Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 7:18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
18. Proof almost in the form of a syllogism that He does not speak of Himself. It applies to Christ alone. Human teachers who seek God’s glory are not thereby secured from erroneous teaching. These verses (16 18) remind us, and might remind some of His hearers of an earlier discourse delivered in Jerusalem some seven months before: comp. Joh 5:19; Joh 5:30; Joh 5:37; Joh 5:44.
the same is true ] and therefore does not speak of himself, for whoever speaks what comes from himself is not true.
no unrighteousness is in him ] Or, unrighteousness is not in him. S. John does not say ‘falsehood’ as we might expect, but uses a wider word which points out the moral root of the falsehood. Comp. Joh 8:46. Throughout S. John’s writings the connexion between truth and righteousness, falsehood and unrighteousness is often brought before us. Hence his peculiar phrases ‘to do the truth’ (1Jn 1:6), ‘to do a lie’ (Rev 21:27; Rev 22:15).
There is no need to suppose that anything is omitted between 18 and 19, though the transition is abrupt. Christ has answered them and now takes the offensive. He exposes the real meaning of their cavillings; they seek His life.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That speaketh of himself – This does not mean about or concerning himself, but he that speaks by his own authority, without being sent by God, as mere human teachers do.
Seeketh his own glory – His own praise, or seeks for reputation and applause. This is the case with mere human teachers, and as Jesus in his discourses manifestly sought to honor God, they ought to have supposed that he was sent by him.
No unrighteousness – This word here means, evidently, there is no falsehood, no deception in him. He is not an impostor. It is used in the same sense in 2Th 2:10-12. It is true that there was no unrighteousness, no sin in Jesus Christ, but that is not the truth taught here. It is that he was not an impostor, and the evidence of this was that he sought not his own glory, but the honor of God. This evidence was furnished:
1.In his retiring, unobtrusive disposition; in his not seeking the applause of people;
2.In his teaching such doctrines as tended to exalt God and humble man;
3.In his ascribing all glory and praise to God;
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Joh 7:18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory.
The Jews marvelled that Christ had been educated in no school (Joh 7:15). This He contradicts (Joh 7:16), for the conclusion would have been that He was self-taught, and was therefore speaking His own theories, promulgating them on His own authority, and as a further consequence seeking His own glory–faults into which self-taught superficial men often fall, whereas the profoundly learned, recognizing their indebtedness to others, are usually humble and self-abnegating. Whether this doctrine was His own or not could be tested in two ways.
(1) By willingness to do Gods will.
(2) By an observation of His own character and aim. His words and works would show in whose name He spake and by whose power He wrought, and thus prove that His doctrine was of God. The text affords a basis for some remarks on
I. CONCEIT.
Conceit and humility
1. Its nature speaketh of Himself, which is true in two senses. The conceited man
(l) Speaks out of himself. He is known everywhere by his ostentatious parade of originality and infallibility. His own opinions evolved from his inner consciousness, in proud independence of other thinkers, are the standard of truth and untruth. His predecessors were all very well in their day; but their teaching is now obsolete. His contemporaries are right according to their light, but their light is only one remove from darkness. To raise the least objection against his ipse dixit is only an evidence of knowing nothing about it. How many such original geniuses afflict the Church, the state, halls of science and schools of philosophy!
(2) Speaks about himself. The conceited man is impatient of any talk that does not lead up to himself. He is known in the pulpit and literature by his extravagant use of the first person singular or plural. He is known in society by his monopoly of conversation, and his persistent obtrusion of his own opinions, achievements, property, etc. Who has not suffered from the infliction of his senseless and incessant babble!
2. Its aim–his own glory. This is the end which the conceited man never loses sight of, and everything he does has as its motive the gratification of his own personal vanity. He dresses and attitudinizes for the purpose of attracting attention; he talks to secure praise for his sagacity or adventures; he schemes and works that he may be talked about, or to obtain gain. And verily he has his reward.
II. HUMILITY.
1. Its nature.
(1) Acceptance of a mission from God that sent Him. To go because sent is an acknowledgment of servitude and obligation; and the consciousness of being sent by God can only convey the conviction of unworthiness. This is shown by the unvarying testimony of the greatest of Gods servants–Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul. And then the missions on which God sends us are often of the humblest character–to teach in a ragged school, to visit an obscure invalid, etc. But humility accepts them unmurmuringly, and fulfils them diligently.
(2) Giving all the glory to God. Sometimes the faithful discharge of some humble duty secures brilliant results. Here is the great test of humility. Men praise the missionary who, when he emerges from his obscurity, is found to have civilized a tribe of barbarians. Will he accept it or give it to God?
2. Its characteristics.
(1) Truth. Truth is everywhere humble, and the humble man is usually safe from temptations to untruthfulness because he has no appearances to keep up, and no self-interests to secure. He has given himself to God and lives for God. The conceited man, on the contrary, has to resort to very questionable practices and professions to maintain a reputation for consistency, and is haunted with the fear of being found out. The humble man is afraid of nothing and no one.
(2) Righteousness. God gave us our gifts whatever they are, and the opportunity for using them, and by His influence has produced what results crown our efforts. Humility recognizes His righteous due and gives it. Conclusion:
1. Pride goeth before destruction often in this life and at the hands of men; always in the next and at the hands of God.
2. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, perhaps by men, certainly by God. (J. W. Burn.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 18. He that speaketh of himself, c.] I will give you another rule, whereby you shall know whether I am from God or not: If I speak so as to procure my own glory, to gratify vanity, or to secure and promote my secular interests, then reject me as a deceiver and as a false prophet. But if I act only to promote the glory of God, to induce all men to love and obey him if I propose nothing but what leads to the perfection of his law, and the accomplishment of its ordinances, you cannot help acknowledging me at least for a true prophet; and, if you add to this the proofs which I have given of my mission and power, you must acknowledge me as the mighty power of God, and the promised Messiah.
And no unrighteousness is in him.] Or, there is no falsehood in him: so the word should be translated here; and it is frequently used by the Septuagint for sheker, a lie, falsehood, c. See in Ps 52:3; Ps 119:29; Ps 119:69; Ps 119:104; Ps 119:163; Ps 144:8. This is its meaning in Ro 2:8; where , falsehood, is put in opposition to , truth.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here our Saviour giveth them another note, by which they might know that his doctrine was of God, because he spake not of himself, nor sought his own glory in what he delivered. No man doth an action of and from himself, but he maketh himself the end of his action; for to what purpose should a man devise and broach new notions, but for some selfish advantage, that he may get some profit, or some honour and applause from men? But if a man acts as servant to another, and seeketh only the honour and applause of another, he is true, and cannot be presumed to have spoken of and from himself, but of and from him whose honour and glory he seeketh to advance; and in reason ought to be judged sincere and faithful in the execution of the trust committed to him, and to be without fraud and deceit, having no unrighteousness in him; there being no just cause to be presumed which should move him to speak any thing that is false. Hence also may be learned a good rule or direction, which divines ordinarily make use of to help us to judge of the truth of doctrines. Those doctrines which most tend to the advancing the honour and glory of God, and least to the advancement of the creature, those are most likely to be of God. And this also much tendeth to confirm the reputation of holy writ, and the penmen of it; for it is manifest that the penmen of it sought not their own glory in their writings, but the honour and glory of God, taking all shame to themselves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. seeketh his own glory(Seeon Joh 5:41-44).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He that speaketh of himself,….. What he himself has devised, and is a scheme of his own; for which he has no divine warrant and commission:
seeketh his own glory; honour and applause from men; as did the Scribes and Pharisees, who taught for doctrines the commandments of men, the traditions of the elders, their own glosses upon the law, and their own decisions and determinations: and as did the false teachers, who had nothing else in view but themselves, their worldly interest, or vain glory; these suited their doctrines to the minds and lusts of men, in order to gain their point:
but he that seeketh his glory that sent him; that gave him in commission what he should say and speak, and his only; as did Christ, and so his apostles after him:
the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him; he is an upright and faithful man, and what he says is truth; he brings true doctrine along with him, and there is no fraud or imposture in him; nor any insincerity “in his heart”, as the Syriac and Persic versions render it; nor any dishonesty in his conduct; he is no cheat or deceiver; was he, he would seek his own glory and interest; but as he appears to be a man of no design, his doctrine is to be depended on and received; and such was Christ.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
From himself (‘ ). This kind of teacher is self-taught, pushes his own ideas, presses his own claims for position and glory, “blows his own horn” as we say. Jesus is the other type of teacher, seeks the glory of the one who sent him, whose herald and ambassador he is.
The same (). “This one.”
Unrighteousness (). Old word from ( privative and ). Here in contrast with “true” (). See 2Thess 2:10; 1Cor 13:6 for the deceit of unrighteousness in contrast with truth as here.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
His own glory [ ] . Literally, the glow which is His own; the second article throwing His own into sharp contrast with His that sent Him. On His own, see on Act 1:7; Mt 22:5; Mt 25:15. The same [] . Notice the characteristic use of the pronoun taking up and emphasizing the principal subject of the sentence.
Unrighteousness [] . See on 2Pe 2:13.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “He that speaketh of himself,” (ho aph’ heautou lalon) “The one who speaks from himself,” ideas, thoughts, and concepts of his own, only, as a principle or general rule.
2) “Seeketh his own glory: (ten doksan ten idian zetei) “He seeks his own personal glory,” or honor, a thing Jesus did not seek, Joh 8:49-50. He is concerned with his own reputation, at the expense of those who taught him
3) “But he that seeketh his glory that sent him,” (ho de zeton ten dorsan tou pempsantos auton) “Yet the one who is seeking the glory of the one who sent him,” as Jesus was always doing, Php_2:3; Php_2:8. He, like an ambassador, represented His Father and heavenly things. And we are to be ambassadors, after His example of will, 2Co 5:20.
4) “The same is true,” (houtos alethes estin) ”This one or this person is true or genuine,” in character, is not hypocritical. He is worthy of trust, not a self-seeker, Joh 8:40; Joh 14:6; Php_2:5-11.
