John 3:31

Joh_3:31-36

He that cometh from above is above all.

Christ above all as a Teacher

I. IN THE SUBLIMITY OF HIS ORIGIN (Joh_3:1). All others, from Enoch to Malachi were of the earth.

II. IN THE CHARACTER OF HIS DOCTRINES. What does He teach?

1. The realities of which He Himself was conscious (verse 2) and not speculations.

2. Realities which were moral in their influence upon His hearers. They were not compelled to receive them, so many rejected Him. But those who believed Him had an assured consciousness that God was true (verse 33).

3. Realities which were pre-eminently Divine (verse 34): not the sciences, but God Himself, the Root and Branch, Centre and Circumference of all truth.

III. IS THE AFFECTION OF HIS FATHER (verse 35).

1. No teacher shared so much of the Divine love as Christ. The Father loveth all. All true teachers may expect a special share of this affection. But He loves Christ pre-eminently, and as He presents His Well-beloved He says, Hear ye Him.

2. No teacher deserved so much of the Divine love as Christ did. He never offended the Father or misrepresented Him in doctrine or conduct.

3. No teacher ever had such demonstrations of Divine love as Christ. All things, the administration of all blessings and the authority over all souls.

IV. IN THE EXTENT OF HIS ENDOWMENTS (verse 34). Other teachers had the Spirit in a limited degree; Christ fully. This is clear from the fact that He knew what was in man, and from His miracles. But He had more of the Spirit than the old prophets, as is manifest by comparing

1. Their theology with His.

2. Their spirit with His.

3. Their lives with His.

V. IS THE NECESSITY OF HIS MISSION. Faith in Him is essential to mans eternal welfare (verse 36).

1. The faith He requires is faith in HIM: not merely in the facts of His history, or the truth of His prepositions, but in Himself as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. No other teacher ever required this. To so trust the best of them would be ruin.

2. Faith in Him determines the destiny of the soul.

(1) Those who believe in Him have now everlasting life.

(2) Gods wrath abides on the unbeliever. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

Christ is above all

Caesar is not Caesar still, nor Alexander Alexander still: but Jesus is Jesus still, and shall be for ever. (J. Donne.)

Christ is God as well as man

We have seen a copy of the Gospels and Epistles which was warranted free from all trace of the Trinity, but it was not the testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We beheld it and we received instruction. It did not want beauty, for the parables, and the Sermon on the Mount, and many a touching passage were still there. It looked like a coronation tapestry with all the golden threads torn out, or an exquisite mosaic from which some unscrupulous finger had abstracted the gems and left only the common stones. It was a casket without the pearl. It was a shrine without the Shekinah. And yet, after all, it was not sufficiently expurgated; for, after reading it, the thought would recur, How much easier to fabricate a Gnostic testament, exempt from all trace of our Lords humanity, than a Trinitarian testament ignoring His Divinity. (J. Hamilton, D. D.)

An earthly mind

As ducklings have always their bills in the mud, as swine are ever recking in the mire; like that fish in the gospel, either dumb or with nothing but money in their mouths. (J. Trapp.)

Earthly mindedness

It is storied of Henry the Fourth of France, asking the Duke of Alva if he had observed the eclipses happening in that year? He answered, that he had so much business on earth, that he had no leisure to look up to heaven. A sad thing it is for men to be so bent, and their hearts so set on the things of this world, as not to cast up a look to the things that are in heaven; nay, not to regard though God brings heaven down to them in His Word and Sacraments. Yet so it is, most men are of this Spanish generals mind; witness the oxen, the farms, the pleasures, the profits and preferments that men are so fast glued unto, that they have hardly leisure to entertain a thought of any goodness.

Christs testimony to be received

I. CHRISTS UNIVERSAL SUPREMACY, WHICH EXCLUDES ALL COMPARISON WITH WHAT IS EARTHLY (Joh_3:31).

1. Christ was from above. Thence He came to His own. Of Him alone can this be asserted: a glory belonging to Him and not to another.

(1) He is pre-eminent; with reference to the whole creation, among all that are illustrious in His Church, all His predecessors who are types of Him and all His followers who are sent by Him.

(2) He is invested with universal dominion.

(3) John speaks of what He is, not has been or will be, merely.

(4) It was true therefore that Christ must increase. There could be no result but progress.

2. John was of the earth

(1) In His origin and condition, as were all His predecessors and all His followers, partaking of weakness and imperfection.

(2) In His office and doctrine, receiving both as an earthly teacher, and inferior therefore to Christ as earth was to heaven.

3. Let us be impressed

(1) With Christs glory and yield the submission and obedience which are His due.

(2) With the subordinate place occupied by His ministers yet rejoicing that He employs them.

II. THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER OF HIS TEACHING AND ITS GENERAL RESULT (verse 32).

1. Christs testimony is of what He has seen and heard (verse 11). It was direct without the intervention of a third party, as in the case of Moses and the prophets.

2. The general result

(1) Not what might have been expected, but,

(2)--sadly true, then and now.

