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The Giver of Living Water (John 7:37-53)

 Jesus knew that the last day of a feast is incredibly important. That's usually when the celebrating actually takes place. He says we should come to him and drink the rivers of living water. It reminds us of his conversation with the woman at the well back in chapter 4. Also, over in St. Matthew's Gospel, in 5:6, Jesus says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." In Isaiah chapter 55, Isaiah speaks about this hunger and thirst. Jesus is "a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples." St. John wants us to know that Isaiah's prophecy is beginning to come true in Jesus.

St. John just tells us that this "living water" is from the Holy Spirit, and truly, the living water is the Holy Spirit. Then St. John tells us about the plan as it is going to unfold. The special empowering gift of the Holy Spirit given to all of us cannot be received in this way until Jesus has finished his work.

Once more, we see the division among the people, in terms of what they believe about Jesus. The officers who tried to arrest Jesus must have been impressed by something he said, or at least they thought he had not said or done anything worthy of arrest.

Nicodemus, who came to see Jesus in chapter 3, tries to press the leaders to be fair, and to hear Jesus out. Nicodemus unfortunately hoped that reason and fairness would prevail, and it did not. It was never going to be a fair trial, once Jesus was on trial.

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