5) “And no unrighteousness is in him.” (kai adikia en auto ouk estin) ”And no unrighteousness, farce, or faking, exists in him,” in what he is or what he does. He has no ulterior motives or covert design in what He says or what He does. There is no injustice or dishonesty in Him, as there is in you all, is the implication, Joh 8:44-47.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
18. He who speaketh from himself. Hitherto he has showed that there is no other reason why men are blind, but because they are not governed by the fear of God. He now puts another mark on the doctrine itself, by which it may be known whether it is of God or of man. For every thing that displays the glory of God is holy and divine; but every thing that contributes to the ambition of men, and, by exalting them, obscures the glory of God, not only has no claim to be believed, but ought to be vehemently rejected. He who shall make the glory of God the object at which he aims will never go wrong; he who shall try and prove by this touchstone what is brought forward in the name of God will never be deceived by the semblance of right. We are also reminded by it that no man can faithfully discharge the office of teacher in the Church, unless he be void of ambition, and resolve to make it his sole object to promote, to the utmost of his power, the glory of God. When he says that there is no unrighteousness in him, he means that there is nothing wicked or hypocritical, but that he does what becomes an upright and sincere minister of God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) He that speaketh of himself.Again the words repeat the thoughts of the earlier discourse. (See Notes on Joh. 5:41-44.) They contrast His position and that of His hearers. Professional teachers, they sought glory one from another, and regarded their teaching as of themselves, the special honour of their caste. In the pride of their own knowledge they willed not the glory of God, and so had not the faculty to know and receive His teaching. He sought the will of Him that sent Him, and therefore was true, in harmony with the eternal will of God. The effect of the submission of His will to the Fathers, and His seeking in word and work the Fathers glory, was that there was no possibility of unrighteousness in Him. This emphasis laid upon truth and righteousness has reference to the charges which they are plotting against Him, and which have already been expressed in the murmuring of the multitude (Joh. 7:12). The words are clearly to be explained with special reference to their position and His, but the general form of the expressions, He that speaketh of himself . . . He that seeketh His glory . . . show that this is not the exclusive reference. They, too, hold good of every man who speaketh of himself, and of every man who seeketh the glory of Him that sent Him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. His own glory Jesus preserved his rectitude by seeking God’s will and glory alone; the Jew lost his by seeking his own glory, disregarding God’s will, and breaking God’s law.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true and in him there is no falsehood’.
He pointed out that the one whose authority we claim is the one whose glory we seek. Thus those who speak in their own name or the name of their group are seeking their own glory. But Jesus did not do this. He spoke only in the Father’s name. This made it clear that He was seeking the Father’s glory. Thus He could only speak what was true and abhor falsehood, otherwise the Father would be displeased.
Those who sought their own glory have already been shown to be the Judaisers (Joh 5:44). They had become so proud of their teaching and their body of knowledge that it had become more important to them than recognising the truth. They wanted people to look to them and their own brand of teaching, rather than thinking freely about the word of God. They saw themselves as the authorities and required all to submit to that authority. So what was once a genuine attempt to solve problems (their own body of teaching, ‘the traditions of the elders’) had become something to be protected and defended at all costs, resulting in much pedantry and hypocrisy (they strained out a gnat and swallowed a camel – Mat 23:24).
Jesus on the other hand is saying that He is not seeking to defend anything. He is only seeking the glory of the One Who sent Him, and speaking directly from God. Thus what He is saying is true without any dissimulation or insincerity.
‘‘He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory.’ His point is that it is always dangerous to consider oneself an authority. Once a person is seen as an authority, and speaks as thus, he always has his own reputation and glory in mind. Everything he says is said with a view to maintaining the hard earned reputation of himself and of his group. And on top of this he is bound by the decisions of those of similar status so as to maintain the reputation of the whole. So when he speaks he has to do it in the light of the group wisdom and of previous decisions which are seen as binding. This is necessary in order to maintain his own status in the group, and to maintain the status of the group. Thus all the time he has an eye to his own glory. But such a position can only be the enemy of truth, for there is then no room for another viewpoint to step through.
Furthermore those who communicate the decisions of these great men are also bound by them to an even greater extent, for they receive their own reflected glory from them. Thus they know that if they were to take up another attitude or view, all their reputation for ‘learning’ would be lost. They would no longer be recognised as ‘sound teachers’. This was the case with the Judaisers. In order to maintain their own authority they taught by constantly referring to the decisions of their own Rabbis. And these Rabbis looked to the sayings of past Rabbis. They gloried in their own status, and would defend their authority to the last. Truth thus had to become secondary to maintaining the common tradition.
But Jesus pointed out that that was the problem. They had got themselves into the position whereby they even sometimes had to defend the indefensible so as to save their own honour and maintain their own glory, and at the same time had to refuse outside truth because it might undermine what they taught. They were bound by the decisions arising from their own corporate authority, and had to maintain them at all costs in order to be accepted as wise teachers. They were thus no longer truly free to think for themselves. Their minds had become rigid. They were caught up in the past. That is why they were unlikely to listen to Him. They were hidebound by tradition.
