The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Ver. 35. — The Jews therefore said, &c.
Ver. 36. — What is this saying that He said, .... and where I am, thither ye cannot come? That is to the Gentiles scattered throughout the world. Hence the Epistles written to them are called
Catholic or universal. The Jews scornfully termed the Gentiles “dispersed,” whereas they themselves were gathered together in one spot, and again because they were “ dispersed ” among many errors and superstitions, while the Jews were united in one orthodox faith and served the one true and only God with one mind.
The Jews did not understand Christ’s meaning, because they did not believe that He would go up again to heaven. And yet they spake the truth, for when the Jews rejected the faith, the Apostles transferred it to the Gentiles (see Acts xiii. 46).
Ver. 37. — But in the last day , the great day of the feast , &c. This was called the day of the assembly or gathering, when the people in a body went to the temple. Christ therefore wished to implant in the people, as they were departing, not merely a longing for Himself , and doubts respecting His religion, but to bring it keenly home to them, just as a preacher should do at the end of his discourse. “Since they were going home,” says S. Chrysostom, “ He gives them saving food for their journey.”
Symbolically. The feast of tabernacles was joyful, and thus a type of the resurrection and joy of the blessed, to which Christ just before said He was going. So S. Cyril.
If any one thirst for his own salvation, and a happy and blessed eternity (for these we should especially thirst for and desire, as the highest good), “ let him come to Me,” i.e., believe in Me, and draw from Me Gospel truth, yea the Holy Spirit Himself, with all His gifts and virtues, for He will lead him to heavenly glory, where all his desires will be fully satisfied (comp. Is. lv. 1).
Ver. 38. — He that believeth in Me, as the Scripture saith, i.e., as he ought, by faith, moulded by love : he that so believeth as also to obey Me and My commands.
Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Where is this said? (1.) Rupertus, S. Thomas, and S. Jerome say in Prov. v. 16, “Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad.” (2.) F. Lucas in Is. lviii. 8, “Thou shalt be like a watered garden.” (3.) Others say that it is stated not in one place, but in many, for the prophets everywhere foretell that the abundance of spiritual gifts which Christ would give, would be like showers of water. See Joel ii. 28; Is. xli. 18, xliv. 3. See also Ezek. xxxvi. 25, and Ecclus. xxiv. 40, Vulg., “ I wisdom poured forth rivers,” &c. (In Angl. verses 30, 31), and Cant. iv. 15, “A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.”
Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Rivers
(say S. Ambrose and Theophylact), not a river, to denote the greatest abundance, force and efficacy of spiritual graces, as e.g., rivers of charity, of virginity, of martyrdoms and martyrs, of wisdom and of Christian eloquence. So S. Chrysostom, Rupertus, and others. S. Gregory (Hom. x. on Ezek.) saith : “ Because holy teachings flow from the minds of the faithful, as streams of living waters from the belly of believers. For what is the belly, but the inner feelings of the mind, that is, right intention, holy desire, and a will which is humble towards God, and loving to its neighbour?”
“ Consider,” says S. Chrysostom, “ the eloquence of Peter, the vehemence of Paul, and the wisdom of Stephen, for nothing escapes them as they speak, but they all go on as hurried forward by impetuously rushing streams.” As was the case at Pentecost, when Peter poured forth the streams of his spirit, and by one discourse converted three, and by another five, thousand Jews to Christ. And hence S. Jerome ( Ep . bri. to Pammacheus) saith, “ Paul was a chosen vessel, a trumpet of the Gospel, a roaring of a lion, a torrent of Christian eloquence : for as oft as I read him methinks I hear not words but thunders.” And S. Chrysostom saith, “ Paul is the heaven which hath the sun of righteousness, being himself a most pure and most profound sea of wisdom” ( Horn iv. de laudibus S. Pauli). But observe that Christ is the fount of living water, that is of living and quickening grace, “ For with Thee is the fountain of life ” (Ps. xxxvi. 9), and if we drink of this fountain (i.e., if we believe in Christ and obey Him), He will be in us a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (see John iv. 14). This fountain is the Holy Spirit, or His abundant and plenteous grace. And from this fountain dwelling in the soul, the countless and most perfect spiritual gifts and virtues flow, like rivers and streams, into the soul and body, into all their powers and acts, and reach even to those about them. For “ the grace of the Spirit,” saith Chrysostom, “ when it enters and waters the mind, fertilises it more than any stream ; it never fails, never falls short, never stops.” He therefore speaks of its indefectible abundance, and its wondrous operation, as a fountain and stream.
“ Faith, hope, and charity are streams of the Holy Spirit,” says S. Gregory, as S. John explains it below.
Out of his belly . That is, the heart and mind. “ The belly ” (says S. Augustine) “ is the conscience of the heart, for purified by this water, it will be itself a fountain. But the fountain is benevolence, which seeks the good of its neighbour, and therefore is not dried up, but ever flows.”
Shall flow . Abundantly, in virtuous acts, by the operations and impulses of the Holy Spirit, to lead not only themselves but others also to heaven. For the spring of this spiritual stream is in heaven, and it flows back to its original source, and carries back thither spiritual men with it (see chap. iv. 14).
Living waters. Not stagnant waters, but flowing and springing up. Abundance of living waters. (1.) Charity (S. Augustine). (2.) Spiritual joy (see Ps. xlvi.) (S. Basil). (3.) Evangelical doctrine (S. Ambrose). (4.) Heavenly happiness and glory, which S. John compares to the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb (Rev. xxii. 1). (5.) A fount of all grace and glory, all gifts of the Holy Spirit (so S. Chrysostom, Cyril, Origen, &c.)
Ver. 39. — But this spake He of the Spirit which they that believe on Him should receive. After His death, and by His merits at Pentecost , for before that the Apostles had not received it so copiously and abundantly as at that time ; and they at once watered the parched earth by the streams of their preaching and virtue, fertilised good works, inebriated it by the love of God, and inundated it with all virtues, by means of the living water of Christian grace, life, and doctrine.
For the Spirit was not yet given , i.e., the Holy Spirit was not yet given so copiously, because Jesus was not yet glorified. But why was not the Holy Spirit given visibly and abundantly before His Ascension ? (1.) S. Leo says, “In order that this gift and pouring forth of the Holy Spirit might be acknowledged as the fruit of His Passion, Ascension and Triumph. Just as kings give largesses to their people on occasions of great joy, as triumphs and so forth. (See Acts ii. 33.) “His Ascension ” (says S. Leo) “was the cause of His giving His Holy Spirit.” (2.) The sending of the Spirit was the glorification of Christ. For the Spirit by the greatness of His gifts wondrously set forth the glory of Christ. For He wrought so many miracles by the Apostles, as to convert the whole world to Christ. (3.) Because the disciples before the Ascension were not able to receive so great a gift, having such carnal notions of Christ. (4.) S. Augustine (in loc.): “He willed not to give the Spirit till after His Resurrection, in order that our charity might glow for the Resurrection , and being separated from the world may run wholly towards Him.” And S. Cyril, “Christ then became the Principle of our renewed nature, when, counting as nothing the bands of death, He rose again.” And again, “There was in the Prophets a certain of the Holy Spirit, and a light shining before them, to guide them to the knowledge of things to come. But to those who believed in Christ, there was not only the Holy Spirit, as a light to lead them on the way, but He dwelt within them, as if in His temple.”