They Fail To Arrest Him

WHILE the Festival of Tabernacles is still in progress the religious leader send out police officers to arrest Jesus. He does not attempt to hide. Instead, Jesus keeps on teaching publicly, saying: "I continue a little while longer with you before I got to him that sent me, and where I am you cannot come." The Jews do not understand, and so they inquire among themselves: "Where does this man intend going, so that we shall not find him? He does not intend to go to the Jews dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks does he? What does this saying mean that he said, 'You will look for me, but you will not find me, and where I am you cannot come? ' Jesus, of course, is talking about his approaching death and resurrection to life in heaven, where his enemies cannot follow.

The seventh and last day of the festival arrives. Each morning of the festival, a priest has poured out water, which he took from the Pool of Siloam, so that it flowed to the base of the altar. Likely reminding the people of this daily ceremony, Jesus cries out: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. He that puts faith in me, just as the Scripture has said, 'Out from the inmost part streams of living water will flow.'"

Actually, Jesus is here speaking about the grand consequences when the holy spirit would be poured out. the following year this pouring out of holy spirit occurs at Pentecost. There streams of living water flow forth when the 120 disciples begin ministering to the people. But until then, there is no spirit in the sense that none of Christ's disciples are anointed with holy spirit and called to heavenly life.

In response to Jesus' teaching, some begin saying: "This is for a certainty the Prophet, evidently referring to the prophet greater than Moses who was promised to come. Others say:" "This is the Christ." But others protest: "The Christ is not actually coming out of Galilee, is he? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is coming from the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem the village where David used to be?"

Next time: Conclusion of They Fail To Arrest Him

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991