‘He who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true and in him there is no falsehood.’ On the other hand Jesus was bound by no such earthly authority. He sought only to bring glory to the Father Who had sent Him. Thus He concentrated on the truth of His teaching and avoided anything that may misrepresent Him and thus be false. His prime concern was to please God, and to reveal the truth about Him from the Scriptures and from His personal knowledge of Him, and all else was unimportant.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 7:18. He that speaketh of himself If a person teaches what makes for the advancement of his own worldly interest, or for the gratification of his pride, or any other evil passion, the doers of the will of God will immediately know that such a teacher is an impostor; whereas, if a prophet proposes doctrines which have a tendency, through divine grace, to reform and regenerate mankind, and to advance the glory of God, without regard to the opinions of the world, or to his own interest, he must certainly be sent of God, and should not by any means be suspected of imposture; for so the word , in opposition to , true, most certainly signifies.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joh 7:18 . Here is the characteristic proof and token , given almost in syllogistic form, that He spoke not of Himself .
. . . .] that is, among others. Comp. Joh 5:41 .
, . . .] minor premiss and ( , . . .) conclusion, in which, instead of the negative , “He speaks not of Himself,” we have the positive , “the same is true,” etc. But this positive conclusion is logically correct, both in itself, because is throughout the context regarded as something untrue and immoral (Grotius: “sua cogitata proferens, cum Dei mandatum prae se ferat”), and with reference to the hierarchy, and some of the people, who took Jesus to be a deceiver. Observe further, that , . . ., is in the form of a general proposition, corresponding with the opposite proposition, , . . .; but it is derived exclusively from the relation of Jesus , and is descriptive therefore of no other than He .
] improbitas, immorality of nature , a stronger antithesis to than , for which in Euthymius Zigabenus, Grotius, Bengel, B. Crusius, Maier, and many take it, a view which cannot be justified by the inexact LXX. translation of Job 36:4 (Psa 52:4 ; Theod. Mic 6:12 ). is the inner ( ) moral basis of the . For the contrast between and , see Rom 1:18 ; Rom 2:8 ; 1Co 13:6 ; 2Th 2:12 ; see also on Joh 8:46 . An allusion to the charge of breaking the Sabbath (Godet) is not indicated, and anticipates what follows, Joh 7:21 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Ver. 18. Seeketh his own glory ] All seducers are self-seekers, and drive on their own interests, how to set up themselves in the hearts of the people: they study their own share more than God’s, and yet they would seem to do otherwise; as those proud boasters that cried out, “Let the Lord be glorified,” Isa 66:5 ; and the Swenckfeldians (stenck-feldians Luther calleth them, from the ill-savour of their opinions) entitled themselves with that glorious name, “The confessors of the glory of Christ.” Schlusserib.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18. ] This gives us the reason why he, who wishes to do God’s will, will know of the teaching of Christ: viz. because both are seeking one aim the glory of God: and the humility of him, whose will it is to do God’s will, can best appreciate that more perfect humility of the divine Son, who speaks not of himself, but of Him that sent him, see ch. Joh 5:41-44 , of which this verse is a repetition with a somewhat different bearing. In its general sense, it asserts that self exaltation and self-seeking necessarily accompany the unaided teaching of man, but that all true teaching is from God. But then we must remember that, simply taken, the latter part of the sentence is only true of the Holy One Himself; that owing to human infirmity, purity of motive is no sure guarantee for correctness of doctrine; and therefore in this second part it is not , which would generalize it to all men, but . , which confines it to Himself.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 7:18 . There are also two different kinds of teachers: the one , speaks his own mind, teaches his own ideas, does not represent God and reveal His mind; because he , “seeks his own glory,” which of course cannot be reached by representing himself to be merely the herald of another’s glory. The other style of teacher is described in the words . Plainly He who seeks the glory of Him whose ambassador He is, has no interest in falsifying matters to advance His own interests. If His aim is to advance the glory of Him who has sent Him, He will truthfully deliver His message; , and injustice, dishonesty, is not in Him. The application of this general principle to Jesus was obvious.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
glory.See note on Joh 1:14.
His glory, &c. = the glory of Him that sent.
the same = He.
true. See note on Joh 3:33.
unrighteousness. See App-128.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18.] This gives us the reason why he, who wishes to do Gods will, will know of the teaching of Christ: viz. because both are seeking one aim-the glory of God:-and the humility of him, whose will it is to do Gods will, can best appreciate that more perfect humility of the divine Son, who speaks not of himself, but of Him that sent him,-see ch. Joh 5:41-44, of which this verse is a repetition with a somewhat different bearing. In its general sense, it asserts that self exaltation and self-seeking necessarily accompany the unaided teaching of man, but that all true teaching is from God. But then we must remember that, simply taken, the latter part of the sentence is only true of the Holy One Himself; that owing to human infirmity, purity of motive is no sure guarantee for correctness of doctrine;-and therefore in this second part it is not , which would generalize it to all men, but . , which confines it to Himself.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 7:18. ) Most sure characteristics. A syllogism; He who speaks of himself, seeketh his own glory, being untrue and unrighteous; but Jesus doth not seek His own glory, but truly the glory of the Father, by whom He was sent. Therefore Jesus doth not speak of Himself, but is true and worthy of belief.- , the glory of Him, who sent) Two things are here included; that He was sent; and that He seeks the glory of Him, who sent Him. The latter is the test of the former.-) he, and he only.-) true, and to be esteemed as true.-, unrighteousness) falsehood; comp. Joh 7:24 [Judge righteous judgment], true, righteous.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 7:18
Joh 7:18
He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true,-One reason by which he will know the truth is of God is that he who speaks from himself as the author of his teaching seeks his own glory. In doing the will of God it will be so manifest that there is such a complete self-denial and glorification of God that he will know that the teaching did not originate with man.
and no unrighteousness is in him.-The one who denies self and seeks the glory of him sending him gives undeniable testimony that he did not originate his teaching, and that he is righteous.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee? Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is. Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me. Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come. And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him. Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come?
