John 7:37-52 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit … But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory. [The crowds began arguing about who Jesus was.] Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem.” … So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested. … The Pharisees mocked, “This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law … no prophet ever comes from Galilee!”
Have you ever been in a conversation where the original point gets lost in a ridiculous argument? In this case we the readers know what the contentious crowd did not know: Jesus was, in fact, born in Bethlehem, not Galilee. “Fake news” is at least two thousand years old!
But back to the main point: Jesus is reprising his conversation with the woman at the well in chapter 4. If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water … Those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life (v. 10, 14).
Let’s you and I leave the confused and quarrelsome crowds and RUN to Jesus! Don’t you long for the Spirit’s fresh, bubbling stream to ease the dryness of your soul today?
Debra Kornfield 