Water and Light: Gleanings from John.

Feb 10
3 min read

“Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.” (John 7:2)

“Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.” (John 7:14)

The Gospel according to John often records Jesus speaking at precise moments—moments loaded with meaning. Few scenes illustrate this better than Jesus’ words about water and light during the Feast of Tabernacles (also called the Feast of Booths). These statements are not random metaphors. They are deliberately spoken into the living rituals of Israel’s worship, drawing their meaning to a sharp and unavoidable conclusion: Jesus presents Himself as the fulfillment of Israel’s hopes.

To understand John’s narrative here, we must first understand the feast itself.

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1. The Feast of Tabernacles: A Brief Overview

The Feast of Tabernacles (Hebrew: Sukkot) was one of Israel’s three major feasts (Lev. 23:33–43; Deut. 16:13–15).

It commemorated Israel’s wilderness journey, when they dwelt in temporary shelters and relied entirely on God for provision.

By the first century, the feast had developed ceremonial traditions, two of which are crucial for John 7–8:

1. The Water-Pouring Ceremony

2. The Lighting of the Temple Courts

John assumes familiarity with these practices and records Jesus speaking directly into them.

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2. Water at the Feast: “If Anyone Thirsts…”

The Ritual Background

Each morning of the feast, a priest would draw water from the Pool of Siloam and pour it out at the altar, accompanied by prayers for rain and recitation of Scripture—especially passages like Isaiah 12:3:

“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isa. 12:3)

This ceremony symbolized: God’s provision of water in the wilderness (Exod. 17:1–7) and dependence on God for life and blessing.

• Mishnah Sukkah 4:9–10.

• Mishnah Sukkah 5:1.

• Talmud Bavli Sukkah 48b–51a.

• Talmud Yerushalmi Sukkah 4:1.

• Talmud Bavli Taʿanit 2b

Jesus’ Declaration

John records that Jesus waited until the climax of the feast:

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” (John 7:37)

This is a bold and public claim. Jesus does not point to the altar, the pool, or the ritual. He points to Himself.

John immediately explains the meaning:

“(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:” (John 7:39a)

Jesus identifies Himself as the true source of the life-giving water Israel had long symbolized. What the ceremony enacted, Christ fulfills. The water of salvation is no longer drawn—it is received by grace through faith.

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3. Light at the Feast: “I Am the Light of the World”

The Ritual Background

In the evenings of the feast, massive lampstands were lit in the Court of the Women in the temple. Rabbinic sources describe the illumination as so bright that it lit all Jerusalem.

This light symbolized:

• The pillar of fire that led Israel through the wilderness (Exod. 13:21),

• God’s dwelling presence among His people,

• Hope for the light of the coming age (Isa. 9:2; 60:1–3).

The Mishnah states:

“There was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect the light of the House of Water-Drawing.”

(Mishnah, Sukkah 5:3)

• Mishnah Sukkah 5:2–4.

• Talmud Bavli Sukkah 51a–53a.

Jesus’ Declaration

Against this backdrop, John records:

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The timing matters. The great lights of the feast were either burning or freshly remembered. Jesus claims not merely to reflect God’s light, but to be it.

Just as with the water, the symbolism converges on Him:

• He is the guiding light,

• The divine presence,

• The illumination that leads out of darkness and death.

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4. John’s Theological Point

John is not simply recording memorable sayings. He is making a theological argument.

From the opening of his account of the Gospel, John frames Jesus this way:

“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus publicly embodies what Israel’s worship had long anticipated:

• Water → Life through the Spirit

• Light → Divine guidance and revelation