It seems almost a pity that one is not able, because of the fullness of the narrative, to take up at one time a complete account such as that which we have in this seventh chapter, because it all relates to our Lords meeting with the Jews in the temple court at Jerusalem. One incident follows another in rapid succession, but they are all connected.
In our last message we saw the Lord presenting Himself to the people and considered the beginning of His conversation with them. Now, in verse 18 we go right on with the same incident. The Lord Jesus Christ had said in verses 16-17, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. Now He adds, He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him (v. 18). The Lord Jesus always claimed to be the Sent One of the Father and then He says, If any man will do his will. He means, of course, that if people are sincerely desirous of knowing and doing the Lords will and will come to Him seeking the light, they will find out whether He, Himself, is just a self-seeking egotist endeavoring to gather men for His own glory or whether He is, as He said, the One sent from God as the Savior and Redeemer. If He was only speaking of Himself, He was simply seeking His own glory.
We remember that passage in Pro 25:27, It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory. The illustration that is there used is rather interesting. Solomon used it frequently. Honey is that which is naturally pleasant and agreeable, and I suppose that there is nothing more pleasant than to have people speak well of us. There is something in us that makes us really enjoy having people say nice things about us. Well, according to Scripture, thats honey. Dont get too much of it. Too much will upset us and cause trouble. So he says, It is not good to eat much honey, and for many to attract attention to themselves is a dishonor. It is a shame for men to seek their own glory. You remember in Jer 45:5, God sends a special message to Baruch, And seekest thou great things for thyself seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
That is the path of blessing. Our Lord Jesus Christ came not to do His own will but the will of Him that sent Him. His forerunner was a man of like character. He said, He must increase, but I must decrease (Joh 3:30).
So our Lord Jesus here reminds us that if a man is constantly talking of his own work and his own ability and power, and that kind of thing, with the idea, of course, to get people occupied with himself, he is seeking his own glory. But he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him. And this is what the Lord Jesus came to do. Before He went away, as He prayed in that last night before He went out to Gethsemane, He said, [Father,] I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do (17:4). And in this He becomes our great example. The one thing that men ought to be occupied with above everything else is bringing glory to the One who has redeemed them. I like that question in the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession, What is the chief end of man? The answer is, The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. You see, we make such a mistake when we put self first. We tell ourselves that if we dont seek our own interests, no one else will, but the Word declares that is not true. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Mat 6:33). In other words, Put God first and self last, and God will see that you are honored in His own time.
And so the Lord Jesus made this the object of His life-to seek to glorify the One who sent Him. But then He turns to His opponents who accuse Him of being false, and says, Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? (Joh 7:19a). It was the glory of Israel that God had given to them the law on Mount Sinai. No other nation had such a revelation of the mind and will of God as that which was given to them. And yet, Jesus says, [not one] of you keepeth the law. Not one man had been found, until Christ came, who walked in complete obedience to that law. Therefore the law could only condemn. It said, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (Gal 3:10). And in the New Testament we read, For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all (Jam 2:10). How that cuts out from under us any possibility of justifying ourselves before God by obedience to His law. No one but Christ has ever obeyed perfectly. And yet He went to Calvarys cross and bore the curse of the broken law in order that we might be redeemed.
But these people in Israel were so occupied with their own special place and privileges that they gloried in that which could only condemn them. And the Lord Jesus put His finger at once upon a sore spot. He said, Why go ye about to kill me? (Joh 7:19b). But, of course, the common people were not aware of all this, and the crowd answered and said, Thou hast a demon. You are demon-possessed. Who goeth about to kill thee? (v. 20, authors paraphrase). Doesnt it show how lowly He had become? He is the Creator of heaven and earth, and He stands calmly there among His own people and allows them to bring a charge like this against Him. Yet He answered them so quietly. They said, Thou hast a [demon]. And Jesus said, I have done one work, and ye all marvel (v. 21).
To what was He referring? To the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethesda. They had never forgiven Him for healing that man on the Sabbath. The word had gone out that He was a lawbreaker, because He had found that poor soul, who had been thirty-eight years helpless, and He had made him whole on the Sabbath. They concluded that this was a violation of the law. Jesus showed them that there were certain things that had to be done on the Sabbath: circumcision of a child, for instance. Jesus declared, Moses gave you this covenant. On the Sabbath day they carried out this requirement. On the Sabbath day they put the sign of the covenant upon the body of a child. And if a man on the Sabbath day received circumcision, why were they annoyed with Him because He made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath? If God gave strength to a helpless cripple, a paralytic, and He chose to do it through Jesus on the Sabbath day, should they not rather rejoice that God was visiting His people and pouring out blessing upon mankind?
Then He adds, Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment (v. 24). How we need to take that to heart! How quick we are to judge without knowing all the facts! That is what they did. They heard He had come and made the man whole on the Sabbath. They jumped to the conclusion that He was controlled by Satan and breaking the law of God, and so they condemned Him as if He had sinned against the law. Yet all the time it was Gods own Son acting in grace toward needy souls!
