John 7.28-39

28 While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. 29 But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” 30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

31 Many among the crowds at the Temple trusted him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”

35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”

37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who trusts me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone trusting him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Comments

I’m always trying to get us to see that what Jesus says applies to us. We’re the thick-headed disciples. We’re the overly pious Pharisees. We’re the skeptical Sadducees. We’re the aloof Romans. At no point should we read the Gospels and think, “Wow, glad that has nothing to do with me.” It always has everything to do with us.

What Jesus says in vv. 28-29 is no exception. He basically says, “You think you know me? You don’t know the One who sent me. You don’t know where I came from. You don’t know where I’m going.” If anything, this is more true of us than it has ever been. Of course, we have ideas about who Jesus is, who the Father is, where Jesus comes from, where he goes, etc. But these preconceived notions often obscure our understanding more than facilitate its growth.

We begin to replace our theoretical knowledge of Jesus with actualized understanding of him once the rivers of living water begin to flow from our hearts. But this is a life-long process. We should always be ready to hear Jesus say to us, “You think you know me?” To which we reply,” Yes, Lord a little. Show us more.”

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale HousePublishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.