John 7:39 Study Bible: But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

◄ John 7:39 ►

He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Study Bible

He was speaking about the Spirit,

In this passage, "the Spirit" refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit's role is significant in the New Testament, acting as a comforter, guide, and source of power for believers. Jesus frequently spoke about the coming of the Holy Spirit, particularly in the Gospel of John (John 14:16-17, 26; 16:7-15). The Spirit's work is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to guide believers into all truth.

Jhn 14:16-17 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another…
Jhn 16:13-15 However, when the Spirit of truth comes…
Act 1:4-5 And while they were gathered together, He commanded them:…

whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.

This phrase indicates a future event for the disciples and early believers. The reception of the Holy Spirit is a promise fulfilled at Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. This event marked the beginning of the Church and the empowerment of believers to spread the Gospel. The Holy Spirit's indwelling presence is a distinctive feature of the New Covenant, contrasting with the Old Testament, where the Spirit came upon individuals temporarily for specific tasks.

Act 2:38-39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you,…
Gal 3:14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing…
Eph 1:13 And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth…

For the Spirit had not yet been given,

At this point in Jesus' ministry, the Holy Spirit had not been given in the way that would occur after Jesus' ascension. In the Old Testament, the Spirit's presence was selective and temporary, but the New Testament promises a permanent indwelling for all believers. This giving of the Spirit is a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as Joel 2:28-29, which speaks of God pouring out His Spirit on all people.

Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you.…
Jhn 16:7 But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit…
Act 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together…

because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The glorification of Jesus refers to His death, resurrection, and ascension. It is through these events that Jesus completed His work of salvation, making it possible for the Holy Spirit to be given to believers. Jesus' glorification is a central theme in the Gospel of John, where His crucifixion is paradoxically seen as the moment of His exaltation (John 12:23-33). The sending of the Spirit is contingent upon Jesus' return to the Father, as He explained in John 16:7.

Act 2:32-33 God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses…
Jhn 17:1-5 When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes…
Php 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place…

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus
Central figure in the Gospel of John, speaking about the future coming of the Holy Spirit.

2. The Holy Spirit
Referred to as the Spirit, who believers would receive after Jesus' glorification.

3. Believers
Those who have faith in Jesus and are promised the future reception of the Holy Spirit.

4. Glorification of Jesus
Refers to Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension, after which the Holy Spirit would be given.

5. Feast of Tabernacles
The context in which Jesus speaks these words, a Jewish festival celebrating God's provision.

Teaching Points

The Promise of the Spirit
Jesus' words assure believers of the coming of the Holy Spirit, a promise fulfilled at Pentecost.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Spirit empowers, guides, and transforms believers, enabling them to live out their faith.

The Timing of the Spirit's Coming
The Spirit was given after Jesus' glorification, highlighting the importance of Jesus' death and resurrection in God's redemptive plan.

Living by the Spirit
Believers are called to live by the Spirit, producing spiritual fruit and reflecting Christ's character.

The Assurance of God's Presence
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit assures believers of God's continual presence and guidance in their lives.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the promise of the Holy Spirit in John 7:39 relate to the events of Pentecost in Acts 2?

2. In what ways does the Holy Spirit empower believers to live out their faith according to Galatians 5:22-23?

3. How does understanding the timing of the Spirit's coming after Jesus' glorification deepen our appreciation of the Gospel?

4. What practical steps can we take to ensure we are living by the Spirit and not by the flesh, as described in Romans 8:9-11?

5. How can the assurance of the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives impact our daily walk with Christ and our interactions with others?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Acts 2
The fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, where the Spirit is given to the believers.

John 14:16-17
Jesus promises the coming of the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who will dwell with and in the believers.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
Prophecy about God giving a new heart and spirit, connecting to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit of the Spirit, illustrating the transformative effect of the Spirit in a believer's life.

Romans 8:9-11
Describes the indwelling of the Spirit in believers, affirming their identity in Christ.

