desire to know and serve Christ the LORD? If not, why not? What alternative thirst quenchers are we using? And if not, we should seek the LORD for the grace of repentance so that we might be truly thirsty for God alone.

b.      “Believes in me” Now we know that faith in God is first and foremost faith in Jesus Christ, God the Son, through the strength of God the Spirit resulting in love and obedience to God the Father. So, do we believe in Him? Have we truly trusted Him to be who He claims to be? Are we continually trusting in Him to be our Savior and Lord? This is always a question of both sincerity and degrees. Is our faith authentic and how pervasive or full is our faith. We may need to pray, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!” We may need to ask God for more love and faith in Him for the sake of His glory in our lives.

c.       “from his innermost being will flow streams of living water” This is a promise to claim continually by faith by all Christians. This is, we know from Jesus’ following comment, the promise of the Holy Spirit which had not yet been fulfilled at the time of this pronouncement, but was not long afterwards at Pentecost. Now it is the normal gift to all believers. If we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He gives us the Holy Spirit to live in and through us and make our faith powerful.

This is vital to authentic and fruitful Christian living. We must live continually by faith in the life of God in our souls as we daily trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord. Later passages link filling with the Spirit to being filled with the Word of God. (Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3)So, we know this is not a completely abstract or mystical experience. It is filling your heart and mind with the truths of the scriptures and stepping out in faith to obey. When we do this God meets us with the power of His Spirit to actually obey and bear fruit for his glory.

This promise also equips us to live as Jesus did, as one sent from God the Father to bring salvation. We can only live missionally as our own quest for soul satisfaction and rest is being met in Jesus and His Spirit. Now, we can turn from trying to satisfy and secure our own lives and to trying to meet the needs of others. We become a blessing to others. Everyone who drinks this water becomes a well. We can no longer keep our faith to ourselves. We can no longer keep whatever blessings or talents we have for ourselves. We are now living on mission with and for the LORD!

V.                  A couple images

a.       Cane Creek Falls – a natural waterfall in North Georgia. I have visited here many times throughout my life. My brother, Bradley, works at Camp Glisson where this falls is located. 

Water Falls like this are likely one of the main images that comes to our minds when we think of streams of living water. The rush, the refreshment, the power and beauty of this image are a fitting picture of what Jesus is pointing us to in Him and in His Spirit. Obviously, He is so much more refreshing, powerful, and beautiful. 

b.      Tel Dan – this is the amazing headwaters of the Jordan river in Northern Israel. It is a remarkable place. You see the contrast between life near a spring of water and life in an arid desert.

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^b Or / If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me. / And let him drink, who believes in me. / As

^[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Jn 7:37-39). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

^[2]Keener, C. S., & InterVarsity Press. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary : New Testament (Jn 7:33-39). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

[3]  The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.