From the Daily Lectionary for Saturday in the Fourth Week of Lent
John 7:37–52
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some asked, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” The police answered, “Never has anyone spoken like this!” Then the Pharisees replied, “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” They replied, “Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.”
We continue in our readings from John’s Gospel. You’ll remember from yesterday’s text that Jesus has gone into Jerusalem for the high festival. People would have come in to the city from miles around in the region of Judea and beyond. In John’s Gospel Jesus has visited Jerusalem a number of times. In the great crowds that have gathered there most would not have a clue who Jesus was. But according to the narrative, the Jewish leadership not only recognize him, but fear what manner of social unrest he might engender among the people. The Pharisees and chief priests know all too well how the Romans deal with social unrest and civil disobedience. The scene depicted is one prevalent in the day to day life of the Jesus movement… disciples filled with single-hearted belief up and against the skepticism so common in Jewish religious life and discourse. It is yet another image peculiar to John’s Gospel of the tension between the so-called “children of Light” and the unbeliever, the unenlightened. That context persists throughout John’s Gospel.
But I call your attention to something else, apropos of my argument that John’s Gospel is the most incarnational of the four Gospels… and by incarnational I mean not just that Jesus is the Word become flesh; but that the people who follow him are also Word made flesh. Those of you who have faithfully read these recent reflections will remember that the emphasis on Jesus’ divine nature is counter-balanced by the premise that the followers of Jesus are by nature divine as well. That is a hard concept to get our minds around given the influence of Augustine of Hippo and John Calvin, and many others in the tradition who embraced the doctrine of original sin… that all humans are fallen from Grace. John is saying that the followers of Jesus share in God’s divine mission of “befriending” (φϊλϊόϛ … philios)… Laying down one’s life, Jesus will say a few chapters later.
He tells the crowds in our passage today…. He’s street preaching, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me… and let the one who believes in me drink.” Jesus is saying that he is living water, just as God told Moses that God was living water. He is divine. And then the counter-balance: “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.” Echoes of Ezekiel’s description of living water flowing from the Temple into the Dead Sea.
The point is this: to be people of the Way, we are sent as Jesus is sent… sent from God no less (the word Apostle from the Greek means, ‘sent one’); we are living water for the world. And if you buy my argument for Jesus being the archetype for all who believe, all people of the faith, it follows as well that when Jesus tells his astounded disciples that the bread from heaven is his very flesh and blood to be eaten and drunk… then good people, the same applies to us. We are body and blood for the world’s healing and nurture… Like the Host on the altar in the liturgy of the Eucharist, we are blessed broken and given for the salvation of the world… That is what Incarnation means, I believe.
And that is why we can say that we were made for times such as these. Because our world now as ever needs living water.
A Prayer for the Sick (BCP p. 260)
Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servants, and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs, that those who suffer in this time of illness for whom our prayers are offered may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