Sermons

Believers are Springs of Living Water	Sunday School Chronicle	John 7:37-52
Believers have a Perennial Spring Within Them	H. G. Salter., Bp. Westcott.	John 7:37-52
Boldness Best	Musculus.	John 7:37-52
Christ a Divine Fountain	H. W. Beecher.	John 7:37-52
Christ a Preacher	E. N. Kirk, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Christ Our Fountain Head	H. Dosker.	John 7:37-52
Christ the Cause of Division	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
Christ the Incomparable Teacher	R. Nesselmann.	John 7:37-52
Christ the Prophet		John 7:37-52
Christ the Standard of Preaching	N. Emmons, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Christians are not Ponds, But Spring-Heads	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
Christ's Call to Thirsty Souls	A. Raleigh, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Christ's Matchless Teaching	J. Trapp.	John 7:37-52
Christ's Satisfactions Full and Real	T. Guthrie, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Come and Drink	H. Bonar, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Diversity of the Holy Spirit's Operations	W. H. Van Doren, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Division of Feeling and Opinion About Christ	Bp. Ryle.	John 7:37-52
Faith is Easy	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
Grace Cannot Remain Hidden	J. Trapp.	John 7:37-52
He that Believeth on Me	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
Incomparableness of Christ's Teaching	A. Roberts, M. A.	John 7:37-52
Jesus the Christ	S. S. Times	John 7:37-52
Jesus the Christ	A. H. Moment, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Man's Thirst Quenched by Christ	H. J. W. Buxton.	John 7:37-52
Never Man Spake Like This Man	Lyman Abbott, D. D.	John 7:37-52
Nicodemus	J. P. Lange.	John 7:37-52
Nicodemus and the Sanhedrim	F. I. Dunwell, B. A.	John 7:37-52
Opposition to the Truth	J. W. L. M.	John 7:37-52
Our Lord as a Teacher	J. Baldwin Brown, B. A.	John 7:37-52
Rivers of Living Water	J. Riddell, M. A.	John 7:37-52
Similar But Contrasted Incidents	G. Burder., J. B. Figgis, M. A.	John 7:37-52
The Abundance and Vitality of the Spirit's Operations		John 7:37-52
The Affinity Between God and Man in Regard of Man's Wants and God's Fulness	Dean Goulburn.	John 7:37-52
The Benefit of Hearing the Truth	J. Trapp.	John 7:37-52
The Circumstance	E. N. Kirk, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Fulness of the Spirit the Gift of the Glorified Chris	Bp. Ryle.	John 7:37-52
The Glorification of Christ	Bp. Westcott.	John 7:37-52
The Gospel a General Offer of Grace	D. L. Moody.	John 7:37-52
The Great Invitation	T. Boston, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Holy Ghost was not Yet Given	Bp. Westcott., Bp. Westcott.	John 7:37-52
The Holy Spirit Must be Received by Us	Drelincourt.	John 7:37-52
The Holy Spirit Sustains the Inward Life of Believers	H. G. Salter.	John 7:37-52
The Incident	A. Edersheim, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Incomparable Ministry	Dean Vaughan.	John 7:37-52
The Opponents of the Truth	J. W. Burn.	John 7:37-52
The Patience of Christ	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
The Power of Divine Truth	C. H. Spurgeon., C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
The Preacher's Last Sermon for the Season	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
The Return of the Bailiffs	Bp. Ryle.	John 7:37-52
The Significance of the Incident and Christ's Use of It	W. Arnot, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Soul's Thirst Satisfied in Jesus	S. Martin.	John 7:37-52
The Spirit Dwelling In, and Flowing From, the Christian Man	M. Brock, M. A.	John 7:37-52
The Teaching of Jesus Christ	E. De Pressense, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Testimony of Sceptics	J. J. Rosseau.	John 7:37-52
The Thirst of Humanity Anticipated and Met	T. Binney.	John 7:37-52
The Thirsty Should Drink		John 7:37-52
The Unrivalled Eloquence of Jesus	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
The Wonderful Nature of Christ's Teaching	P. Doddridge, D. D.	John 7:37-52
The Words of Jesus	J. B. Figgis, M. A.	John 7:37-52
Thirst Relieved	G. Clayton.	John 7:37-52
Various Opinions	H. Melvill, B. D.	John 7:37-52
Water an Emblem of the Spirit		John 7:37-52
We Must Drink in the Gospel	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 7:37-52
We Must Feel Our Need of Christ Before We Come to Him	H. W. Beecher.	John 7:37-52

People

David, Jerusalemites, Jesus, Nicodemus

Places

Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea

Topics

Believe, Believed, Believing, Bestowed, Faith, Ghost, Glorified, Glory, Holy, Later, Receive, Referred, Spake, Spirit, Spoke, Wasn't, Yet

Dictionary of Bible Themes

John 7:39

     1511   Trinity, relationships in
     2024   Christ, glory of
     2505   Christ, ascension
     3040   Holy Spirit, promise of
     3242   Holy Spirit, baptism with
     3269   Holy Spirit, in Christ

