Water of Life

Biblical Texts

In the New Korean Revised Version (Gaeyeok Gaejeong), the term "water of life" (saengmyeongsu) appears in Revelation.

• Revelation 7:17: The Lamb leads the multitude clothed in white robes "unto living fountains of waters."
• Revelation 21:6: God declares, "I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely."
• Revelation 22:1-2: "A pure river of water of life, clear as crystal," proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb and flows through the midst of the street of the New Jerusalem; on either side of the river stands the tree of life.
• Revelation 22:17: In what is nearly the final invitation in the Bible, "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

The same concept also appears under the term "living water." In Jeremiah 2:13, God calls Himself "the fountain of living waters." In John 4:10-14, Jesus promises the Samaritan woman water after which she will never thirst again.

Background

The Hebrew mayim ḥayyim and the Greek hydōr zōn literally mean "living water." In everyday usage, the phrase referred to water that springs up from a source or flows, as opposed to collected rainwater or the water of a cistern or pool. In Palestine, where water was scarce, a spring that never ran dry was a matter of survival, and it therefore became a natural metaphor for God as the giver of life.

The saying about "rivers of living water" in John 7:37-38 was spoken on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Later Jewish literature (the Mishnah) records a ritual in which water was drawn from the Pool of Siloam during the Feast of Tabernacles and poured out at the altar, and many interpreters read Jesus' words against this background.

Significance Across Scripture

The river of the water of life is linked to the river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:10). The vision in Ezekiel 47:1-12 also forms part of its background. In that vision, water flowing out from the temple grows steadily deeper and brings life to the Dead Sea, and the leaves of the trees along the river serve as medicine for healing. Zechariah 14:8 prophesies that living waters will go out from Jerusalem. Revelation gathers these Old Testament images together and portrays them as the consummation of the new creation.

The New Testament connects this water with the Holy Spirit and eternal life. John 7:39 explicitly explains that the rivers of living water refer to the Spirit whom those who believe would receive.

Interpretations and Points of Debate

• Most denominations read the water of life as the salvation and life that God gives, that is, as the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Since the patristic era, some traditions, including the Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions, have also read this water in connection with baptism. Other Protestant denominations generally regard it solely as a spiritual symbol.
• Some dispensationalist interpreters regard Ezekiel 47 and Zechariah 14 as describing geographical events that will literally take place during the millennial kingdom. Amillennialists read these passages symbolically.
• The text does not claim that any particular water has healing properties. In Korea, Park Tae-sun's Jeondogwan movement (today Cheonbugyo) is widely known for distributing water it had blessed, which it called "water of life" (saengmyeongmul). Established denominations have regarded this as distinct from the biblical water of life.

In the Korean Church

Revelation 22:17 is frequently quoted in evangelistic tracts and invitational sermons. The phrase "rivers of living water" from John 7:38 is commonly used in sermons and worship songs at revival meetings and Holy Spirit rallies. The terms "water of life" (saengmyeongsu) and "living water" (saengsu) are also widely used in church names.