Upon reading John 4:1-14, NKJV, I focused on vv. 10, 13, and 14. v. 10 states, Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” v. 13-14 states, Jesus answered and said to her “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (NKJV)
These verses regarding “living water” usually refers to Christ as stated in the commentary for John 4:10 in the Life Application Study Bible, KJV, Tyndale Press, which states, “What did Jesus mean by “living water”? In the Old Testament, many verses speak of thirsting after God as one thirsts for water (Psalm 42:1; Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 13:1). God is called the fountain of life (Psalm 36:9) and the fountain of living waters (Jeremiah 17:13). In saying he would bring living water that could forever quench one’s thirst for God, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. Only the Messiah could give this gift that satisfies the soul’s desire.”
However, I had the thought, “Is “Living Water” the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is a manifestation of the Triune God. The Triune God, as I have learned in my former training at New York Theological Seminary and at Fuller Theological Seminary (where I am being led to go back and finish my theological studies), I agree with the following definition of the Trinity which states, “The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are, therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God (Google definition of Triune God/What is the Trinity in the Bible?).
There is a reference in John 4:10 NKJV (The New Open Bible New Kings James Version, The Study Edition, Thomas Nelson Publishers) that leads to Isaiah 44:3 which states, “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;” (my emphasis).
Also in The Message Bible, (Contemporary Comparative Side-by-Side Bible, Zondervan Publishers), it states in vv. 13-14, Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst — not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” (my emphasis).
Therefore, looking at all of the manifestations of the Triune God in my finite (having limits or bounds – Google definition) mind, one could think of “living water” as being that of the Holy Spirit. What a Great God we have!
God Bless You All!
Brenda A. McGee has attended New York Theological Seminary in New York, NY, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA as a Master of Divinity student.
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