What If Everything Jesus Said Was True? John 7:35-44

Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles

John 7:35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?” 37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. 40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. 

The Jews are obviously missing the true meaning of what Jesus is saying. They have no idea that he is talking about his heavenly origin and his heavenly destination. They could only think of the Jews who were exiled to foreign lands like Babylon and Assyria after the destruction of Jerusalem.

"Jesus spoke of His coming ascension to heaven, but they didn’t understand. Willfully misunderstanding, they asked if He would go away to the Jewish communities outside the Promised Land." (Guzik)

"The Feast of Tabernacles lasted eight days. All through the first seven days water from the Pool of Siloam was carried in a golden pitcher and poured out at the altar to remind everyone of the water God miraculously provided for a thirsty Israel in the wilderness. It seems that on the eighth day there was no pouring of water – only prayers for water – to remind them that they came into the Promised Land." (Guzik)

So Jesus takes this vivid imagery of the water flowing in the wilderness and says that this same living water can be found in him. Not only will their ultimate thirst be quenched, but those same living waters will flow within them.  Jesus was looking forward to the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all the believers gather in Jerusalem after Jesus' resurrection. (Acts 2)

 “On the eighth day no water was poured, and this would make Jesus’ claim all the more impressive.” (Morris)

At this point the people knew Jesus was someone special. He spoke with authority in the midst of one of their most gatherings. Some thought he was a "prophet", or a messenger from God, who spoke for God. Others believed he was the Messiah. Still others doubted he could be the Messiah because he came from Galilee not Jerusalem. 

"Some said one thing, others said something else about who Jesus was; but everyone had an opinion. They could not be confronted with Jesus and remain truly neutral. If someone pretended to be neutral, they were really against Him." (Guzik)

Again. we see confusion abounding as some quote that the Messiah was supposed to be born in Bethlehem. Apparently they did not know that Jesus WAS born in Bethlehem, and he grew up in Nazareth of Galilee, which was a move taken to save his life. 

So there were some who were curioius. Some who were ignorant. Some who were threatened. As the result is confusion and division. The bible tells us that God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) and Satan is the father of lies. (John 8:44)

The world is still divided over Jesus. Though Jesus' claims are fairly simple and backed up by his life, death and resurrection, people either don't care, don't believe or others don't want anything to affect them controlling their own life. 

The question people should be asking is, "What if everything Jesus has said is true?" And if so, what are the consequences for my life. The proof is in the pudding.  Jesus says, "Come and see". Try out the living water and see your thirst for meaning and purpose being quenched. 

If you are still in the fence as to who Jesus is for you, why not at least try taking Jesus at his word and see what happens in your life? What do you have to lose? Maybe a more important question is to ask is what will you lose if Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and the only way to the Father.  

What we can conclude with absolute certainty is that either Jesus is the way, the truth and the life or he is a liar, delusional or insane. One thing we cannot conclude is just a good moral teacher. He did not leave that option to any of us.