John Chapter 7: “If Anyone Thirsts, Let Him Come to Me”
1. The Setting: The Feast of Tabernacles
“After this Jesus went about in Galilee; He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.” (John 7:1–2)
The Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew Sukkot) was one of Israel’s most joyful festivals — commemorating the forty years in the wilderness, God’s providence of water from the rock, and His dwelling among the people in the cloud of glory.
Jesus, the true Emmanuel, now walks in the midst of His people, yet His presence is hidden beneath humility.
St Augustine remarks:
“He came to the feast not with pomp but with patience; for His time of glory was not yet, but He was already the feast of the soul.” (Tractates on John XXVIII.1)
2. “My Time Has Not Yet Come”
“So His brothers said to Him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea…’ Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.’” (John 7:3–6)
Even His relatives misunderstand His mission, urging Him towards public display.
Christ’s life moves by the clock of divine providence, not human ambition.
St John Chrysostom explains:
“They counselled Him to glory, but He sought obedience; for the glory of God is revealed not in vainglory but in the Cross.” (Homilies on John XLIX.1)
“The world cannot hate you,” He tells them — because compromise is never persecuted. True holiness provokes the hostility of the world precisely because it exposes its falsehood.
3. Christ’s Hidden Ascent
“After His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He also went up, not publicly but in secret.” (John 7:10)
He goes up in secret — fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy that the Lord would come suddenly to His temple (Zechariah 14:16–21).
He is the true pilgrim of humanity: entering our feasts quietly, sanctifying them from within.
St Augustine notes:
“He went up secretly because He was the mystery hidden from the foundation of the world, now made known in humility before being revealed in glory.” (Tractates on John XXVIII.4)
The humble path is the divine path.
4. Division and Debate
“The Jews were looking for Him at the feast, and saying, ‘Where is He?’ And there was much muttering about Him among the people.” (John 7:11–12)
The crowd is divided — some whisper belief, others suspicion.
Every age asks the same question: “Where is He?” — and divides over the answer.
St John Chrysostom observes:
“The people argued about Christ as they still do. The truth stands among them, yet each judges according to his own darkness.” (Homilies on John XLIX.2)
Christ’s presence provokes discernment; indifference is impossible.
5. The Teaching in the Temple
“About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. The Jews marvelled, saying, ‘How is it that this man has learning, when He has never studied?’” (John 7:14–15)
His wisdom astonishes because it flows not from human schooling but divine communion.
The true teacher is not made by study alone but by intimacy with the Father.
St Augustine writes:
“The Jews wondered that He taught letters who was Himself the Word. What wonder if the Word knows letters, by whom letters were made?” (Tractates on John XXIX.2)
6. “My Teaching Is Not Mine”
“Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone’s will is to do His will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God.’” (John 7:16–17)
True knowledge of God is born not of speculation but obedience.
Understanding follows surrender; the intellect bows before the will of faith.
St Bede comments:
“To know truth one must love truth; and to love truth is to obey God.” (Homilies on the Gospels, I.20)
Christ reveals the divine humility of the Son — all He teaches, He has received; all He receives, He shares.
7. The False Judgement of Appearances
“Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.” (John 7:24)
This is one of the Gospel’s perennial warnings: surface religion sees only externals; divine sight discerns the heart.
St Augustine exhorts:
“They judged Him because He healed on the Sabbath. They judged the letter, and killed the Spirit. Learn then to see with love, not with envy.” (Tractates on John XXX.6)
Right judgement requires purity of heart — the eye of charity, not curiosity.
8. The Question of His Origin
“Some of the people of Jerusalem said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? … Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where He comes from.’” (John 7:25–27)
They claim to know His origin — Nazareth — but they do not know His true origin — the Father.
They know His humanity but not His divinity.
St Cyril of Alexandria comments:
“They saw the Son of Mary and denied the Son of God. Faith must pierce the veil of flesh to adore the eternal Word.” (Commentary on John VII.1)
So it remains: unbelief sees the carpenter’s son; faith beholds the Word made flesh.
9. The Attempt to Arrest Him
“They sought to arrest Him; but no one laid hands on Him, because His hour had not yet come.” (John 7:30)
No human hostility can hasten or hinder God’s plan.
Christ’s hour — His Passion and glorification — is governed by divine providence alone.
