Justin Appel

Dear Friends in Christ,

Like other pilgrims, Jesus travelled to Jerusalem during festival periods, and these occasions helped to frame his actions. Already, in the Gospel of John, Jesus went to the temple during Passover and ‘cleansed’ the temple, as people exchanged money for animals to sacrifice.

Today’s Gospel lesson unfolds in the context of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, a week-long harvest festival that served as a remembrance of Israel’s time wandering in the desert of Sinai. During that time, the people lived in tents, so a major part of the festival involved making huts (called Sukkah in Hebrew) in which one would ‘camp out’ during the festival.

At Jesus’ time, the eighth day of the feast in Jerusalem included two ceremonial aspects. In the first, water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam and brought to the temple, mixed with wine, and poured out at the base of the alter as a drink offering. This ceremony recalled the episode when God provided water from the rock that Moses struck. Second, large lamps would be lit in the courtyard of the temple, recalling the way God led the people as a pillar of light.

If you can imagine these activities, with the same pilgrimage energy that fills Jerusalem’s streets in our own day, and see the water and light ceremonies taking place, you will also understand how radical it was for Jesus to stand up and shout ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink’ (John 7:37). Or later, with Pharisees around, Jesus said ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life’ (8:12).

Jesus clearly intended to identify himself with God the Spirit, flowing out of the hearts of those who believe in him, and with God the Pillar of Light who delivered the Israelites from slavery. Jesus was present in the desert those many years earlier, and he speaks with foresight regarding the Spirit’s activity in the Church.

Yours in Christ,
Justin