Augustine Institute - MA Theology - 1st Course, "Salvation History" - 2nd Writing Assignment
William T. Ward
The
Contribution of John 7:37-39 to the Understanding of the Motif of the Temple
There is something very appealing
about the possibility of being considered one of the “fellow citizens with the
saints and members of the household of God” (Eph 2:19 RSV-2CE), as Paul
explains such status to the Ephesians on becoming an integral part of “a holy
temple of the Lord” (Eph 2:21).
The motif of the Temple evolves from the earliest period of Salvation History through the Body of Christ and will likely develop further with whatever may transpire in John’s Revelation. While not attempting to predict the future, this essay will review said evolution with emphasis on this passage from the Gospel of John:
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, 'If anyone thirst, 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.’’ Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn 7:37-39).
How
the Gospel of John approaches the motif of the Temple in general will also be
considered. Old
Testament passages anticipating this contribution to the Temple will be drawn
upon, thereby tracing divine pedagogy concerning the Temple from the Old to the
New Testament and demonstrating how understanding these passages furthers
Christian understanding of Jesus Christ.
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the Temple, in part, as “God’s
dwelling and a house of
prayer.”[1] The original Temple,
arguably the most idyllic to date, is the Garden of Eden, where life was
perfect for Adam and Eve and God dwelled, occasionally communicating directly
with them. After the fall of Adam and Eve, Salvation History has become a
journey of regaining such a physical dwelling with God that is ongoing to this
day.
The Tabernacle of Moses was the
first attempt, following the Garden of Eden, to create a Temple. Moses ascends Mount
Sinai and receives blueprints for constructing a tabernacle, whose purpose is
to serve as a sanctuary for God to dwell among them. Materials were donated,
and qualified artisans did the construction. The construction process is
analogous to creation in that it is completed in seven stages, takes six days,
and is blessed by God on the seventh day, and can be thought of as the
completion of creation (Ex 25:40). But, unlike Eden, it is not residential, and
it is only for Israelites.
The Temple of Solomon was the
next generational attempt at a Temple. The construction and decorations were
grander and more permanent than the Tabernacle of Moses. Gentiles contributed
to the construction (1 Kgs 5:1-18), and it was situated in a more accessible
location than Moses’ Tabernacle. Such convenience attracted Gentiles from
elsewhere, though the inner sanctuary was still separated from the people (1 Kgs
6:21).
The Body of Christ represents the next great stage of the
Temple, extending through the present times. The physical body of the incarnate
God can be argued as the Temple. The process of arriving at this point involves
Jesus’ upending what had been in place, where the Temple had become a house of
trade and even animal sacrifice, and making it instead a house of prayer
through the “Temple cleansing.” Jesus banishes the merchants from the Temple, and
the Jews then ask Jesus if he can show them a sign for doing such a thing. Jesus
replies, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” To which
the Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will
you raise it up in three days?” However, Jesus spoke of the Temple of His body
(Jn 2:19-21). In addition, the Body of Christ can also be considered the
aggregate of the faithful followers, which opens Heaven to all believers. “Now
you are the body of Christ and individually members of it” (1 Cor 12:27).
A
strength of the Gospel of John is its focus “upon Jesus’ identity as the
perfect temple, the locus of perfect worship from whom flows the life-giving
water.”[2] Our passage of focus from
John occurs on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles: “On the last day of
the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, 'If anyone thirst, let
him come to me and drink’” (Jn 7:37). Water is the great metaphor here, in
particular “living water,” as in flowing water, versus stagnant water; flowing
water from a source that is elsewhere and never ceases. Jesus’ metaphor represents
the Holy Spirit, which will be ever-present after Jesus' Ascension into Heaven.
This proclamation was foretold in Leviticus: “Seven days you shall present
offerings by fire to the LORD; on the eighth day you shall hold a holy
convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a solemn
assembly; you shall do no laborious work” (Lv 23:36). In Exodus, the content of
the proclamation is foretold: “I will stand before you there on the rock at
Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, that the
people may drink” (Ex 17:6). Ezekiel, in his customary grand style, prophesies
water flowing from the Temple that is so deep you can swim in it (Ez 47:1-12).
Jesus
goes on to say, “He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out
of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’’’ (Jn 7:38). Consider three
passages from Isaiah: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams
on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing
on your offspring” (Is 44:3). And “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the
waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price" (Is 55:1). And a personal favorite, “And
the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and
make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring
of water, whose waters do not fail” (Is 58:11).
To
avoid any confusion, John then clarifies the metaphor with, “Now this he said
about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet
the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (Jn 7:39).
“Glorified” meaning Jesus had not yet been crucified, risen and ascended,
leaving the Holy Spirit in His wake.
Notably,
this new understanding of the Temple motif encompasses the concepts of
“dwelling” and “filiation.” “God’s dwelling is a spiritual presence or union
with his people; the Bible does not imagine God as physically confined to a
place as if he were a creature.”[3] Whether in a church or the
heart, God dwells within. He knows our thoughts and hears our prayers. Possibly
a less familiar word to some is “filiation,” defined as “a relationship
especially of a son to his father” or “the adjudication of paternity.”[4] “But to all who received
him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn
1:12).
Therefore, in communion with His followers, we have Jesus Himself as the new Temple, promising a continuous outpouring of the Spirit for those who believe in Him. The physical Temple becomes a spiritual Temple, open to all and geographically independent of any locale. He dwells within us and our churches, and we can consider ourselves children of God. All is well.
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