Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 8:16
And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
16. And yet if I judge ] Or, But even if I judge, like ‘even if I bear witness’ ( Joh 8:14). ‘I judge no man; not because I have no authority, but because judging is not what I came to do. Even if I do in exceptional cases judge, My judgment is a genuine and authoritative one (see on Joh 1:9), not the mock sentence of an impostor. It is the sentence not of a mere man, nor even of one with a Divine commission yet acting independently; but of One sent by God acting in union with His Sender.’ Comp. Joh 5:30.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And yet, if I judge – If I should express my judgment of men or things. He was not limited, nor forbidden to do it, nor restrained by any fear that his judgment would be erroneous.
My judgment is true – Is worthy to be regarded.
For I am not alone – I concur with the Father who hath sent me. His judgment you admit would be right, and my judgment would accord with his. He was commissioned by his Father, and his judgment would coincide with all that God had purposed or revealed. This was shown by the evidence that God gave that he had sent him into the world.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
My testimony is not to be looked upon as a single testimony for myself; though I do judge, yet my judgment is true; for no act of mine is a single act: I and my Father are one; and what I do, my Father also doth, that sent me into the world as his ambassador. So as if the judgment of God be true, which you all own, grant, and acknowledge; then my judgment is true, because it is not mine only, but the judgment also of that God, whom you own, acknowledge, and worship, and who sent me into the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. And yet if I judge, my judgmentis true, c.Ye not only form your carnal and warpedjudgments of Me, but are bent on carrying them into effect I, thoughI form and utter My judgment of you, am not here to carry this intoexecutionthat is reserved to a future day; yet the judgment I nowpronounce and the witness I now bear is not Mine only as ye suppose,but His also that sent Me. (See on Joh5:31, 32). And these are the two witnesses to any fact which yourlaw requires.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And yet if I judge, my judgment is true,…. Because he saw not as man did, nor looked unto, and judged according to the outward appearance of things; but looked into the heart, and knew what was in it, being the searcher and trier of it; to whom all things are naked and open, and therefore cannot be deceived or imposed upon; his judgment must be sure and infallible:
for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me; he was not separate from the Father, or at a distance from him, when he was here on earth; he was in his bosom, and in heaven, as the Son of God, when as the son of man, he was below; nor was he alone in his testimony and judgment, the Father joined with him therein: and which is a further proof of the truth of his testimony, and the certainty of his judgment.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Yea and if I judge ( ). “And even if I pass judgment.” Condition of third class again.
True (althin). See 1:9 for , genuine, soundly based (cf. in 5:30), “satisfying our perfect conception” (Westcott), not merely true () in the particular facts (verse 14).
For I am not alone ( ). Jesus now takes up the technical criticism in verse 13 after justifying his right to speak concerning himself.
But I and the Father that sent me ( ). See 16:32 for a like statement about the Father being with Christ. It is not certain that is genuine here (omitted by Aleph D, but in B L W), but the Father is clearly meant as in John 7:18; John 7:33. Jesus gives the Father as the second witness.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
True [] . The best texts, however, read ajlhqinh, true to the perfect ideal of judgment.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And yet if I judge, my judgement is true:”- (kai ean krino de ego he krisis he eme alethine estin) “Yet even if I judge, my judgement is true,” authentic, trustworthy, and legal in nature, according to your law — the law of Moses, His judgments were true because He Himself was true and truth, Joh 14:6; 1Sa 16:7.
2) “For I am not alone,” (hoti monos ouk eimi) “Because I am (do not exist) alone,” though He had few human followers, Joh 8:29, as a sole witness of what I testify. For the Father was with Him in all that He said and did, as He came to do and finish His Father’s will and work that He had been sent to do, Luk 19:10; Gal 4:4-5.
3) “But I and the Father that sent me.” (all’ ego kai ho pempsas me) “But I and the one who has sent me,” God the Father, united in one person, Joh 3:17; Joh 16:32.
If Jesus judged He would not be alone in the sense that the Father had committed all judgement into His hands, Joh 3:18-19; Joh 5:22; Joh 5:30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. And if I judge, He adds this correction, that he may not appear entirely to surrender his right. If I judge, says he, my judgment is true, that is, it is entitled to authority. Now the authority arises from this consideration, that he does nothing but according to the commandment of the Father.
For I am not alone. This phrase amounts to an affirmative, that he is not one of the ordinary rank of men, but that he must be considered along with the office which was assigned to him by the Father. But why does he not rather make an open assertion of his Divinity, as he might truly and justly have done? The reason is, that as his Divinity was concealed under the veil of the flesh, he brings forward his Father, in whom it was more manifest. Still, the object of the discourse is, to show that all that he does and teaches ought to be accounted Divine.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) And yet if I judge, my judgment is true.Though judgment was not the object of His mission, it was, as He had taught in Joh. 3:19 (see Note there) the result of the manifestation of the Light. But in the cases in which the result followed, the judgment was not according to the flesh, but was in accord with the essential truth. The better reading here is, probably, the deeper word for ideally true, which we have had before. (Comp. Note on Joh. 1:9.)
