John 7:37-52

The Last Day of the Feast. The Feast of Tabernacles, the feast of the ingathering at the end of summer, lasted seven days in early times (Deuteronomy 16:13). An eighth day was added later (Leviticus 23:36). The custom of bringing water from Siloah each day and only pouring it out before the altar, is known certainly for later times, but probably existed in Christ's time. It was held to commemorate the gift of water in the wilderness (Exodus 17:6), and was accompanied by the recitation of Isaiah 12:3; John 7:37 f. is best interpreted by taking He that believeth on me with John 7:37, If any man thirst let him come to me, and drink he that believeth on me i.e. he that believeth on me let him drink (for the order, cf. John 1:12; 1 John 5:12). John 7:38 is then a promise that Christ will quench the spiritual thirst of His followers. The source of the quotation is unknown, but cf. Exodus 17:6, the water flowing from the rock; Ezekiel 47, the prophecy of the waters issuing from the Temple, symbolising the gift of the Spirit; and the tradition that Messiah or His forerunner Elijah was to restore not only the manna, but also the gift of water. [See further ET, xviii. 100, xxii. 10, xxiii. 180, 235.] The author's explanation that the promise referred to the Spirit is natural. The addition, There was not yet spirit, for Jesus was not yet glorified (p. 745), caused difficulty which led to various expansions of the text (cf. mg.). The appeal raised the expectations of the crowd to think of Him either as the prophet Jeremiah raised from the dead (cf. Matthew 16:14), or the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15, or else as the Christ. Against this was urged His Galilean origin. Messiah was to be of the house of David and Bethlehem His birthplace (Micah 5:2). The Jerusalemites expect Messiah to appear suddenly from heaven, the crowd looks for a Davidic king; the distinction suggests real knowledge. The story now reverts to the attempted arrest. The officers excuse their failure because of the power of His words on the people. The contempt of the rulers for the crowd may be illustrated from Pirke Aboth, i. 6, Hillel used to say - A rude man fears not sin, and no vulgar person (- am haarez) is pious-' (p. 624, Ezra 4:4 *). But other views are held by a minority in the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus pleads for a fair trial, but is received with scorn. Galilee does not produce prophets. The cases of Nahum and Jonah (2 Kings 14:25) are apparently forgotten. [Perhaps with the Sahidic Version we should read The prophet arises not out of Galilee. A. J. G.]