ACC ~ John 7 v38a

WHERE IN SCRIPTURE?

CHRYSOSTOM: He is here speaking of spiritual drink…. But where does the Scripture say that “rivers of living water shall flow from his belly”? Nowhere. [1] What then does it mean, “He that believes on me, as the Scripture says”? Here we must place a period, so that the “rivers shall flow from his belly” may be an assertion of Christ. [2] For because many said… “When the Christ comes will he do more miracles?” he shows that it is important to have a correct understanding and to be convinced on the evidence of Scripture, not of miracles. In fact, many who had seen him working miracles still did not receive him as the Christ… “Search the Scriptures,” he had said previously. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 51.1. [3]

[1] Jerome, in his prologue to the Pentateuch in his Vulgate, posited that the passage may have come from Proverbs [5:16]. See Biblia Sacra Vulgate, 3rd ed. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1969, 1983), 3.

[2] Not of the Scriptures.

[3] NPNF 1 14:183-84**.

THE TESTIMONY OF THE PSALMIST AND ISAIAH TO CHRIST THE RIVER

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA:

The feast of the tabernacles signified the thrice longed for time of the resurrection [1] [For its observance, God specified] the taking of boughs and mentioned the fruit of a good tree and other things besides [2] in order to indicate the recovery of Paradise that was about to be given to us again through Christ. But since [Leviticus] specifies at the end [3] that one should take everything out of the brook and rejoice again, we say that our Lord Jesus Christ was compared to a brook in whom we shall find all delight and enjoyment in hope. And in him, this brook will delight us in a divine and spiritual way. And that he is called a brook, the most wise psalmist testifies [4] … And the Lord himself says something similar in the prophet [Isaiah]. [5] COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.1. [6]

[1] Lev 23:39 refers to the first and eighth days as days of rest.

[2] See Lev 23:40.

[3] Of the requirements it lists, not the end of the feast.

[4] Ps 36:7-8 (35:8-9 LXX).

[5] Is 66:12 (LXX).

[6] LF 43:543-44*.

THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE SCRIPTURES WILL BE FILLED

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: Clearly they referred the words, “As the Scripture has said,” to the sentence following and began to ask where “shall flow streams of living water” is written. But the phrase rather should be referred to the previous sentence. Since in the holy books there are many prophecies about the Messiah, as he had already said in another passage. [1] Jesus, inciting every person to faith in him, means: Anyone who follows the Scriptures and believes in me will be filled by grace, and it will not only be like a river that never dries up but will also flow out of him, so that it may provide not only for him but for many others. And so the apostles, after they received the Spirit, provided for many others thanks to the gift they had received. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 3.7.37-39. [2]

[1] Jn 5:39.

[2] CSCO 4 3:161-62.