Psalms 17:15

Isaiah 55

Isaiah 65:13

John 4:14

Verse 14. The water that I shall give him. Jesus here refers, without doubt, to his own teaching, his grace, his spirit, and to the benefits which come into the soul that embraces his gospel. It is a striking image, and especially in Eastern countries, where there are vast deserts, and often a great want of water. The soul by nature is like such a desert, or like a traveller wandering through such a desert. It is thirsting for happiness, and seeking it everywhere, and finds it not. It looks in all directions and tries all objects, but in vain. Nothing meets its desires. Though a sinner seeks for joy in wealth and pleasures, yet he is not satisfied. He still thirsts for more, and seeks still for happiness in some new enjoyment. To such a weary and unsatisfied sinner the grace of Christ is as cold waters to a thirsty soul.

Shall never thirst. He shall be satisfied with this, and will not have a sense of want, a distressing feeling that it is not adapted to him. He who drinks this will not wish to seek for happiness in other objects. Satisfied with the grace of Christ, he will not desire the pleasures and amusements of this world. And this will be for ever--in this world and the world to come. Whosoever drinketh of this--all who partake of the gospel--shall be for ever satisfied with its pure and rich joys.

Shall be in him. The grace of Christ shall be in his heart; or the principles of religion shall abide with him.

A well of water. There shall be a constant supply, an unfailing fountain; or religion shall live constantly with him.

Springing up. This is a beautiful image. It shall bubble or spring up like a fountain. It is not like a stagnant pool--not like a deep well, but like an ever-living fountain, that flows at all seasons of the year, in heat and cold, and in all external circumstances of weather, whether foul or fair, wet or dry. So religion always lives; and, amid all changes of external circumstances--in heat and cold, hunger and thirst, prosperity and adversity, life, persecution, contempt, or death--it still lives on, and refreshes and cheers the soul.

Into everlasting life. It is not temporary, like the supply of our natural wants; it is not changing in its nature; it is not like a natural fountain or spring of water, to play a while and then die away, as all natural springs will at the end of the world. It is eternal in its nature and supply, and will continue to live on for ever. We may learn here--

1st. That the Christian has a never-failing source of consolation adapted to all times and circumstances.

2nd. That religion has its seat in the heart, and that it should constantly live there.

3rd. That it sheds its blessings on a world of sin, and is manifest by a continual life of piety, like a constant flowing spring.

4th. That its end is everlasting life. It will continue for ever; and whosoever drinks of this shall never thirst, but his piety shall be in his heart a pure fountain springing up to eternal joy.

(g) "whosoever drinketh" Jn 6:35,58 (h) "I shall give him" Jn 17:2,3, Rom 6:23 (i) "in him a well" Jn 7:38

John 6:35

Verse 35. I am the bread of life. I am the support of spiritual life; or my doctrines will give life and peace to the soul.

Shall never hunger. Jn 4:14.

(s) "he that cometh to me" Rev 7:16 (t) "he that believeth on me" Jn 4:14, 7:38

John 7:37-38

Verse 37. In the last day. The eighth day of the festival.

That great day. The day of the holy convocation or solemn assembly, Lev 23:36. This seems to have been called the great day,

1st. Because of the solemn assembly, and because it was the closing scene.

2nd. Because, according to their traditions, on the previous days they offered sacrifices for the heathen nations as well as for themselves, but on this day for the Jews only (Lightfoot).

3rd. Because on this day they abstained from all servile labour (Lev 23:39), and regarded it as a holy day.

4th. On this day they finished the reading of the law, which they commenced at the beginning of the feast.

5th. Because on this day probably occurred the ceremony of drawing water from the pool of Siloam. On the last day of the feast it was customary to perform a solemn ceremony in this manner: The priest filled a golden vial with water from the fount of Siloam (Jn 9:7), which was borne with great solemnity, attended with the clangour of trumpets, through the gate of the temple, and being mixed with wine, was poured on the sacrifice on the altar. What was the origin of this custom is unknown. Some suppose, and not improbably, that it arose from an improper understanding of the passage in Isa 12:3: "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." It is certain that no such ceremony is commanded by Moses. It is supposed to be probable that Jesus stood and cried while they were performing this ceremony, that he might,

1st. illustrate the nature of his doctrine by this; and

2nd. call off their attention from a rite that was uncommanded, and that could not confer eternal life.

Jesus stood. In the temple, in the midst of thousands of the people.

If any man thirst. Spiritually. If any man feels his need of salvation. See Jn 4:13,14, Mt 5:6, Rev 22:17. The invitation is full and free to all.

Let him come unto me, &c. Instead of depending on this ceremony of drawing water let him come to me, the Messiah, and he shall find an ever-abundant supply for all the wants of his soul.

(f) "last day" Lev 23:36 (g) "If any man thirst" Isa 55:1, Rev 22:17 Verse 38. He that believeth on me. He that acknowledges me as the Messiah, and trusts in me for salvation.

As the scripture hath said. This is a difficult expression, from the fact that no such expression as follows is to be found literally in the Old Testament. Some have proposed to connect it with what precedes--"He that believeth on me, as the Old Testament has commanded or required"-- but to this there are many objections. The natural and obvious meaning here is, doubtless, the true one; and Jesus probably intended to say, not that there was any particular place in the Old Testament that affirmed this in so many words, but that this was the substance of what the Scriptures taught, or this was the spirit of their declarations. Hence the Syriac translates it in the plural--the Scriptures. Probably there is a reference more particularly to Isa 58:11, than to any other single passage: "Thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters fail not." See also Isa 44:3,4, Joel 3:18.

Out of his belly. Out of his midst, or out of his heart. The word belly is often put for the midst of a thing, the centre, and the heart, Mt 12:40. It means here that from the man shall flow; that is, his piety shall be of such a nature that it will extend its blessings to others. It shall be like a running fountain-- perhaps in allusion to statues or ornamented reservoirs in gardens, in which pipes were placed from which water was continually flowing. The Jews used the same figure: "His two reins are like fountains of water, from which the law flows." And again: "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall flow to all the nations and tribes of men" (Kuinoel).

Rivers. This word is used to express abundance, or a full supply. It means here that those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and liberal, and constant blessings on their fellow-men; or, as Jesus immediately explains it, that they shall be the instruments by which the Holy Spirit shall be poured down on the world.

Living water. Fountains, ever-flowing streams. That is, the gospel shall be constant and life-giving in its blessings. We learn here,

1st. That it is the nature of Christian piety to be diffusive.

2nd. That no man can believe on Jesus who does not desire that others should also, and who will not seek it.

3rd. That the desire is large and liberal--that the Christian desires the salvation of all the world.

4th. That the faith of the believer is to be connected with the influence of the Holy Spirit, and in that way Christians are to be like rivers of living water.

(h) "out if his belly" Prov 18:4, Isa 58:11, Jn 4:14
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