John 8:18

I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me. I AM ONE THAT BEAR WITNESS OF MYSELF, AND THE FATHER THAT SENT ME BEARETH WITNESS OF ME: - q.d., 'Ye not only form your carnal and warped judgments of Me, but are bent on carrying them into effect; I, though I form and utter My judgment of you, am not here to carry this into execution-that is reserved to a future day; yet the judgment I now pronounce and the witness I now bear is not Mine only, as ye suppose, but His also that sent Me. (See the notes at John 5:31.) And these are the two witnesses which your law requires to any fact.'...

17-20 If we knew Christ better, we should know the Father better. Those become vain in their imaginations concerning God, who will not learn of Christ. Those who know not his glory and grace, know not the Father that sent him. The time of our departure out of the world, depends upon God. Our enemies cannot hasten it any sooner, nor can our friends delay it any longer, than the time appointed of the Father. Every true believer can look up and say with pleasure, My times are in thy hand, and better there than in my own. To all God's purposes there is a time....

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...

EXPOSITION Verses 7:53-8:11 (8) _The pericope adulterae. _(A)_ Excursus on the genuineness of _John 7:53-43__John 7:53-43. It is our duty to examine the various grounds on which this passage has been almost universally concluded to have formed no portion of the original Fourth Gospel; and then the internal grounds on which it has been rejected, and some of the speculations as to its origin and value. Doubts have beset the authenticity of the passage from the fourth and fifth centuries in the Eastern Church, both on external and internal grounds. The authority and practice of Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome gave it a secure resting place till the criticism of Erasmus re-awakened doubt. Calvin expressed a more favourable opinion con

I AM ONE THAT BEAR WITNESS OF MYSELF,.... As he does of his sonship, in 1 John 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, Isaiah 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...

John 8:12. _Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees_ These wasps were always stinging him; when he drove them away once, they quickly returned to attack him again: «The Pharisees» John 8:13. _Therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them; Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man._ He did not come for that purpose the first time; he will come, a second time, to judge all mankind....

CHAPTER 8 _ 1. The Woman Taken in Adultery. (John 8:1 .)_ 2. The Light of the World. (John 8:12 .) 3. His Testimony Concerning Himself and the Father. (John 8:13 .) 4. His Solemn Declarations. (John 8:21 .) 5. Before Abraham Was, I Am. (John 8:48 .) The first verse belongs to the preceding chapter. The officers returned without Him, bearing their testimony that “never man spake like this man.” Nicodemus ventured his timid defense. Then every man went to his own house while the Lord went to the Mount of Olives. The story of the woman

JOHN 8. FURTHER CONTROVERSY IN JERUSALEM. John 8:12. The Light of the World; Discourse in the Treasury. If we remove the _Pericope adulterai_ (John 7:53 to John 8:11, clearly a later addition, though a genuine piece of gospel tradition, possibly belonging originally to Lk. and inserted here to illustrate John 8:15, I judge no man), this section regains its natural connexion with John 8:7, and especially John 7:15. It is another specimen of the controversies of the period....

THE FATHER THAT SENT ME BEARETH WITNESS OF ME. There was his own testimony that he came from the Father. Then, there was in addition, the testimony of the Father. The witness of the Father was given in all the Prophets who spoke of Christ, was given at the Baptism by testimony from heaven, was given in the divine wisdom, sinless nature, and mighty works of Christ, for "no one could do these things unless God was with him." The divine presence was manifested in his life to such. degree that when Philip inquires for the Father (John 14:8) the Savior's reply is in. tone of sorrow: "Have. been so long time with thee and hast thou not known me?...

WRETCHEDNESS AND PITY (John 7:53 ; John 8:1-11)...