Rightly He addresses the people with a speech on the last day, and thereby, as it were, sends them off on their journey home. For to speak to those who in the middle of the day were given over to merriment would have been untimely. They would not have listened.
Jesus cried out loudly partly in order to be heard, and partly in order to show boldness, that He fears no one.
Jn. 7:38. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
What then does He say? "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said." Here one must pause, then read again "out of his belly shall flow rivers" (Isa. 12:3; Joel 3:18).
Many believed because of the signs. He shows that one should believe not so much on the basis of miracles as on the basis of Scripture. For right faith comes from Scripture. Therefore He says: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said," that is, as Scripture testifies of Me, namely: that I am the Son of God, the Creator, the Lord of all, the Savior of the world. For many apparently believed, but not as the Scripture said, but as they themselves wished. Such are all the heretics.
He said that from such a believer rivers would flow out of his belly. By "belly" He figuratively means the heart, as David also says: "and Your law is within my heart" (Ps. 39:9).
He said that "rivers of living water" would flow, not a river. By this He indicates the abundance and generosity of the grace of the Spirit. For the Spirit is such that into whatever soul He enters and becomes established, He causes it to flow more abundantly than any spring. That from the belly of a believer, according to Scripture, rivers flow, anyone can learn when he pays attention to the tongue of Peter, the impetuosity of Paul, and the wisdom of Stephen. Nothing could stop their words, but they swept everyone along after them, like rivers of some kind, by their irresistible current.
Jn. 7:39. He said this about the Spirit, whom those believing in Him were to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet upon them, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
The Evangelist, explaining what "rivers of living water" means, says that "this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given."
Here someone will ask: "How does the Evangelist say that the Holy Spirit was not yet, that is, given? Did not the prophets speak by the Spirit? And how did the apostles perform miracles?" We answer. Undoubtedly, the prophets spoke by the Spirit. But this grace ceased and departed from the earth. Although it was active in the times of the prophets, at the time when Christ was acting in the flesh, on account of the unworthiness of the people, prophecy did not appear, and grace was not present in their sanctuary and temple. And since the activity of the Spirit was not present then and it was yet to be given, therefore he says that the Holy Spirit was not yet, that is, He did not dwell among the Jews and was not manifested in activity. As for the apostles, they performed miracles not by the Spirit, but by the authority of the Lord. For hear what the Gospel says. Intending to send them out, "He gave them authority," and not the Holy Spirit (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:19). Therefore, however many miracles they performed, they did them not by the Spirit, but by the authority and name of the Lord. But when He rose from the tomb, then He said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). And at Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon them (Acts 2:4).
And otherwise: the power of the Spirit was in the prophets and apostles even before the Cross, but not in the same way as after the Ascension, that is, not so generously and abundantly as to compare it with rivers. Therefore the Evangelist rightly said that the Holy Spirit was not yet given, that is, poured out in such abundance as later. Although He was present even before the Cross, it was not in abundance, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Here the Evangelist calls the Cross glory, because through the Cross the Lord cast down the tyrant and reigned. Therefore, when the Cross had not yet been set up, nor sin abolished, nor our nature in Christ conquered the world and been reconciled with God, naturally the abundant grace of the Spirit had not been granted either. For it was necessary for us first to become friends of God, and this was accomplished through the Cross, and then to receive the gift of God as well, just as in worldly life a person first becomes a friend of the king and then receives gifts. And so, thanks be to God, Who poured out upon us such abundant grace as even the prophets did not have. For the prophets had the grace of the Spirit but did not impart it to others, whereas the apostles filled countless multitudes of people with it.
Jn. 7:40. Many of the people, having heard these words, said: He is truly a prophet.
Jn. 7:41. Others said: This is the Christ. But some said: Does the Christ come from Galilee?
Shamed by the boldness of His speech, some from the people — not from the rulers (for the rulers out of envy were always against Him) — confess that He is that Prophet whom they await; others, from among the unlearned and undiscerning, said that He is the Christ, not understanding that Christ and that Prophet are one and the same person, and not different.
Jn. 7:42. Has it not been said in Scripture that Christ will come from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, from the place where David was?
The more foolish ones say that Christ will not come from Galilee, but from Bethlehem and from the seed of David. But they said this with malicious intent, and not like Nathanael. He too said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46), but he spoke as a man learned and precise in the Law. Therefore the Lord also praised him, since he said this not with malicious intent, but from precise knowledge of the Law. But these men craftily say that Christ will not come from Galilee. They could have known that Jesus was from Bethlehem, although He was raised in Galilee as well, but out of envy they did not want to acknowledge His origin from Bethlehem, and instead called Him a Galilean. Suppose they did not know that He was from Bethlehem. But how could they not know that He was from the seed of David? For Mary clearly traced Her lineage from David. From this it is revealed that they spoke thus with malicious intent.
Jn. 7:43. So there arose a division among the people because of Him.
The division arose among the people, not among the rulers, because the rulers held to one opinion: not to accept Him as the Christ.
Jn. 7:44. Some of them wanted to seize Him; but no one laid hands on Him.
Those more moderate in malice opposed the glory of Christ only in words, while the more shameless wanted to lay hands on Him as well. However, divine power invisibly restrained them. Yet even this miracle did not strike them. David rightly said of them: "They reproached and did not cease" (Ps. 34:15).
Jn. 7:45. Then the officers returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them: Why have you not brought Him?
Let us see what the officers, sent to bring Him, answer the Pharisees. They are very sensible. The Pharisees considered themselves wise, read the Scripture, and saw miracles, yet they rise up against the Lord and, like robbers, ask: "Why have you not brought Him?" But the officers were convinced by His teaching alone, without signs. So readily inclined were they toward the good. And that they were captivated not by signs but by teaching alone (which is more important) is evident from what follows.
Jn. 7:46. The servants answered: Never has a man spoken like this Man.
They did not say "never has a man worked such miracles," but "never has a man spoken like this." So ready and quick were they to receive the word of salvation. But one must marvel not only at their good sense, but also at their boldness. They do not cower before the fury of the Pharisees, they do not demean themselves as servants, nor do they speak to please their superiors, but they bear witness to the truth. All who are under the authority of superiors should imitate them and not obey them when they command something unjust, as happened also with Saul. He, contrary to the law, commanded that the priests of God be put to death, but those present did not obey and did not carry out his will (1 Sam. 22:17).
Jn. 7:47. The Pharisees said to them: Have you also been deceived?