John 7:36

What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come’?”

One Unity Resource Bible

In The King James Version

What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?

In Context

35The Jews [Praisers] therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

37+ 7:37 (37-38) MP: Rivers of Living Water come from the inner person. (One who was spiritually dry then watered by God’s Spirit). (See also Is 29:18-19). (Is 35:6b-7a) + 7:37 (37-39) MP: By quotation, Messiah is declaring himself a parallel Feast Day fulfillment. “Every one come who is thirsty” (John 7:37-39) is applied Messiah’s ministry. (Is 55:1-2) Note: By quoting the first lines of this chapter, Messiah is referencing the entire chapter (as was a common custom of rabbis of his day because all Jews memorized the whole of Bible books), therefore the entire chapter is used to allude to his Messianic claim and be as a witness to this prophetic fulfillment. By quoting this passage, the Messiah applied the Tabernacles Water Pouring ceremony and the intention of the ceremony to himself and to the effusion and permeation of the Holy Spirit (Is 44:3). The Holy Spirit is promised to be given by Messiah and even accompanying His ministry. Bishop Lowth, in 1846, quoted an undefined passage in Jerusalem Talmud, concluding that the song in (Num 21:16-18) is to be sung in the times of the Messiah, possibly at this ceremony. The water is said to be “drawn from the wells of salvation” (Is 12:3), signifying the influences of the Holy Spirit to be given in the days of Messiah. Now on the last day of the festival + 7:37 Context: “The last day of the Festival;” Tabernacles is 7 days long. It is commonly said to be eight, but that is incorrect. The seventh day is Hoshana Rabbah ·Save now Great· and the water libation ceremony happens on this day (Sukkah 51-b). The Cohen Gadol ·High Priest· would lead a procession to the pool of Siloam. (See also John 9:5-11) There he would fill a golden pitcher with water as the crowd would wave their lulavs before God and chant Hossanah ·Save now·! They would all sing (Psalm 128:25-26) while the libation was prepared. All were silent as the water was being poured out on the altar of sacrifice. After this water ceremony, as the night fell Sh'mini Atrzeret ·Eighth day Assembly· started, this is a separate and linked Festival for one day. (See also John 8:12). There was a great party like none other! The four menorahs were lit and Rabbis and students alike would put on a “light show” and “torch dances” while the Levites sang and played music; dancing before God like David danced (Sukkah 5:1)! (of Tabernacles, the seventh day called Hoshana Rabbah ·Save now Great·, the seventh month Ethanim ·Ever-flowing durable stream (in Hebrew), 7· or Tishrei ·[Beginning (in Babylonian)]· 21st day)), Yeshua [Salvation] stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, + 7:37. Quoted from Is 55:1 let him come to me and drink!

Read all of John 7

Cross References

John 3:9Nicodemus [Victory people] answered him, “How can these things be?”

John 6:52The Jews [Praisers] therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

John 7:34You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come.”

John 16:17Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to haAbba ·the Father·’?”

Matthew Henry on John 7:15-37

Christ at the Feast of Tabernacles. 14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? 16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and… Read the whole commentary →

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