John 7:25-43

7712 convincing

John 7:32-49

7552 Pharisees, attitudes to Christ

John 7:37-39

     2424   gospel, promises
     4293   water
     4817   drought, spiritual
     5015   heart, and Holy Spirit
     5580   thirst
     6670   grace, and Holy Spirit
     8145   renewal, people of God

John 7:37-40

2318 Christ, as prophet

John 7:38-39

3130 Holy Spirit, Counsellor
8022 faith, basis of salvation

Library

September 13 Morning
If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.--JOHN 7:37. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.--O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

June 9 Morning
Never man spake like this man.--JOHN 7:46. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.--The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.--His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend. All bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.--He taught them as one having …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 30 Evening
Nicodemus . . . he that came to Jesus by night.--JOHN 7:50. Peter followed him afar off.--Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.--The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.--A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

One Saying with Two Meanings
'Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto Him that sent Me. 34. Ye shall seek Me, and shall not find Me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.'--JOHN vii. 33, 34. 'Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me; and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.'--JOHN xiii. 33. No greater contrast can be conceived than that between these two groups to whom such singularly similar words were addressed. The …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Rock and the Water
'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. 38. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'--JOHN vii. 37,38. The occasion and date of this great saying are carefully given by the Evangelist, because they throw much light on its significance and importance. It was 'on the last day, that great day of the Feast,' that 'Jesus stood and cried.' The Feast …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Fifteenth Day. The Holy Spirit.
But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him were to receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet: because Jesus was not yet glorified.'--John vii. 39. 'The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things.'--John xiv. 26. 'God chose you to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.'--2 Thess. ii. 13. (See 1 Pet. i. 2.) It has sometimes been said, that while the Holiness of God stands out more prominently …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

The Transfiguration: an Emergency Measure. Matthew 16:28-17:1-8. Mark 9:1-8. Luke 9:27-36.
God in Sore Straits: the darkest hour save one, fugitive, John 7:1. ban, John 9:22, 34. pushing, Matthew 15:1. Mark 7:1.--the danger zone, "withdrew," Matthew 4:12. 12:15. 14:13. 15:21. Tabernacles, John 7:32. 8:59.--Galileans desert, John 6:60-66.--the inner circle infected, John 6:67-71.--God needs men. Fire and anvil for Leaders: mental strength--seasoned leadership--Simon and Peter. An Irresistible Plan: alone with the twelve--the changed plan, Matthew 16:18-21.--Peter's stupid boldness, …
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

On the Words of the Gospel of John vii. 6, Etc. , Where Jesus Said that He was not Going up unto the Feast, and Notwithstanding Went
1. I Purpose by the Lord's assistance to treat of this section [3961] of the Gospel which has just been read; nor is there a little difficulty here, lest the truth be endangered, and falsehood glory. Not that either the truth can perish, nor falsehood triumph. Now hearken for a while what difficulty this lesson has; and being made attentive by the propounding of the difficulty, pray that I may be sufficient for its solution. "The Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand;" [3962] these it seems are …
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
Discourse 10 "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then thou shalt see clearly to …
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

"Let any Man Come. "
[7] "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. He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."--John 7:37-38. THE text which heads this paper contains one of those mighty sayings of Christ which deserve to be printed in letters of gold. All the stars in heaven are bright and beautiful; yet even a child can see that "one star differeth from another in glory" …
John Charles Ryle—The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times

Author's Preface.
I did not write this little work with the thought of its being given to the public. It was prepared for the help of a few Christians who were desirous of loving God with the whole heart. But so many have requested copies of it, because of the benefit they have derived from its perusal, that I have been asked to publish it. I have left it in its natural simplicity. I do not condemn the opinions of any: on the contrary, I esteem those which are held by others, and submit all that I have written to …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents

Answer to Mr. W's Sixth Objection.
6. and lastly, Let us consider the intrinsick absurdities, and incredibilities of the several stories of these three miracles, p. 36.--As to Jairus's daughter, and her resurrection from the dead, St. Hilary [13] hints, that there was no such person as Jairus;--and he gives this reason, and a good reason it is, why he thought so, because it is elsewhere intimated in the gospel that none of the rulers of the synagogues confessedly believ'd on Jesus, John vii. 48. and xii. 42. St. John's words in the …
Nathaniel Lardner—A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles

Want of Universality in the Knowledge and Reception of Christianity, and of Greater Clearness in the Evidence.
Or, a Revelation which really came from God, the proof, it has been said, would in all ages be so public and manifest, that no part of the human species would remain ignorant of it, no understanding could fail of being convinced by it. The advocates of Christianity do not pretend that the evidence of their religion possesses these qualities. They do not deny that we can conceive it to be within the compass of divine power to have communicated to the World a higher degree of assurance, and to have …
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

