All things are (or 'were,' or 'have been') delivered unto me of my Father] Having just called the Father 'Lord of heaven and earth' (Matthew 11:25), He now declares that the same authority belongs to Himself, because all created things have been committed to Him by God. This supreme authority over the universe which was committed to Him at the creation, was exercised by Him in some degree even during the humiliation of His life on earth (John 3:35; John 13:3; John 17:2), and was fully restored at His resurrection (Matthew 28:18) with all the glory pertaining to it. Such power could not be committed to a creature, and the possession of it by Christ can only be explained by assuming that He is, as the Fourth Gospel and the Epistles represent Him as being, the creator and sustainer of the universe.

No man (RV 'no one') knoweth the Son, but (RV 'save') the Father] lit. 'fully knoweth.' Men can know other men, but only God Hiniself can know Jesus. 'None but the Almighty Father has full, entire possession of the mystery of the Person and Office of the Son: it is a depth hidden from all being but His, whose purposes are evolved in and by it' (Alford).

Haraack in his 'What is Christianity?' says: 'Here two observations are to be made: Jesus is convinced that he knows God in a way in which no one ever knew Him before, and he knows that it is his vocation to communicate this knowledge of God to others by word and by deed—and with it the knowledge that men are God's children.'

Neither (fully) knoweth any man (RV 'any one') the Father, save the Son] Not only does Jesus alone fully know the Father, but He alone can reveal Him: cp. John 1:18; John 6:46; John 10:15.

28-30. Jesus invites to Himself all who feel the burden of sin, and who find their lives and even their religion a toil to them. He will release them from the yoke of mechanical religion, make them humble and meek like Himself, and give them pardon and peace.

Continues after advertising
Continues after advertising