III. THE IMPORTANCE OF RECEIVING HIS TESTIMONY (verse 33).

1. God thus submits Himself to the judgments of men. They can have a full knowledge of His character in no other way. He demands, therefore, that they shall consider the testimony thus uttered.

2. Those who receive Christ and His doctrine find that they have to do with a true God. (A. Beith, D. D.)

What He hath seen and heard that He testifieth

Johns last testimony to Christ

I. THE DIVINENESS OF CHRISTS TESTIMONY (verse 32).

II. THE UNBELIEF WITH WHICH CHRISTS TESTIMONY WAS RECEIVED (verse, 82). All men come to Him! Why no man believes Him! The emotions aroused by Johns preaching of repentance and the Lamb of God had passed off; for were not His disciples setting Him up against His Lord? And it took Christs chosen ones three years to receive it. How differently a man counts who loves and adores Jesus from a mere hero worshipper. John would have not large crowds merely going after Jesus, but genuine believers.

III. THE APPRECIATION OF THOSE WHO DID BELIEVE IN ANY DEGREE (verse 33), like Andrew and John (Joh_1:40). This is a fine and simple account of faith in its nature. Some document is produced having legal authority behind it. Those who, believing in the King as true, will sign their names to it become entitled to certain privileges. Men go forward and append their signatures, realizing in so doing, The privilege is mine. But here is one who cannot write. He goes forward, seal in hand, and stamps it down, which is as good as signing. That is faith, stamping down one seal, with decisiveness, to that gospel text, saying as we do it, That is true.

IV. THE DIVINENESS OF CHRISTS TEACHING REAFFIRMED (verse 34). For is emphatic. The reception and attestation of what Jesus spake was the reception and attestation of what God spake.

V. ANTICIPATION OF THE WORDS OF CHRIST HIMSELF (verse 35; cf. Mat_11:27; Mat_28:18; Luk_10:22; Heb_2:8).

VI. WEAL OR WOE (verse 36).

1. True faith is faith in the true thing. On the Son--atonement, resurrection, and glory were yet to come Christ Himself the object of faith.

2. The wrath of God cannot abide in a being who has ceased to be. The Baptist warned men before to flee from the wrath to come.

3. Our relation or non-relation to Jesus Christ determines where we shall spend our eternity. (A. B. Grosart, D. D.)

Christ the Divine teacher

We notice the perfect originality and independence of His teaching. We have a great many men who are original, in the sense of being originators, within a certain boundary of educated thought. But the originality of Christ is uneducated. That He draws nothing from the stores of learning can be seen at a glance. The impression we have in reading His instructions justifies to the letter the language of His contemporaries, when they say, This man hath never learned. There is nothing in any of His allusions or forms of speech that indicates learning. Indeed, there is nothing in Him that belongs to His age or country--no one opinion, or task, or prejudice. The attempts that have been made, in a way of establishing His mere natural manhood, to show that He borrowed His sentiments from the Persians and the Eastern forms of religion, or that He had been intimate with the Essenes, and borrowed from them, or that He must have been acquainted with the schools and religions of Egypt, deriving His doctrine from them--all attempts of the kind having so palpably failed, as not even to require a deliberate answer. If He is simply a man, as we hear, then He is most certainly a new and singular kind of man, never before heard of; one who visibly is quite as great a miracle in the world as if He were not a man. We can see for ourselves, in the simple directness and freedom of His teachings, that whatever He advances is for Himself. Shakespeare, for instance, whom we name as being probably the most creative and original spirit the world has ever produced, one of the class, too, that are called self-made men, is yet tinged in all his works with human learning. His glory is, indeed, that so much of what is great in history and historic character lives and appears in his dramatic creations. He is the high-priest, we sometimes hear, of human nature. But Christ, understanding human nature so as to address it more skilfully than he, never draws from its historic treasures. He is the High Priest, rather, of the Divine nature, speaking as one that has come out from God, and has nothing to borrow from the world. It is not to be detected by any sign that the human sphere in which He moved imparted anything to Him. His teachings are just as full of Divine nature as Shakespeares of human. (H. Bushnell, D. D.)

Why men refuse Christ

Among those who stay away from Christ, who will not believe in Him, who will not come to Him, the motive of the chief part has ever been, that they are destitute of the consciousness of sin, and of all thoughts and wishes rising above the objects of the senses, or else that they love their sins, and are determined to cleave to them, in despite of all that God can do to draw them away. Others there are who will not believe in Christ through pride and self-righteousness. Others have involved themselves inextricably in the labyrinthine abstractions of a sceptical understanding. Some will say, in their high-swelling imaginations, that they need no Redeemer, no Ransom, no Reconciler, no Atonement, no Pardon--that they can find the way to God by themselves--that they can build up a tower of their own virtues, a grand and gorgeous tower, virtue above virtue, the top of which shall reach to heaven. Such men there have been more or less in all ages; and the way their devices have been baffled has ever been the same, by the confusion of tongues. They have been unable to understand one anothers language. When one of them has asked for bread, his neighbour has given him a stone; when asked for a fish, he has given a serpent; indifference and scorn, instead of sympathy and encouragement. The hand of each has been against his brother. There has been no unity of spirit amongst them, but variance and strife and railing: they have never entered into the bond of peace. This is the other form of sin by which men are kept away from Christ. The great mass stay away because their hearts are paralyzed and crumbled by carelessness and self-indulgence, or rotted by the cankering pleasures of sin; the few, because their hearts are hardened and stiffened by pride. (Archdeacon Hare.)

