Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 8:55
Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
55. Yet ye have not known him; but I know him ] Once more we have two different Greek words for ‘know’ in close proximity, and the difference is obliterated in our version (comp. Joh 7:15; Joh 7:17; Joh 7:26-27, Joh 13:7, Joh 14:7, and see on Joh 7:26). Here the meaning is, And ye have not recognised Him; but I know Him, the latter clause referring to His immediate essential knowledge of the Father.
a liar like unto you ] Or, Like unto you, a liar. Referring back to Joh 8:44.
keep his saying ] Or, keep His word, as in Joh 8:51-52. Christ’s whole life was a continual practice of obedience: Heb 5:8; Rom 5:19; Php 2:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Joh 8:55
Ye have not known Him; but I know Him
I.
THE JEWS IGNORANCES.
1. They knew Him not in His majesty, His infinity, His mercifulness, since they conceived of Him only after a low and material idea.
2. They knew Him as the Maker of the world, but not as the Almighty Father of mankind; they saw in Him only their own God, and refused to think of Him as the God of the whole human race.
3. They knew Him not as He is, one in essence though three in person; as the Eternal Father, by whom the Eternal Son was begotten, and from both of whom proceeds the one Sanctifying and Eternal Spirit. Hence their blindness to the meaning of the words of Christ and their rejection of Him as the Messiah.
4. They knew Him not through the way of obedience to His laws, without which there can be no real knowledge of the Father. Thus, although their faith came from God, and was based upon His revelation of Himself, their works were from Satan, and in this way they proved that they knew not God who is One in His faith and in His works. Thus were they liars, not because they said He had a devil, which is not the meaning here, but because they declared that they knew God whilst every one of their actions declared that they had no true real knowledge of Him.
II. CHRISTS KNOWLEDGE.
1. As being Himself God, of the same substance and nature with the Father, dwelling from all eternity in the bosom of the Father, and so always beholding Him as He is in His essential Godhead.
2. As the man Christ Jesus He knew Him, since He had the knowledge of Divine things by impartation from the Father.
3. As man, again, He knew Him through His perfect obedience to the whole will of the Father, and His doing all things which were well pleasing in the sight of the Eternal Father. We also, if we would receive and retain
God in our thoughts, and come to the knowledge of Him, must receive and keep His saying. (W. Denton, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Knowing here signifies more than a notional knowledge, or comprehending in our understanding so much of God as may by natural powers be comprehended; it signifies affections, and a conversation suitable to such a knowledge. But I (saith our Saviour) fully and perfectly know him, both as to his essence, counsels, and will, and am fully obedient to him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
55. I shall be a liar like untoyounow rising to the summit of holy, naked severity, therebyto draw this long dialogue to a head.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Yet ye have not known him,…. Not as the Father of Christ, nor as in Christ, whom to know is life eternal: they had no spiritual knowledge of him, nor communion with him; nor did they know truly his mind and will, nor how to worship and serve him as they ought:
but I know him; his nature and perfections, being of the same nature, and having the same perfections with him; and his whole mind and will lying in his bosom: nor did, or does any know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom he is pleased to reveal him:
and if I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like unto you. Our Lord still intimates, that they were of their father the devil, and imitated him not only as a murderer, but as a liar: this is quite contrary to the character they give of themselves, for they say x, that an Israelite will not tell a lie.
But I know him, and keep his saying: do his will, and always the things that please him, observe his law, preach his Gospel, fulfil all righteousness, and work out the salvation of men, which were the will and work of his Father he came to do.
x Maimon. in Misn. Pesachim, c. 8. sect. 6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
And ye have not known him ( ). Adversative use again of =”and yet.” Perfect active indicative of , the verb for experiential knowledge. This was true of the (John 1:10; John 17:25) and of the hostile Jews (16:3). Jesus prays that the world may know (17:23) and the handful of disciples had come to know (17:25).
But I know him ( ). Equipped by eternal fellowship to reveal the Father (1:1-18). This peculiar intimate knowledge Jesus had already claimed (7:29). Jesus used (John 8:19; John 15:21) or (John 17:23; John 17:25) for the knowledge of the Father. No undue distinction can be drawn here.
And if I should say ( ). Third-class condition (concession), “even if I say,” with () and second aorist active subjunctive. “Suppose I say.”
I shall be like you a liar ( ). Apodosis of the condition. H (like) is followed by the associative-instrumental case . The word (liar), in spite of the statement that they are the children of the devil, the father of lying (8:44), comes with a sudden jolt because it is a direct charge. This word liar is not considered polite today in public speech when hurled at definite individuals. There is a rather free use of the word in 1John 2:4; 1John 2:22; 1John 4:20; 1John 5:10. It is not hard to imagine the quick anger of these Pharisees.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Saying [] . Properly, word, as ver. 51. So Rev.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Yet ye have not known him;” (kai ouk egnokate auton) “And you all have not known him,” or come to know Him, at all, in the true sense, whom to know is eternal life, for every believer, Joh 17:3; 1Jn 5:13. You all have not learned to know Him, by teaching or observation.
2) “But I know him:” (ego de oida auton) “Yet I do know, perceive, or comprehend him,” as my Father who sent me and whose will I seek always to do Joh 5:30; Joh 6:38; Joh 7:29; Joh 17:4-5; Joh 20:21.
3) “And if I should say, I know him not,” (kai eipo hoti ouk oida auton) “Even if I should assert that I do not know him,” at any time, or in any sense, as my Father, Joh 1:14; Joh 17:1; Joh 17:5; Joh 17:25-26.