St Augustine says:
“They could bind His hands, but not His hour. He who was born when He willed, died when He willed.” (Tractates on John XXXI.2)
The Cross will come not by fate, but by willing love.
10. The Promise of the Spirit
“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. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.”’” (John 7:37–38)
This was the climax of the Feast of Tabernacles.
Each morning, the priest poured water from the Pool of Siloam upon the altar, recalling the rock struck by Moses.
Now Jesus declares Himself the true source of living water — the Holy Spirit who will flow from His pierced side.
St John explains:
“This He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive.” (v. 39)
St Augustine writes with wonder:
“He cried out, for His cry was thirst; He thirsted that we might drink. The river of the Spirit flows from His breast, that our dryness may become a fountain.” (Tractates on John XXXII.2)
11. The Division Among the People
“When they heard these words, some said, ‘This is truly the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee?’” (John 7:40–41)
Again, humanity divides around Him — prophet or Messiah? truth or blasphemy?
Scripture is fulfilled: the living Word is a “sign of contradiction” (Luke 2:34).
St John Chrysostom remarks:
“The crowd could recite Scripture but not read the Word. They knew Bethlehem in the letter, but not in the flesh before them.” (Homilies on John L.1)
Knowledge without faith becomes blindness.
12. The Officers’ Testimony
“The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this man!’” (John 7:46)
Even those sent to arrest Him are captivated by His word.
Truth carries its own authority; divine speech disarms even opposition.
St Augustine comments:
“They came to bind Him, but were bound by His words. The Word captured those who came with weapons.” (Tractates on John XXXIII.5)
The Church continues this miracle: hearts conquered not by force, but by the beauty of truth.
13. The Blindness of the Proud
“The Pharisees answered them, ‘Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?’” (John 7:47–48)
Their argument is not reason but prestige — “Have any important people believed?”
Thus pride blinds; authority without humility becomes obstinacy.
St Bede warns:
“The more they claimed to see, the blinder they became. For pride closes the eyes to the light it claims to guard.” (Homilies on the Gospels, I.22)
Faith often begins among the humble while the learned debate.
14. Nicodemus Speaks Again
“Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, said to them, ‘Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?’” (John 7:50–51)
The one who once came by night now speaks a little in daylight — a sign of growing faith.
He appeals not yet to belief, but to justice.
St Augustine observes:
“He who first feared now speaks, though timidly. Faith grows by acts of courage.” (Tractates on John XXXIII.7)
In every age, faith matures step by step — from secrecy to testimony.
15. Theological Summary
| Theme | Revelation |
| Feast of Tabernacles | Christ the true dwelling of God among men |
| Hidden ascent | Divine humility and obedience to the Father’s timing |
| Teaching in the temple | The authority of the eternal Word |
| Judging with right judgement | The call to spiritual discernment |
| Living water | The outpouring of the Holy Spirit from Christ |
| Division and unbelief | The enduring scandal of truth |
| Nicodemus’ growth | Faith moving from fear to witness |
St Augustine sums it up:
“He came to the feast secretly, but cried out openly; for what He hid was His Godhead, what He proclaimed was His mercy.” (Tractates on John XXXII.3)
16. Moral and Spiritual Application
Follow God’s timing. Trust His providence rather than worldly impatience.
Seek true teaching. Let your soul thirst for His Word, not for novelty.
Judge with charity. Appearances deceive; love reveals.
Come to the fountain. Drink deeply of the Spirit through prayer and the sacraments.
Be Nicodemus. Speak up, even timidly — faith grows through confession.
17. Christ the Source of Living Water
The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated God’s presence in the wilderness; Christ fulfils it by pouring out the Holy Spirit.
From His side on the Cross — as John will later record — flow blood and water: Baptism and the Eucharist, the twin streams of the Church’s life.
St Cyril of Jerusalem teaches:
“From His pierced side came the sacraments by which the Church is born — water for cleansing, blood for redemption.” (Catechetical Lectures III.10)
Thus the living water of John 7 becomes the sacramental life of the Church.
18. Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Fountain of Living Water,
You stood in the temple and cried out to the thirsty to come and drink.
Quench our dryness with Your Holy Spirit,
purify our sight to judge with right judgement,
and teach us to walk in the timing and humility of Your will.
Make our hearts the dwelling of Your presence,
until the feast of tabernacles is fulfilled in heaven.
Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Mary's, St. John Bosco and St. Edward's 