John 7:25-44
25 Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26 And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” 28 So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, “You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29 I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31 Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, “When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest him. 33 Jesus then said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34 You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.” 35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What does he mean by saying, ‘You will seek me and you will not find me,’ and, ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
37 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. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
40 When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
Reflection
The Feast of Booths was a joyful festival in Jerusalem. It celebrated the ingathering of the fall crops and the years the Israelites spent living in tents as they journeyed through the wilderness (Lev. 23:33–43; Num. 29:2–38). During the course of the week, water was poured upon the altar, in remembrance of the refreshing stream that had come forth miraculously out of a rock in the wilderness (Ex. 17:1–7).
When Jesus invited the thirsty to himself (John 7:37), he was making a startling declaration. He was claiming to be the rock in the wilderness—the rock from which life-giving water flowed and saved God’s people (see also 1 Cor. 10:1–4). Jesus was also looking ahead to the day he would pour out his Spirit into our hearts (John 7:38–39; Joel 2:28–29; Acts 2). After Jesus ascended to heaven, God poured out his Holy Spirit upon the church, enabling us to believe in Christ (John 3:3) and follow him (Gal. 5:22–24).
Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Reflection
Our Great High Priest is a human being who identifies with us: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Our Great High Priest is also divine —God himself. Jesus “has passed through the heavens” (v. 15); no earthly high priest ever arose to God’s heavenly throne! Jesus’ deity is also communicated through the divine title “the Son of God” (v. 14).
Consequently, our priest is both God and man. As a genuine human being who even experienced temptation, he is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses. But as the second Adam he never sinned. Therefore, as God himself who became the perfect man, he is able to give us mercy and grace when we come to God through him. We are to come boldly before God’s awesome heavenly throne —which through Christ has become for us “the throne of grace”! And we do so assured that Jesus as a man understands our struggles and as God is able and willing to help us in our distress. This is a great incentive to prayer and praise.
Psalm 62:8
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
When we approach the throne of God in prayer, we must remember that it is a “throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). God does not scorn us as we come into his presence. He is glad to see us and is pleased with us because of the cleansing we have received by his Son.