John 7:37-52 (NRSV)

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.  As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"  Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.  When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, "This is really the prophet."  Others said, "This is the Messiah."  But some asked, "Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?  Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"  So there was a division in the crowd because of him.  Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.  Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, "Why did you not arrest him?"  The police answered, "Never has anyone spoken like this!"  Then the Pharisees replied, "Surely you have not been deceived too, have you?  Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him?  But this crowd, which does not know the law-they are accursed."  Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, "Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?"  They replied, "Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you?  Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee."

“Why did you not arrest him?” – The leaders are at it again, and are afraid of Jesus and his prophetic message.  The festival has ended and Jesus offers us an invitation again to believe in him and the message that he brings.  He is the source of ‘living water’ – and offers the world a drink.

The Pharisees and scribes continue to question his authority and the source of Jesus’ message.  They get tied up in the semantics of where he is from and whether he fits the prophecy that has been handed down from the patriarchs and prophets.  It is interesting that they still havent done anything about Jesus who is obvoiusly upsetting the apple cart.

Nicodemus, a friend and follower of Jesus, moves in and returns the challenge.  He reminds the leaders that the law requires a hearing to determine if there is any quilt.  (We should remember that what Jesus is doing is not illegal.  It's upsetting the leadership, but it's not illegal)  The leaders are quick to challenge and dismiss Nicodemus too, stating that he must be a supporter because he is from the same place.

It seems that this texts has a lot to do with location.  Why is that where Jesus lives have so much bearing on who he is?  It kind of reminds me of someone (possibly from a small town in the south) saying to someone else, "hey boy - where are you from?" -- followed by "you ain't from around here are you!"  There are already folks that are outwardly calling him prophet and messiah and I think that the leaders are feeling more threatened than ever.  I feel that this text has a call to us to believe.  Not listen to the leaders who are condemning Jesus, but be willing to fully believe and then take a drink from the source of the living water, which is our salvation.