Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 8:18
I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
18. I am one that bear witness of myself ] Or, It is I who bear witness of Myself (in My words and works), and there beareth witness of Me the Father, who sent Me (in Scripture and the voice from Heaven).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I am one that bear witness of myself – In human courts a man is not allowed to bear witness of himself, because he has a personal interest in the case, and the court could have no proof of the impartiality of the evidence; but in the case of Jesus it was otherwise. When one has no party ends to serve; when he is willing to deny himself; when he makes great sacrifices; and when, by his life, he gives every evidence of sincerity, his own testimony may be admitted in evidence of his motives and designs. This was the case with Jesus and his apostles. And though in a legal or criminal case such testimony would not be admitted, yet, in an argument on moral subjects, about the will and purpose of him who sent him, it would not be right to reject the testimony of one who gave so many proofs that he came from God.
The Father …beareth witness of me – By the voice from heaven at his baptism Mat 3:17, and by the miracles which Jesus performed, as well as by the prophecies of the Old Testament. We may here remark:
1.That there is a distinction between the Father and the Son. They are both represented as bearing testimony; yet,
- They are not divided. They are not different beings. They bear testimony to the same thing, and are one in counsel, in plan, in essence, and in glory.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
I (saith our Saviour) have two witnesses; I am one, I bear witness of myself; my Father is another, for he beareth witness of me. Our Saviours argumentation seemeth weak, unless we look upon him as exempt from the condition of ordinary men, and no mere man, by reason of the personal union of the Divine and human nature in his person. Nor must our Saviour be understood here to distinguish himself from his Father, in respect of his Divine being, for so he and his Father are one; but in respect of his office, as he was sent, and his Father was he who sent him. And indeed in the whole he seemeth to accommodate himself to the peoples apprehensions of him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
I am one that bear witness of myself,…. As he does of his sonship, in 1Jo 5:7.
And the Father that sent me, beareth witness of me; as he did, by the descent of the Spirit upon him at his baptism, and by a voice from heaven, both at that time, and at his transfiguration, and by the miracles which he wrought; and particularly he bore testimony of him, long before, in prophecy, that he was the light of the world he now said he was, Isa 42:6; so that here were two testifiers, his Father and himself; which show them to be two distinct divine persons, and equal to each other: and now if the testimony of two men is true, firm, and authentic, and to be depended upon and received, then much more the testimony of two divine persons; see 1Jo 5:9.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Father ( ). Clearly genuine here. So these are the two witnesses that Jesus presents to the Pharisees in defence of his claim to be the Light of the World (verse 12).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “I am one that bear witness of myself,” (ego eimi ho marturon peri emautou) “I am (exist as) one who witnesses concerning myself,” as a witness number one, a good witness, would you not agree? Joh 8:12; Joh 8:14; Joh 10:10; Joh 10:28. He is that narrow or restricted way that leads to life, Mat 7:14; Act 4:12.
2) “And the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” (kai marturei peri emou ho pempsas me pater) “And the Father, the one who sent me, he witnesses concerning me,” as witness number two, also a good witness, would you not agree? Mat 3:16-17; Mat 17:5; 2Pe 1:17. He not only witnessed but also keeps on witnessing of Jesus through the Word, the Holy Spirit, the believer and the church-bride, Rev 22:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) I am one that bear witness of myself.The Greek has no word to express the English one. It is more exactly, I am He who beareth witness. The twofold witness is (1) in His own individualityI, who know whence I came and whither I go, testify of Myself to you who know neither; and (2) in the fact that the Father sent Him. He is the Ambassador from the Father, accredited by the Fathers works and the voice from heaven, and His word is official as well as personal.
The thought is closely connected with that of Joh. 8:16. His judgment is not individual judgment, because of the union with the Father. His witness is not only individual witness, but that of the Father also. The whole passage should be carefully compared with the close of John 5.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
Ver. 18. I am one that bear witness, &c. ] Christ is alius from his Father, not aliud; another person, not another thing. As in the person of Christ there is aliud et aliud another and another (against Eutyches), not alius et alius different and different (against Nestorius). In this text, the Divinity of Christ is plainly distinguished from his humanity; how else should he and the Father be two witnesses to himself?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bear witness. Same as “bear record” in Joh 8:13. See note on Joh 1:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 8:18
Joh 8:18
I am he that beareth witness of myself,-[In addition to his own testimony that he came from the Father, there were his mighty works bearing the same testimony. We know, said Nicodemus, that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.]
and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.-He gave the two witnesses in behalf of his claims. His could be accepted inasmuch as the Father wrought through him.
[The witness of the Father is found in all the prophets who spoke of Christ, and also given at his baptism by testimony from heaven. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mat 3:16-17).]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
one: Joh 8:12, Joh 8:25, Joh 8:38, Joh 8:51, Joh 8:58, Joh 10:9, Joh 10:11, Joh 10:14, Joh 10:30, Joh 11:25, Joh 14:6, Rev 1:17, Rev 1:18
and: Joh 5:31-40, Heb 2:4, 1Jo 5:6-12
Reciprocal: Num 35:30 – General Deu 17:6 – General Joh 5:32 – is another Joh 5:37 – borne Joh 6:27 – for him 2Co 13:1 – In 1Jo 5:7 – The Father
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
Jesus and his Father would make two witnesses testifying to the same truth. According to the ordinance of their own document of law, that would establish the divinity of Jesus, the fact that was especially offensive to these Jews.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 8:18. I am he that beareth witness concerning myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness concerning me. In all the Sons witness concerning Himself, it is the Father that beareth witness concerning Him. This is the teaching of chap. 5, and it is easy to see that the witness may with equal truth be spoken of as that of Two, or as that borne by One (the Father). In thus speaking to His enemies of a twofold witness, He may mean either (1) that they should themselves have discerned in Him, over and above that which in a holy human prophet they would have accepted as witness, a higher presence which could only be Divine; and that, had they done this, they could never have thought of His word as standing alone:or (2) that in the witness which He had borne they had dreamed of unsupported words only because they could not attain to that perfect knowledge which He alone possessed. They heard and saw one witness only: to His consciousness there were two. The first of these two views is by much the more probable. Jesus appeals to two facts which they ought to have known, that He was the expression of the Father, and that what He was the Father was. These were two wholly separate and independent things, although the validity of each depended upon that consciousness of the Divine in them which they had silenced. There is thus here no petitio principii as has been thought even by distinguished commentators.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
8:18 {d} I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
(d) The Godhead is plainly distinguished from the manhood, or else there would not be two witnesses: for the accused party is not taken as a witness.