He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.
All Commentaries on John 7:38 Go To John 7
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
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 Proverbs 5:16, "Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad." (2.) F. Lucas in Isaiah 58:8, "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 2:28; Isaiah 41:18, Isaiah 44:3. See also Ezekiel 36:25, and Sirach 24:40 , Vulg, "I wisdom poured forth rivers," &c. (In Angl. verses30 , 31), and Song of Solomon 4:15, "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 Isaiah , 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. lxi. 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" (Hom. vi. 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" ( Psalm 36:9), 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 4:14). 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 Isaiah , 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. iv14).
Living waters. Not stagnant waters, but flowing and springing up. Abundance of living waters. (1.) Charity (S. Augustine). (2.) Spiritual joy (see Psalm 46) (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 ( Revelation 22:1). (5.) A fount of all grace and glory, all gifts of the Holy Spirit (so S. Chrysostom, Cyril, Origen, &c.)
