language _out of his belly_ clearly implies something received that it may flow _from_ the recipient unto others. The water which he drinks becomes in him a spring from which living waters flow, as the light which illuminates him makes him in turn one of the lights which illuminate the world (Matt. 5:14; Phil. 2:15). That this is the meaning is clear, not only from the language here, but from John’s interpretation in the succeeding verse. “The mutual and inspired intercourse of Christians from Pentecost downwards, the speaking in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, the mutual edification in Christian assemblies by means of the charismata even to the speaking with tongues, the entire work of the apostles, of a Stephen and so on, furnish an abundant historical commentary upon this text.”--(_Meyer._) 39 (But this spake he of the[293] Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet _given_; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) [293] ch. 16:7; Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17, 33. =39. But this spake he of the Spirit.= This declaration of John makes the second chapter of Acts and the succeeding history of the Church of Christ the true commentary on Christ’s promise.--=For the Spirit was not yet.= The meaning cannot of course be that the Holy Spirit had no existence, for “this would be not only in flat contradiction to chaps. 1:32, 33; 3:5, 8, 34, but to the whole O. T., in which the agency of the Spirit in the _outward world_ is recognized even more vividly than in the N. T.” (_Alford._) And it is not only in the outward world that the O. T. recognizes the Holy Spirit, but also in the hearts of individual prophets, who thus became the ministers of divine grace to others (Gen. 41:38; Exod. 4:11, 12; 31:3; 2 Chron. 15:1; Ps. 51:11; Isa. 63:11, 14). Nor does the addition by the translators of the word _given_ adequately represent the meaning, for the Holy Ghost was given before the glorification of Christ, but not to all men; he was not a universal gift. The meaning is that the dispensation of the Holy Ghost had not yet begun; he had not yet been so given that whoever had faith in the Son of God received the gift of the Holy Ghost and became one of the Lord’s prophets (Acts 2:38). See Acts 2:4, note.--=Because Jesus was not yet glorified.= The death and resurrection of Christ were the conditions precedent of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost (ch. 14:16, 17; 16:7; Acts 1:7-9). 40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.[294] [294] ch. 6:14; Deut. 18:15, 18. 41 Others said, This is the[295] Christ. But some said, Shall[296] Christ come out of Galilee? [295] chaps. 4:42, 6:69. [296] verse 52; ch. 1:46. 42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ[297] cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem,[298] where David[299] was?