Jesus came to teach us about heavenly things. However, because we are earthbound, He had to use earthly concepts to teach us those heavenly things. The woman at the well is a great example of this: “Jesus replied to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water’” (John 4:10). Because the Samaritan woman didn’t understand that Jesus was using a metaphor, she wanted to fill her vase with this living water.
That can lead us to wonder why Jesus didn’t speak to her more plainly. That thought comes from a viewpoint seen through our earthly glasses. Jesus did speak to her plainly. The problem is that Jesus’ message is wider than we can see through these tiny earthly lenses.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman (and us) not just about the living water He could give her but the living water that flows from every believer: “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:38). Where does Scripture say this? It’s not a direct quote. We’re expected to know the Scriptures. One place we read about the living water is in Ezekiel where we see the combined expanse of the metaphoric river coming from believers: “Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not wade across, because the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be crossed by wading” (Ezekiel 47:5).
Ezekiel 47 is a messianic prophecy about the kingdom of God. A kingdom that swells over time, flooding the world with living water, flowing from God’s people, bringing life and healing to all. When we have our earthly glasses on, we can miss the scriptural language used by Jesus and the apostles. Many times, this scriptural language is defined in the Old Testament, especially in the books of the prophets. The New Testament does not stand alone. We must also know the original Scriptures.