On this occasion, above all the confusion of the crowd and the sounds of rejoicing, a voice is heard: "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." The attention of the people is arrested. Outwardly all is joy; but the eye of Jesus, beholding the throng with the tenderest compassion, sees the soul, parched, and thirsting for the waters of life. And yet many who were eagerly seeking to satisfy the wants of the soul by a round of empty ceremonies, to quench their thirst from cisterns that hold no water, understood not their great need. They manifested great outward joy that the fountain had been opened, but they refused to drink of its lifegiving waters themselves.

Ved denne lejlighed hørtes over lyden af skarens larm og jubel en stemme, der sagde: "Om nogen tørster, han komme til mig og drikke!" Folkets opmærksomhed fanges. Udadtil er alt glæde, men Jesu øje, der betragter skaren med den ømmeste kærlighed, ser sjælen, der hungrer og tørster efter livets vand. Og alligevel søgte mange at dække sjælens behov ved de mange tomme ceremonier, at slukke deres tørst fra cisternerne der ikke havde vand, og forstod ikke deres store behov. De viste stor ydre glæde over kilden var blevet åbnet, men de nægtede selv at drikke af dens livgivende vande.