The Big Question and Loaded Answers - John 7:25-53

Read John 7:25-53

When looking at this passage we have to consider the point of reference for the people involved in this part of Jesus life. There are a couple things that are directly involved in Jesus’ answers to people in this section.

1) This whole thing is taking place at the feast of Tabernacles. (Celebration of the period of forty years the Children of Israel were wandering in the desert. Devout Jews live in tents for a week to remember.)
2) Jesus uses points of Old Testament scripture and these faithful Jewish pilgrims will probably be familiar with them.

Having said this, let’s look at some of Jesus’ words. Vs. 37-39. The greatest day of the feast Jesus comes out and talks about thirsty people coming to him for living water that when they drink of it will flow out of them. Jesus is talking on levels: 1) Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 58 on true fasting and the person who believes in God will have a continuous flow of living water that comes from them. For the people to whom Jesus was talking, they would have understood it as the presence and favor of God because the Holy Spirit had not yet come. 2) We also know now that the Holy Spirit is the living water as well, but there are two parts in this. The Holy Spirit helps us to continue living and producing living water, but that doesn’t mean that the original meaning for these people was negated. We need to have the same attitude toward God, and the Holy Spirit living in us helps us. 3) They would have seen the reference to walking around in the desert and being thirsty. God provided the children of Israel water from a rock in the desert. This water was not just a pond it was “living”, moving water. Would people at this feast, which commemorates this point in Israel’s history see the living water of Jesus and once again not recognize God?

All that and more were packed into those words from Jesus. Since I don’t have the space to write more I’d encourage you to look at the other words of Jesus in this passage with those first points in mind. Here are some questions to help:
- Who was looking for Jesus?
- Why were they looking for him?
- What are passages in scripture were God says people will look for him and not see him?
- Why did Jesus elude the people looking to arrest him? Clue: vs. 45-46
- Do people really know where Jesus comes from?
- Where do they say he is from?
- How does Jesus being God change the way we view this?
- How did the children of Israel not recognize God during their time wandering in the wilderness? What are the parallels?

How does God speak to us through our culture and history? Are we recognizing Christ in our own lives, or are our hearts hardened so that even when we see Christ we don’t recognize him as our savior?

Dear God,
Open our hearts to your words. Open our hearts that we can see you and recognize you when we see you. Give us willing hearts to respond to you so that in all things you may be glorified. Amen.