Our blessed Lord said in another place, Judge not, that ye be not judged (Mat 7:1). And then He added solemnly, For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (v. 2). What did He really mean? There are times when Christians are called upon to judge. For instance, if evil breaks out among believers, Christians are called upon to judge the wicked person and put him away from their fellowship, and if they do not then God will hold the church responsible.
How is that to be harmonized with these words, Judge not, that ye be not judged? There our Lord was referring to motives. You and I are not competent to judge the underlying motives of the acts of others. Oh, how cruel we are at times! Perhaps I am prejudiced against someone and yet cannot find any fault in his outward life, but I am ready to attribute evil to anything he does. Perhaps a man gives a large contribution to the work of the Lord, and I say, Oh, he is just doing that to make an impression. It is concerning such things that the Lord Jesus says, It is not for you to judge. God reads the heart; you do not. Judge not according to the appearance. Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (1Sa 16:7). Judge righteous judgment, and righteous judgment, of course, is on the basis of that which is manifest and clear. This, you see, was not the case when they were judging Him for breaking the law.
But they were perplexed. Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? (Joh 7:25). They knew that the leaders were trying to apprehend Him and put Him to death, and yet His words and bearing were so wonderful that they could not understand why anybody should hate Him and want to kill Him. So they asked wonderingly, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? Then why is He so bold and without fear? Does He not know they are lurking on the outskirts of the crowd, and yet He speaks so boldly. Do the rulers know who He is? After all, can it be that our leaders know in their hearts that He is the promised Messiah? You know, of course, that the Greek word Christ and the Hebrew word Messiah are one and the same, and both mean the Anointed. Can it be that our rulers know that He is Gods Anointed-the One who was to come into the world for the deliverance of Israel?
And yet they are puzzled. After all, it cant be, because we know this Man and where He comes from. They knew He was born in Bethlehem. But they say, When Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is (v. 27). Why, the Word of God said, But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Mic 5:2).
Who is this strange mysterious personality? They say, We cant understand that, but this Man we know all about. He was born in Bethlehem, He lived in Nazareth, and worked at the carpenters bench. But Jesus took them up on what they were saying. He could hear the very thoughts of their hearts and cried in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not (Joh 7:28). You know that I was born at Bethlehem and lived in Nazareth, but you dont know My Father. You dont know the One who sent Me. If you did, then you would receive Me. But I know Him; I know who the Father is. I am from Him and He hath sent Me. And in this He was declaring His Deity, because you remember it says that He came from God and went to God, and He prayed, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was (17:5). He was One with the Father from all eternity. He was conscious of that as a Man down here on earth. He knew the Father in a sense that no one else did.
But, in their minds, this was tantamount to blasphemy. They endeavored to arrest Him, but no man laid hands on Him because His hour was not yet come. That should make clear to us that Jesus was not subject to mans power. Jesus did not die on the cross because He was helpless in the hands of His enemies. Not until the appointed hour when He was to go out to die was it possible for anybody to injure Him or for anybody to put Him to death. No man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come (7:30). As a result of this we read that many of the people believed on Him. That does not necessarily mean that they trusted Him as Savior, but they believed in His sincerity that He was in all likelihood the true Messiah. They were waiting now to see how He would manifest Himself. For they said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? (v. 31). How could they credit any other person as Messiah if He was not the One predicted by the prophets who was to come for the deliverance of Israel?
But the Pharisees, the most strict of the Jews who were looked upon as rigidly orthodox, who accepted all the great doctrines of the Bible and yet some way or other had refused to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, they heard that the people murmured concerning Him and these Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. He met them and said to them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me (v. 33), as much as to say, You cannot take Me, the hour is not come. I am not ready to be delivered into your hands. I am still going on with My ministry among you. Yet a little while I am with you, and then I go (voluntarily of My own will) unto Him that sent Me.
He knew that He was going by way of the cross, by way of the tomb. He had come into the world for that very purpose. But from the tomb He was to rise triumphant and to ascend into the presence of the Father. And to those to whom He had come and ministered, but who had set their hearts against Him, He said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come (v. 34). Solemn words, not only for them, but for people living today. For once more Jesus is presenting Himself to mankind through the preaching of the gospel and is asking men to open their hearts to receive Him, but they refuse to do it. For them the time will come when they shall seek Him but shall not find Him. He meant that when He should go back to the Father, if they persisted in refusing obedience to His message, they could never be with Him yonder.
Do you see how contrary that is to the conception that many have that no matter how folks live, everybody is going to heaven at last?
We would like to believe that there is something about death so purifying that the soul would be made clean from sin, but we dare not believe it with the testimony of the gospel to the contrary. No, no. Jesus says, If you refuse to accept My testimony, where I am, thither ye cannot come. Unless men receive Christ here on earth they will never be with Him in eternity. Have you trusted Him? Have you accepted Him as your own personal Savior? Or are you still debating and saying, Maybe some day I will settle this question. Be persuaded that your time is short. Your opportunity will soon be gone. Be sure you close with Him as He waits in grace, before He says to you, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me.
