John presentes a complex and multi-faceted pneumatology in which God’s Spirit is understood through two primary lenses: living water and Paraclete. Accordingly, this paper will analyze such language and themes through a literary-historical lens. Jewish tradition and theology, especially the OT prophets, provide the historical and theological backdrop for John’s pneumatology and eschatology. Further, the narrative progression of John’s Gospel highlights John’s development and synthesis of such themes. Water imagery throughout the Gospel progressively equips readers to understand Jesus’ giving of the Spirit-Paraclete in chs. 14–20. The opening chapters of John all feature water in prominent dialogues. In ch. 1, John the Baptist baptizes with water, but Jesus baptizes with the Spirit (1:26–34). In ch. 3 Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water and Spirit to enter God’s kingdom (3:3–5). In. ch. 4, Jesus offers living water that grants eternal life while anticipating worship in Spirit and truth (4:13–24). By ch. 7, readers should be prepared to understand that Jesus’ offer of living water actually points to the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God (7:37–39). Such an offer is fulfilled when Jesus gives up his Spirit upon the cross (19:30) and then rises again to breathe the Spirit into his disciples (20:22). The living water of Christ, poured out upon and welling up within the disciples, will be the channel through which blessings flow to all of creation.
However, the theme of water fades into the background in the Final Discourse as John focuses upon the Paraclete. Though water is not mentioned in the final discourse, John has prepared his readers to understand that Jesus’ outpouring of living water is actualized through the giving of the Paraclete. As Christ returns as Paraclete, the living water that pours from Christ into his followers flows from them and initiates eschatological restoration. Further, the return of Christ as Spirit-Paraclete sets the precedent for Jesus’ future Parousia. The presence of the Spirit in the life of the believer is assurance that Jesus will return. As such, the coming of the Paraclete fulfills the cosmic scope and OT background of John. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters in Genesis brings new life to creation as the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ inaugurates the final era of history. The Spirit, anticipated by the Jewish prophets, would now begin to pour out the living water that renews and restores all of creation.