John 7

This chapter starts off with a strange little story about an interaction between Jesus and His brothers. As I think I have written before, passages like this create a problem for those who wish to deny the authenticity of the account, because it passes what's called, "the embarassment test." That is, if something is reported by Christianity that is embarassing to Christianity, then it is very likely to be true (if you're going to make something up, usually, it is to make yourself look better--not worse). So when the Gospels contain these (embarassing) verses about Jesus' close relatives not believing who He claimed to be, this is strong evidence of their authenticity and difficult to argue against. It is also interesting to note that "something" drastically, radically, and quickly changed their minds (because James, among others, is a leader of the early early church in Jerusalem). I believe that this "something" was Jesus' resurrection. This radical change in attitude is extrememly difficult to explain by those who deny the resurrection. But anyway, now I'm off topic...back to the text...Jesus' teachings at the Festival of Sukkoth. For a neat little Sukkoth story and a taste of how people in that culture still relate with each other and with God, check out the movie Ushpizin.

Remember that Sukkoth was one of the three pilgrimage festivals where every male would go up to Jerusalem. In v. 21-24, Jesus makes an argument for the command of pekuah nefesh (quality of life) being higher than Sabbath, which some of the people certainly would have agreed with, but others not.

(7:37-38) On the last and greatest day of the Feast [Sukkoth--the day was known as Hoshanna Rabbah and the ceremony of the day included an elaborate water drawing ceremony], Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Whether Jesus said this during or before or after the water drawing ceremony, it would have been powerful timing. For more on this ceremony, see Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles by Brickner--excellent little book.

So what "Scripture" is Jesus referring to here? First of all, living water is a symbol for the goodness and provision of God, so I think in here and in John 4, Jesus is issuing a claim to the divine, but what about the streams of living water flowing from other people? Check out Isaiah 32:1-2. This passage talks about the time of the coming of the King of Righteousness, and it is very interesting to note that in this age (the Messianic Age), the Bible contends that people will experience the goodness and provision of God (shelter, shade, refuge, living water) through other people. See the importance of community? Wow! Anyway, look at verse 40 and following. The people understood what Jesus was talking about. Not all of them believed Him (there seemed to be some confusion as to His geographical origin), but they understood the claims He was making.