The Jews did not understand that He spoke of His death. They said, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? (v. 35). What did they mean by this? Well, you see, centuries had elapsed since Israel had been dispersed among the Gentiles. Year after year many came up to Jerusalem to keep the feasts, but their homes were among the Gentiles, and the Jews who lived in Palestine looked upon them with a measure of scorn. They asked, Will He go out to these wanderers among the Gentiles and preach to them? No, He did not mean that exactly, and yet there was a sense in which that would be true, for after His resurrection His gospel was to be carried not only to the dispersed of Israel but to the Gentiles everywhere.
But that was not exactly what He meant when He said, Where I am, thither ye cannot come. He was referring to His ascension into heaven. But they asked, What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? (v. 36). And with this the present conversation broke up. The Lord Jesus apparently turned away and said no more to them, but left them to think it out and debate the question among themselves. Later on He appeared again among them on the last day, the great day of the feast, but this must be reserved for our next address.
Have we trusted Him? Have we opened our hearts to Him? Oh, if we have, let us seek to go on to serve Him better and let us seek, by grace, to become increasingly like Him by witnessing to a lost world.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
that speaketh: Joh 5:41, Joh 8:49, Joh 8:50, 1Co 10:31-33, Gal 6:12-14, Phi 2:3-5, 1Th 2:6, 1Pe 4:11
seeketh his glory: Joh 3:26-30, Joh 11:4, Joh 12:28, Joh 13:31, Joh 13:32, Joh 17:4, Joh 17:5, Exo 32:10-13, Num 11:29, Pro 25:27, Mat 6:9
Reciprocal: Gen 42:11 – true men 2Sa 12:28 – it be called after my name Mat 6:2 – glory Mat 8:4 – See Mat 22:16 – true Mat 23:5 – all Mar 12:14 – we know Joh 8:54 – If Act 3:12 – or Act 8:9 – giving Act 13:25 – whom Act 14:15 – We also 1Co 1:15 – I 2Co 4:5 – we 2Co 6:8 – true Phi 4:8 – are true Heb 3:2 – faithful Heb 5:5 – Christ
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE NEGATION OF SELF
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh His glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
Joh 7:18
There is no feature in our Saviours life, no single word or act of His more distinctive of the Deity revealed in Him than the persistent will to deny and efface Himself. Among the innumerable forms under which self-love swells into pride, and becomes the root of sin in man and suffering in society, we shall by way of practical illustration select one only whose dangers lie chiefly in its subtle and plausible character. We shall endeavour to trace how the spirit of emulation develops into the love of interference and pre-eminence, contrasting it with true humility in doing the work of God.
I. At first, indeed, to excel would appear to be a duty which we owe both, to ourselves and to God: it is the very spring of progress, both in the arts and in morals, as men strive to realise in their lives or in outward material such glimpses as they attain of perfection; neither does the good craftsman, as Plato taught us, seek to go beyond his fellow. But when, instead of devoting ourselves with single eye to our own appointed work, we begin to cast another upon our neighbours, to measure ourselves against them, endeavouring to surpass, to outshinethen the praiseworthy ambition to excel degenerates into the vulgar passion of emulation and the proud love of superiority. And therewith enter in one evil spirit after another: the spirit of competition, which drives the weakest to the wall; the spirit of envy and discontent, which can embitter the sweetest blessings of life; the spirit of vainglory, which cares only for outward recognition; the spirit of hypocrisy, hiding its festering burden within. But where, on the other hand, the spirit of Christ is, where self-will is lost in the single-hearted desire to do the work and declare the message from above, there indeed is liberty: no rivalries, no anxious comparisons with other men, no dependence for our happiness upon what others may think or say, no slavery to any will outside our own, which is, to do the will of God. Such a self-surrendering spirit is quite compatible, and indeed directly conduces to what is well called proper pride.
II. Proper pride can only be truly and radically distinguished by this, that it is centred, not in ourselves or in our own achievements, but in the work to which we are called, and extends at furthest to a grateful recognition that therein we have been enabled in some measure, however humble, to assist. Here, therefore, proper pride and true humility meet in one. For true humility again bears more semblance to that base counterfeit which is for ever parading a pretended inferiority, wasting time and breath in mutually obsequious hypocrisies. On the contrary, it will have nothing at all to do with personal estimations of character, with the comparing and appraising of one man with another. It springs only from the just appreciation of human nature when viewed in the light of Divine perfection, and the Divine calling of which it is all unworthy. Thus and thus only it learns to put a higher value upon the gifts and efforts of other men, leading us to deem those who differ from ourselves as more exceeding honourable, just because they are what is required in order to supplement our own imperfections in order to carry out the common aim and work of redeemed humanity.
III. Where the true humility of self-effacement does not exist, the very opposite result takes place.We attach undue importance to the particular gifts which we possess ourselves; we imagine that they are just what are needed at this particular epoch, at that particular juncture. We think perhaps that we are marked out to solve some special problem in religion, in politics, in society, or to fulfil the requirements of the work in some other department of the Lords vineyard; and instead of waiting still upon God, making Him both guide and goal, we become impatient, interfering, and finally end in seeking our own glory.
Rev. Dr. Bidder.
