John 7:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

NIV: On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.

NASB: Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

CSB: On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

NLT: On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, 'Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!

KJV: In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

NKJV: On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

Jesus is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths, also known as the Festival of Tabernacles. During this week-long celebration, Israel remembered the intervention of God during their wandering in the wilderness. This is described in the book of Exodus. As part of this holiday, priests would carry water from the Pool of Siloam to the altar, remembering God's provision of water for Israel (Exodus 17:1–7). The last day of the feast is the "great day," when the priests would recite Psalm 118:25 while making seven circuits around the altar. This backdrop is crucial for understanding why Jesus spoke these words at this time.

Jesus' words connect to His claim of being the ultimate cure for spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst (John 6:35). The incident of water from the rock, like the priests' ritual, is only meant to be a symbol. Those events are intended as foreshadowing of Jesus' eventual ministry. This comment from Christ is also echoed in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar (John 4:10–14).

John 7:37–52 shows how Jesus' public ministry challenges the traditional views of Judaism. This causes infighting among both the people and the Jewish leaders themselves. The people hear His words, see His miracles, and begin to wonder if Jesus really is the Promised One. Once again, the religious leaders attempt to arrest Jesus, but the officers are so impressed by His words that they leave Him alone. When Nicodemus, a Pharisee, makes a plea for due process, he is mocked and his suggestion is ignored. Moments such as this will eventually lead the Jewish leaders to extreme measures against Jesus.

Six months after the feeding of thousands, and the public debate which followed, Jesus plans to attend the Feast of Booths, also called the Festival of Tabernacles. Rather than going publicly, He chooses to arrive privately, and after His family. While teaching and preaching there, Jesus once again comes into conflict with local religious leaders. The crowds take note of His profound words, history of miracles, and the inability of the religious leaders to silence Him. This causes the people to openly question their spiritual leaders. This embarrassment is a milestone in the effort to permanently silence Jesus.

John chapter 7 is the beginning of the end of Jesus' public ministry. The feeding of thousands in chapter 6 was the pinnacle of His earthly popularity. That enthusiasm was dampened when Jesus explained the true meaning of His ministry. Here, in chapters 7 and 8, Jesus will confront His critics at a major Jewish festival, using metaphors drawn from ritual celebrations to highlight themes from His preaching. The following chapters include additional miracles and teachings from Jesus, as His eventual crucifixion draws nearer.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 9/7/2024 8:25:13 PM