4) “I shall be a liar like unto you:” (esomai homoios humin pseustes) “I shall be a liar, very much like or similar to you all,” as well as your father the Devil, I would be a hypocrite, as you all are, to deny my true relation to my Father who sent me, Mar 7:1; Mar 7:6.
5) “But I know him, and keep his saying.” (alla oida auton kai ton logon autou tero) “But I do know or comprehend him, and I keep or guard his word,” Joh 8:29; Joh 15:10; Joh 17:4; Joh 19:30.
The Gk. term -egnokate- means knowledge acquired through teaching or learning, while the term (oida) means direct and essential knowledge. it is the term used here.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(55) Yet ye have not known him; but I know him.The frequency of lip-assertion was not accompanied by any true heart-knowledge. The Father who glorified Him was the God whom they professed to serve. Their question, Whom makest Thou Thyself? has its explanation in the fact that this service was independent of any real knowledge of God. The two verbs know and known here do not represent the same Greek word. More exactly the rendering should be, And ye have not come to know Him: but I know Him. The one clause expresses acquired recognition; the other expresses immediate essential knowledge. (Comp. Note on Joh. 14:7.)
If I should say, I know him not.The thought of their want of perception of God has led to the assertion by contrast of His own full intuitive knowledge of God. To assert this knowledge is to make Himself greater than Abraham and the prophets; but there is untruth in silence as well as in utterance, and His very truthfulness demands the assertion.
But I know him, and keep his saying.Or better, His word, as in Joh. 8:51-52. Again the positive statement is made in the certainty of His full knowledge, and this is followed by a statement of the observance of the same condition of communion with the Father which He had made necessary for communion of the disciples with Himself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
55. Have not known him Have not understood him, or you would have recognized him in his Son.
I know him not To know him as truly as I know him, and yet deny my knowledge of him, would be basest falsehood and apostacy.
Liar like unto you He would forthwith place himself upon a par with them, denying that the Father is in the Son, and so in truth denying the Son.
Keep Not contradict and disobey.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 8:55. Yet ye have not known him, &c. Though you profess to worship my Father as your God, you are ignorant of him: you neither form right conceptions of him, nor acknowledge him in the manner you ought to do; so that you give a lie to your profession: and though you may think it vain glory, yet I must tell you, that if I should say, I do notthink justly of him, nor acknowledge him as he deserves, I should be a liar like unto you; for I am acquainted with his most intimate counsels, and in every thing most perfectly know and do his will.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Ver. 55. Yet ye have not known him ] There is a twofold knowledge of God. 1. Apprehensive; 2. Affective, or cognoscitiva, standing in speculation, and directiva vitae.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 8:55. ) He had lately said, now He says, not but implies in some degree a beginning to know [I come to know]: but the Sons knowledge of the Father is eternal: He knows the Father and the glory [honour] which the Father hath assigned to Him.-, a liar) He is a liar, who either affirms what he ought to deny, or denies what he ought to affirm.- , , I know Him, and keep His saying) First He saith, I know; then afterwards, I keep: for He is the Son. But believers, under His direction, keep the word, and so acquire knowledge; ch. Joh 7:17, notes, If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, etc.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 8:55
Joh 8:55
and ye have not known him: but I know him; and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be like unto you, a liar: but I know him, and keep his word.-They were liars on claiming to know him, while refusing him whom God hath sent, and he having come from God and having been sent by him would be a liar to say he did not know God.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
ye have not: Joh 8:19, Joh 7:28, Joh 7:29, Joh 15:21, Joh 16:3, Joh 17:25, Jer 4:22, Jer 9:3, Hos 5:4, Act 17:23, 2Co 4:6
but: Joh 1:18, Joh 6:46, Joh 7:29, Joh 10:15, Mat 11:27, Luk 10:22
shall: Joh 8:44, 1Jo 2:4, 1Jo 2:22, 1Jo 5:10, Rev 3:9
and keep: Joh 8:29, Joh 8:51
Reciprocal: 1Sa 2:12 – knew 1Ch 28:9 – know thou Job 27:4 – General Isa 41:10 – for I am thy God Isa 60:2 – the darkness Jer 2:8 – and they that Jer 22:16 – was not Hos 2:20 – and Hos 4:1 – nor knowledge Mal 3:2 – who may abide Mar 7:6 – honoureth Joh 5:42 – that Joh 6:64 – there Joh 17:3 – this Eph 1:17 – in the knowledge 1Jo 2:13 – ye have known 1Jo 4:8 – knoweth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
The Jews made a great profession of knowing God, yet they constantly refused to recognize his Son. In rejecting Jesus they were also rejecting God, which is a principle that is taught in numerous passages throughout the New Testament. If Jesus had denied any knowledge of God, it would have been untrue, and that would have placed him in the same class as the Jews who were guilty of falsifying.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
8:55 {19} Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
(19) There is no right knowledge of God without Christ, neither is there any right knowledge of Christ without his word.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Jesus next identified these superficial believers as unbelievers. They had not yet come to believe that He was God even though some of them thought that He was a crazy prophet. For Jesus to deny knowing God would be as much a lie as His critic’s claim to know God was. The proof that Jesus really did know God was His obedience to Him.
Jesus knew (Gr. oida) God inherently and intuitively, but His critics did not know (Gr. ginosko) God by experience or observation. We should not put too much emphasis on the differences between these two Greek words though, since John often used synonyms without much distinction. [Note: Ibid.]