Jesus speaks about “living water” flowing out from those who drink from the water he gives them, so that they will never thirst. (John 4) What did he mean? Jesus was speaking about the Spirit, who gives us new life. But there is imagery throughout the Scriptures about living water, and Jewish traditions from before and after Jesus’ time about what we can learn from water.
A classic rabbinic idea is that the study of Torah is like life-giving water. (Here Torah refers not to “Law” but to God’s “Teaching”—meaning the Scriptures as a whole.) Listen to some of they said:
• Just as rain water comes down in drops and forms rivers, so with the Torah; one studies a bit today and some more tomorrow, until in time becomes like a flowing stream.
• Just as water has no taste unless one is thirsty, so too, Torah is best appreciated through great effort and yearning.
• Just as water leaves a high place and flows to a low one, so too, Torah leaves one whose spirit is proud and remains with one whose spirit is humble.
• Water is a great equalizer, no matter your station or class – all can drink water. So, too – a scholar should not be ashamed to say to a simpler fellow, ‘Teach me a chapter, a verse or a letter’.
• Just as water is a source of life for the world, as it says, A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters (Song of Songs 4:15), so the Torah is a source of life for the world.
• Just as water restores the soul, so does the Torah.
• Just as water is cleansing, the words of Torah are purifying.
(Song of Songs Rabbah 1:19)
These quotes and other fascinating rabbinic ideas about living water come from this link.
Paul Wallace says
What a great topic!
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
Eph 5:26 (NIV)
8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.
Zech 14:8 (NIV)
9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
Ezek 47:9 (NIV)
9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:9 (NIV)
Come Lord Jesus!
Ted Gossard says
Great thoughts here, Lois.
Reminds me of Jesus’ words that his disciples were already clean because of the word he had spoken to them (John 13). And about the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5).
I like the idea of rivers of living water flowing out from us, so that in Jesus by the Spirit we are not only blessed, but blessed to be a blessing to others.