Illustration
It is one mark of a man being a true servant of God, and really commissioned by our Father in heaven, that he ever seeks his Masters glory more than his own. The principle here laid down is a very valuable one. By it we may test the pretensions of many false teachers of religion, and prove them to be unsound guides. There is a curious tendency in every system of heresy, or unsound religion, to make its ministers magnify themselves, their authority, their importance, and their office. It may be seen in Brahminism to a remarkable extent. Alfords remark, however, is very true, that in the highest and strictest sense, the latter part of the sentence is only true of the Holy One Himself, and that owing to human infirmity, purity of motive is no sure guarantee for correctness of doctrine; and therefore in the end of the verse it is not said, he who seeketh Gods glory, but he who seeketh His glory that sent Himspecially indicating Christ Himself.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
8
A man might be found who claimed to be from God, yet if he depended on the instruction given in human institutions, it would show his desire to make a display of his attainments for his own glory.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 7:18. He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory. If a man speaks from himself, giving out all that he says as coming from himself, it is clear that he is seeking the glory of no one but himself. If one who so acts is a messenger from another (and here the thought in the later words, him that sent him, seems intended to apply to the whole verse), it is plain that his attitude is altogether false: he represents as from himself that which really is from him that sent him.
But he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. From the maxim contained in the first clause of this verse it follows at once that whoever is not seeking his own glory does not speak from himself. But every word of Jesus shows that He seeks His Fathers glory: hence it cannot be that He is speaking from Himself.But as a messenger speaking from himself and aiming at his own glory is false to his position and work, so he that seeks the glory of the sender only is true to them, and there is no unrighteousness in him,his work and duty as messenger are fully accomplished. These last words, like the first clause of the verse, are perfectly general, though absolutely realised in Christ alone. By Him the condition is completely fulfilled: of Him the freedom from unrighteousness is absolutely true. This verse connects itself with what precedes and with what follows: (1) A will to do Gods will will lead to right judgment respecting Christ (Joh 7:17), because he who has such a will can discern the complete submission of Jesus to the will of God, His complete freedom from self-seeking (Joh 7:18); (2) Is it thus proved to every one who is seeking to do Gods will that Jesus is the real messenger of God, accurately teaching His will, then the accusation which is in the minds of His enemies (Joh 7:21-22), that He has contradicted Gods will in the matter of the Sabbath (chap. Joh 5:18), must fall to the ground of itself.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Ver. 18. He that speaks from himself, seeks his own glory; but he that seeks the glory of him that sent him, this one is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
The messenger who seeks only the glory of the master who sends him, and does not betray any personal interest in his communications, gives, in this very fact, proof of the fidelity with which he delivers his message; as certainly as he does not say anything with a view to himself, so certainly also he does not say anything as self-moved. The application to Jesus which is to be made of this evident and general truth is left to the mind of the hearers. The teaching of Jesus presents a characteristic which is particularly fitted to strike the man who is eager for holiness: it is that it tends altogether to glorify God, and God alone. From the aim one can infer the origin; since everything in the Gospel is with a view to God, everything in it must also proceed from God. Here is one of the experiences by means of which the moral syllogism is formed, through which the soul eagerly desirous of good discerns God as the author of the teaching of Christ. There is, at the same time, in this saying, a reply to the accusation of those who said: He leads the people astray. He who abuses others, certainly acts thus for himself, not with a view to God. In order thoroughly to understand this reasoning, it is sufficient to apply it to the Bible in general: He who is glorified in this book, from the first page to the last, to the exclusion of every man, is God; man is constantly judged and humbled in it. This book, therefore, is of God. This argument is the one which most directly affects the conscience.
The last words of Joh 7:18 : And there is no unrighteousness in him, contain the transition from the teaching of Jesus (His , Joh 7:17-18) to His conduct (His Joh 7:19-23), but this not in a general and commonplace way. If Jesus comes to speak here of His moral conduct, it is because there was thought to be discovered in it a certain subject of reproach which was alleged against the divinity of His teaching and His mission, and with reference to which He had it in mind, by this argument, to justify Himself.
Without the following verses, we might think that these last words: And there is no unrighteousness in him, apply only to the accusation stated in Joh 7:12 : He is an impostor. But the argument contained in Joh 7:19-23 shows clearly, in spite of the denials of Meyer, Weiss and Keil, that Jesus is already thinking especially of the accusation which was still hanging over Him as violating the Sabbath, since His previous visit to Jerusalem (chap. 5). This was the the offense by which the summary judgment: He deceives the people, was justified in presence of the multitude. The term , unrighteousness, therefore, does not here signify, as some think: falsehood: but, as ordinarily:unrighteousness, moral disorder. Jesus passes to the accusation of which He was the object in chap. 5, because He is anxious to take away with reference to this point every pretext for unbelief.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
Verse 18
He that speaketh of himself. It does not mean concerning himself, but from himself; that is, of his own accord and on his own responsibility.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
7:18 {6} He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
(6) The true doctrine of salvation differs from the false in this, that the true doctrine sets forth the glory of God, and the false doctrine by puffing up men, dishonouring the glory of God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The person who advances his or her original ideas will glorify self. That may not be his or her underlying motive, though it often is, but that will be the result. Conversely the one who advances the ideas of another ends up glorifying that person rather than himself or herself. Jesus claimed to do the latter and to desire the glory of the One who sent Him. That desire indicated His righteousness and made it unthinkable that He would be deceiving the people (Joh 7:12).