John 7:37-39 - The Promised Spirit

Jn. 7:37 ¶ In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)


The historical background of this passage took place during the Festival of Tabernacles (Jn. 7:2) and on the eighth day or last day of this feast which was called "the great day" of this feast (v. 39). On this day the Priest would draw water from the pool of Siloam and fill a golden vial with water and then proceed in great solemnity and pomp with trumpets through the gate of the temple and this water being then mixed with wine would be poured out in the temple on the altar of sacrifice. It signified two things. (1) The drawing of the water from the well signified Jesus as the water of Life and thus the call to come and drink of Him. (2) The pouring forth of the water and wine upon the sacrifice signified the gospel of Jesus Christ flowing forth from the house of God unto the world, thus the prediction of the promise of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:8). The flowing forth out of their bellies this living water referred to the new house of God empowered and indwelt by the Spirit on Penteocost made of living stones which would be witnesses of him in all nations (Acts 1:8; Mt. 28:19-20).


"The Holy Ghost was not yet given" – Jesus did not have in view the indwelling Holy Spirit in the sense of individual salvation nor the Person of the Holy Spirit working actively in this world as the Holy Spirit had been working in this world since Genesis 1:2 and had been regenerating and saving the elect since Genesus 3:15-21.

He had in view a new dispensation of the Holy Spirit in the new house of God whereby the spirit of prophecy would again flow forth (Joel 2:28-29). The Jews believed that the Spirit of prophecy ceased to flow from the house of God after the death of Zechariah and Malachi (see Lightfoot on this passage). On the day of Pentecost a new administration of the Holy Spirit was given and revelatory signs and gifts in the new house of God began to flow again. Jesus said this while in the temple on the day the water from the spring of Siloam which flowed under the temple mount was brought up to the temple and poured out in the temple signifying the hope for the presence of the Holy Spirit in the house of God once again.

However, this new house of God would be an assembly of livng stones as a body of baptized believers, a holy priesthood assembled for PUBLIC worship where "acceptable" sacrifices would be offered (1 Pet. 2:5). This "temple" would not be geographically restricted to Jerusalem as the old house of God nor restricted to one ethnicity as was the old house of God but would be "catholic" or universal inclusive of Jew and gentile, bond and free, male and female and be geographically located wherever such temples were built under the leadership of God's Spirit through ordained church sent men of God (1 Cor. 3:4-10; Acts 13:1-4; 1 Cor. 12:27; etc.). The former temple was always singular. The former house of God was always singular. However, the new house of God was plural "churches" of Christ located geographically in diverse areas (Rev. 1:4).

Remember, Christ will tell them later (Mt. 23:39) that "YOUR" house will be left "desolate" and on the cross the veil will be rent from top to bottom signifying the presence of God no longer exists in "YOUR" house thus officially denying it is "MY house." At Pentecost he came to indwell a new house already built and waiting for the common dedication service of every previous new house of God where the shekinah glory covered (baptized) and filled the new house and fire came down to light the altar (Ex. 40; 2 Chron. 7:1-3; etc.).