For I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.Comp. Note on Joh. 5:30. Here, as there. He identifies every act of judgment with the eternal and unchangeable truth of the Father.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. If I judge true Such is the rectitude and infallibility of my divine nature.
Not alone My consciousness is illuminated by the divine consciousness of the Father.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Yes, and even if I were to judge my judgment would be true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me” (v. 16).
However, He also points out to them that actually He was in a position to judge, and that if He were to judge, they should be in no doubt that His judgments would be accurate and just. For His relationship with the Father was so close that any judgment He did make would be in association with the Father, and would be one with the Father’s. Thus it would be totally reliable. For He and His Father judged as One.
So Jesus, while claiming to have the full ability to judge on His own, puts Himself in parallel with His Father and stresses that any judgment that He makes is equally the result of the Father’s judgment. The truth of it could not therefore be doubted, and the fact was evidence of Whom He was. One again He is making clear His co-equality with the Father.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 8:16-18. And yet if I judge, At the same time our Lord told them, that if he should condemn any person for unbelief, such condemnation would be just, because his divine mission was true; being confirmed, not by his own testimony only, but by the Father’s also; and because every sentence of that kind which he should pass, would be pronounced by the authority, and agreeably to the will of his Father. “Yet if I judge, my judgment is true, that is, just and equitable; for I am not alone; nor do I expect that you should believe me solely on my own testimony, but me, and the Father that sent me concurring in the same testimony.” This led him to speak of the testimony which the Father bare to his divine mission. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true; “you could not justly complain, if I should punish you for your unbelief in such a case as this, since your own law directs you to believe every matter confirmed by the concurrent testimony of two witnesses, as my divine mission evidently is; for I am one that bear witness of myself, Joh 8:18 not by words only, but by all the actions of my life, which are perfectly agreeable to the character of the Messiah; and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me; that is, by the voice of his prophets, and by a voice from heaven; as well as by other means.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.
Ver. 16. For I am not alone ] But all one with the Father.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
if. Assuming the condition. App-118.
judgment. App-177.
the Father. See note on Joh 1:14.
sent. See App-174and note on Joh 1:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 8:16. , My judgment) The same principle holds good of judgment as of testimony: Joh 8:14; Joh 8:17, Though I bear record of Myself, yet My record is true;-the testimony of two-is true; ch. Joh 5:30, etc., As I hear I judge; and My judgment is just, because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father.-There is another that beareth witness of Me, etc. The testimony is in reference to God and the Son of God; the judgment is in reference to men.-, true) not according to the flesh, Joh 8:15.- , I am not alone) even in judging. Comp. ch. Joh 5:19, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.- , He who hath sent Me) By this very expression He intimates whence He came.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 8:16
Joh 8:16
Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.-But if he should judge his judgment would be correct since God was with him and guided him in his judgment. [His mission into the world was not to judge it, but to save it. He does not refrain from judging it because of incompetence of passing just judgment, for his Father would judge in him and all hearts are naked and laid open unto him.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
yet: Joh 5:22-30, 1Sa 16:7, Psa 45:6, Psa 45:7, Psa 72:1, Psa 72:2, Psa 98:9, Psa 99:4, Isa 9:7, Isa 11:2-5, Isa 32:1, Isa 32:2, Jer 23:5, Jer 23:6, Zec 9:9, Act 17:31, Rev 19:11
for: Joh 8:29, Joh 16:32
Reciprocal: Isa 11:3 – and he shall not Zec 4:9 – and Joh 3:17 – God Joh 5:30 – I judge Joh 7:28 – and I Joh 8:26 – to judge Joh 11:42 – that thou Joh 12:47 – I judge
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
Here Jesus states the reason for his assertion in verse 14 as to the assurance of his testimony, that it was verified by that of his Father. He testified to the divinity of his Son at the baptism (Mat 3:17), and also enabled him to perform miracles which no man could do on his own human strength.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 8:16. But even if I judge, my judgment is true: because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. Because in no action is He alone, even if He judges His judgment is true; it is a real judgment, a judgment corresponding, not to outward appearance, but to the eternal reality of things, because according to the Fathers will. The assertion of this verse, that the Father is ever with Him, corresponds to the words, I know whence I came, in Joh 8:14 : the link which binds together all these verses is His constant and perfect knowledge that the Father is with Him and in Him. In this lies the validity of His witness: in this is involved the condemnation of His foes.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Jesus was not judging anyone then. That aspect of His ministry lies in the future. However even if He did judge then His judgment would prove right (Gr. alethine, valid) because in that activity also He would be acting under and with the Father (cf. Joh 5:30). As Jesus represented the Father faithfully by revealing Him, so He will represent the Father’s will faithfully by judging. He did everything and will do everything with divine authority.