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Joh 7:37. Ἐσχάτῃ, in the last) This was the seventh day: not the eighth, inasmuch as it was one which had its own proper feast. See F. B. Dachs, ad cod. Succa, p. 373; comp. p. 357, 405. This seventh day was an especially solemn one in the Feast of Tabernacles; Lev 23:34; Lev 23:36, “On the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord; it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein;” Num 29:12, “On the fifteenth day of the seventh month,” the Feast of Tabernacles began, etc.; Neh 8:18, “Day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God; and they kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly.” 2Ch 7:8, “Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt; and in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly,” etc. Jesus also Himself made this day a great day; nor was there remaining before the passion of the Lord another such day of so great solemnity, and celebrated by so large a crowd. He therefore availed Himself of the opportunity[205]).-εἄν τις διψᾷ, if any man thirst[206]) An apposite expression, even [independently of other reasons] on account of that rite, when on that last day of the feast they were wont to draw water from the fountain of Siloah, and to pour it in libation upon the altar of the whole burnt-offering. See Surenhus. de Alleg., V. T., p. 354. [To thirst is the first distinguishing mark of a soul panting for salvation, and a most sure characteristic of such a one.-V. g.]-ἐρχέσθω, let him come) Rev 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.-And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
[205] The antitypes to the Passover and Pentecost were realized in the sacrifice of Christ, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Jerusalem before the entire abolition of types. Thus also in this passage it is permitted to us to observe an antitype to the Feast of Tabernacles, which the Saviour enlightened with such a splendour of His own glory, repeating at Jerusalem that remarkable promise, Zechariah 14 (ver. 18, 17, which points to Jerusalem; [the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to worship at the feast of tabernacles; whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, even upon them shall be no rain]), and soothing the minds of believers by the very abundant fulfilment of it, then to be so immediately looked for.-Harm., p. 354, etc.
[206] There are not wanting persons who, in the present day, think that His speech in this passage refers to the miraculous gifts of those who received the apostolic doctrine. (See D. Ernesti Bibl. theol. Noviss. T. i. p. 791.) Nor truly can any one maintain with good reason that these gifts are not referred to: Comp. ver. 39, etc., “The Holy Ghost was not yet given,” etc. Yet I should be sorry to think, that this universal and most solemn promise should be so restricted, as that you must think, that those gifts of the Holy Spirit are excluded, which every soul that is weary of vanity thirsts for. In fact the passage Zec 14:8, “It shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem,” compared with Joh 8:1, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness” not obscurely teaches, that those gifts of the Spirit are at least at the same time implied, of which every one hath need, in order that he may be brought to a real state of rest, and a better life.-E. B.