Our Historical Scriptures were Attacked by the Early Adversaries of Christianity...
Our historical Scriptures were attacked by the early adversaries of Christianity, as containing the accounts upon which the Religion was founded. Near the middle of the second century, Celsus, a heathen philosopher, wrote a professed treatise against Christianity. To this treatise Origen, who came about fifty years after him, published an answer, in which he frequently recites his adversary's words and arguments. The work of Celsus is lost; but that of Origen remains. Origen appears to have given …
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

Rejection of Christianity.
We acknowledge that the Christian religion, although it converted great numbers, did not produce an universal, or even a general conviction in the minds of men of the age and countries in which it appeared. And this want of a more complete and extensive success is called the rejection of the Christian history and miracles; and has been thought by some to form a strong objection to the reality of the facts which the history contains. The matter of the objection divides itself into two parts; as it …
William Paley—Evidences of Christianity

In the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles.
(October, a.d. 29.) ^D John VII. 11-52. ^d 11 The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he? [It was now eighteen months since Jesus had visited Jerusalem, at which time he had healed the impotent man at Bethesda. His fame and prolonged obscurity made his enemies anxious for him to again expose himself in their midst. John here used the word "Jews" as a designation for the Jerusalemites, who, as enemies of Christ, were to be distinguished from the multitudes who were in doubt …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Jesus' Brothers Advise Him to Go to Jerusalem.
(Galilee, Probably Capernaum.) ^D John VII. 2-9. ^d 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the feast of tabernacles, was at hand. [The first verse of this chapter tells us that Jesus kept away from Judæa because the Jews sought for his life. See page 393. This keeping away or seclusion began at the Passover season, and led Jesus not only to keep away from Judæa, but even to hover upon the outskirts of Galilee itself. This seclusion is described in Sections LXV.-LXXI. We now turn back to take up …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Story of the Adulteress.
(Jerusalem.) ^D John VII. 53-VIII. 11. [This section is wanting in nearly all older manuscripts, but Jerome (a.d. 346-420) says that in his time it was contained in "many Greek and Latin manuscripts," and these must have been as good or better than the best manuscripts we now possess. But whether we regard it as part of John's narrative or not, scholars very generally accept it as a genuine piece of history.] ^d 53 And they went every man unto his own house [confused by the question of Nicodemus, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

How to Know the Will of God
"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God."--JOHN vii. 17. THERE is an experience which becomes more and more familiar to every one who is trying to follow Christ--a feeling of the growing loneliness of his Christian life. It comes from a sense of the peculiarly personal interest which Christ takes in him, which sometimes seems so strong as almost to make him feel that his life is being detached from all the other lives around him, that it is being drawn out …
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

In the Last, the Great Day of the Feast'
IT was the last, the great day of the Feast,' and Jesus was once more in the Temple. We can scarcely doubt that it was the concluding day of the Feast, and not, as most modern writers suppose, its Octave, which, in Rabbinic language, was regarded as a festival by itself.' [3987] [3988] But such solemn interest attaches to the Feast, and this occurrence on its last day, that we must try to realise the scene. We have here the only Old Testament type yet unfilfilled; the only Jewish festival which has …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Journey to Jerusalem - Chronological Arrangement of the Last Part of the Gospel-Narratives - First Incidents by the Way.
THE part in the Evangelic History which we have now reached has this peculiarity and difficulty, that the events are now recorded by only one of the Evangelists. The section in St. Luke's Gospel from chapter ix. 51 to chapter xviii. 14 stands absolutely alone. From the circumstance that St. Luke omits throughout his narrative all notation of time or place, the difficulty of arranging here the chronological succession of events is so great, that we can only suggest what seems most probable, without …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

At the Feast of Tabernacles - First Discourse in the Temple
IT was Chol ha Moed - as the non-sacred part of the festive week, the half-holy days were called. [3949] Jerusalem, the City of Solemnities, the City of Palaces, the City of beauty and glory, wore quite another than its usual aspect; other, even, than when its streets were thronged by festive pilgrims during the Passover-week, or at Pentecost. For this was pre-eminently the Feast for foreign pilgrims, coming from the farthest distance, whose Temple-contributions were then received and counted. [3950] …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Links

John 7:39 NIV
John 7:39 NLT
John 7:39 ESV
John 7:39 NASB
John 7:39 KJV

John 7:39 Commentaries

Bible Hub