Expert: Rev C.Brian Ross - 12/3/2006

Question
Yes it was a long answer and so I appreciated it all the more - for some reason or other, this tunnel that was built by Hezekiah has fascinated my for about 9 months now and I dont understand why - and so I am comming to the experts panel to ask them about it.

In john chapt 7 Jesus is watching the rituals at the feast of the tabernacles. The Jews were taking golden bowls of water and filling them from the pool of Siloam - watching this, in verse 37 and 37 of John chapter 7, Jesus tries to avert the crowds attention to Himself as the living water - not that which was taken from the pool of Siloam.
    Now my follow up question would be this - as you had stated earlier - the pool's water was a symbol of life back then and now here Jesus in short is saying, "No, It's ME who you should be turning to for life." I guess ultimately I would like to know If GOD Himself considered that pool to indeed be a symbol of life and blessing or a man made attempt to ensure life? Thanks again
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
During the last day of the feast of the tabernacles - the Jews were doing their whole water ritual. They used water from the pool of Siloam while Jesus was telling them that HE was indeed the living water - I was wondering if there was any significance to the fact that under Hezekiah's rule, this pool was what kept the people supplied with water during the three years they were under seige? Thankyou
-----Answer-----
Dear Pete,
Thank you for your question.  The first question I was asked was relatively easy to answer, but you have raised a more challenging issue!

Let’s look at the background, first of all in the time of Hezekiah, and then in the time of Jesus

There are three references to Hezekiah’s “water-retention” policy.  These are in II Kings 20:20; II Chronicles 32:30; and the non-canonical Sirach 48:17.  Each of these refers to the tunnel that Hezekiah had dug, from the Gihon Spring, and which ended in a pool that, later, was known as the Pool of Siloam.  This was, undoubtedly, to ensure a water supply in the event of a siege.  What many archaeologists and scholars believe to be the real Pool of Siloam, was only discovered a few years ago – somewhat to the west of the previously known pool.  I can neither recall, nor find, any reference to a three-year siege of Jerusalem during the reign of this king, although the Assyrian king, Sennacherib twice invaded Judah during Hezekiah’s reign.  However, II Chronicles 32:9ff shows that he only sent a deputation to Jerusalem, while “(…he and all the forces with him laid siege against Lachish)”   The LORD intervened, in a miraculous way (32:21 ff; II Kings 19:35), and Sennacherib returned to his own kingdom where, some years later, he was assassinated by two of his own sons.

The only New Testament references to the Pool of Siloam are in John 9, in the context of the healing of a man who had been blind from birth. The story of Jesus and the blind man, is well known. Jesus was fleeing the Temple to escape either the priests or an angry crowd when He encountered the man. His disciples asked Jesus who had sinned, the man or his parents, to cause him to be born blind.

Jesus said that neither had sinned, but that the man had been born blind so that God's work might be revealed in him. With that, He spat in the dust to make mud, which He rubbed in the man's eyes before telling him to wash it off in the Pool of Siloam. When the man did so, he was able to see.

Now things begin to get interesting!  The name of the pool comes from a Hebrew word (shiloah) that means “sent”.  In John 9:5, the apostle records Jesus’ words “…I am the Light of the world”.  The waters of the pool flow from the Temple mount and, even in the Old Testament, are regarded as symbolic of the spiritual blessings that flow from the dwelling-place of God. (cf Isaiah 8:6)  The significance of the references to the pool and its supplying conduit would then be that, for spiritual cleansing, we must go to the true Siloam – even the One “sent” by the Father, and Who brings not just physical sight, but also spiritual sight to all who do so.

I realise that this is a long answer, but I trust that it will have brought some enlightenment.  Please feel free to follow up with a supplementary question.
Blessings
C.Brian Ross  

Answer
Dear Pete,
After nine months, you are probably a greater expert on the subject than I!!!!
However, for what it’s worth, here are my further thoughts.  I believe that the Old Covenant was a type/picture of the New Covenant.  As Augustine (I think!) put it: “The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed”  This means that I would see all of the OT (Jewish) festivals and rituals as being pictures in which we may discern Gospel truths.  I agree, therefore, with your interpretation that Jesus was pointing out (ekraxen = shouting loudly!) that He is the source of real life.  As to whether, or not, God considered the pool to be such a symbol, I would have to settle for saying “only in a typological sense”.  I’m not trying to dodge the issue, but the bottom line is that only God knows the mind of God (see Rom.11:34; I Cor.2:16).  Deut.29:29 is a useful little warning to us not to try to delve too deeply into things that only God knows!
I trust that this will be of further assistance – even if it may not be the definitive answer that I suspect you were wanting.
Blessings,
CBR