Many men are deaf to the charms of the gospel

A musical amateur of eminence, who had often observed Mr. Cadogans inattention to his performances, said to him one day, Come, I am determined to make you feel the power of music; pay particular attention to this piece. It was played. Well, what do you say now? Just what I said before. What I can you hear this and not be charmed? I am surprised at your insensibility I Where are your ears? Bear with me, my lord, replied Mr. Cadogan, since I too have had my surprise; I have from the pulpit set before you the most striking and affecting truths; I have found notes that might have awaked the dead; I have said, Surely he will feel now; but you never seemed charmed with my music, though infinitely more interesting than yours. I too might have said--Where are his ears?

Few hearers saved

Though a gun be discharged at a whole flight of birds, there are but a few killed. Though the net be spread over the whole pond, but a few fishes are taken: so most hearers do busy their heads with their own sensual or worldly thoughts, and so escape the pain of the truth. (Train.)

Christ often refused

It is said of Handel, the great musician, that while composing the well-known oratorio of The Messiah, he was frequently found in tears, and that one day, while sobbing bitterly, it was found that the words which had broken down his spirit were these three words of the prophet Isaiah, He was despised. And yet this short saying wag abundantly fulfilled when Jesus came to show us His great love. (R. Brewin.)

The sureness of Christs testimony and its rejection

1. It is Christs prerogative to have the knowledge of Divine truths of Himself from the Father, and to have all others who know anything beholden to His bounty and illumination; for, His doctrine is, what He hath seen and heard, in a way peculiar to Him.

2. It sets out the bounty of Christ, that He doth not keep this knowledge, but discovereth it, that so sinners may have a sure guide and teacher, and the solemn testimony of an eye and ear witness, on which they may lean; for, what He hath seen and heard, that He testifieth. It is called a testifying both in respect of the certainty of the matter, and in respect of Christs earnest persuading of men to embrace it (Act_18:5).

3. Christs gracious condescendence in revealing the counsel of God concerning mans salvation, gets but ill entertainment in the world; the most part of men either not hearkening to Him, or not embracing His offer with respect, affection or faith, for no man (that is, very few or none in comparison of them who do otherwise, though some there are, Joh_3:33) receiveth His testimony. Let them hear it as they will, yet they do not receive nor embrace it as becometh; and therefore also it is called a testimony, as witnessing against them, that they receive not so certain a truth.

4. It ought and will be matter of regret to all the friends and servants of Christ, that His doctrine is so ill received in the world; for, whereas Johns disciples complained (verse 26) that all men came to Christ, He seeth rather cause to complain that no man receiveth His testimony. (G. Hutcheson.)

To Jesus nothing seems more natural and familiar than the heavenly state, when He discourses of it. It is like a prince, who having been educated in a splendid court, could speak with ease of many magnificent things, at the sudden view of which a peasant would be swallowed up in astonishment, and would find himself greatly embarrassed in an attempt to explain them to his equals at home. (Doddridge.)

He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true

The sealed testimony

I. THE SAVIOURS TESTIMONY (Isa_55:4, cf. Joh_18:37; Rev_1:5). Christ came into the world when it was enveloped in ignorance and begirt with the miasma of heathen superstitions and unconsecrated philosophies. Even the Jewish Church had lost its glory and a wretched formalism taken the place of spiritual religion. Christ came to give us a testimony which should be all-sufficient in reference to the way of salvation.

1. Its nature. It included

(1) The revelation of God (Joh_1:18). The knowledge of God was fast perishing. The spirituality of His nature--the perfection of His attributes--the sovereignty of His government--the boundless depths of Hismercy, were rescued from oblivion by Christ and received clearer light and richer illustration. His own life was a revelation of God (Joh_14:9).

(2) The true character of man. Here all heathen sages had failed. They did not know man, his antecedents, requirements, capacities. Hence their specifics fell short of the occasion. Christ discovers the heart of man to Himself (Joh_2:25).

(3) The exposition of the ancient Scriptures. He constantly taught that His life and labours were the fulfilment of prophecy.

(4) Many sublime and precious subjects--the dispensation of the Spirit; the nature, worth, and reality of prayer; practical religion; future rewards and punishments; the resurrection of the body.

2. Its manner. Note

(1) The simplicity of His precepts.

(2) The familiarity of His examples.

(3) The expressiveness of His figures.

(4) The grace of His method.

(5) The gentleness of His language.

(6) The condescension of His temper.

(7) His patience with the ignorant.

(8) His encouragement of the inquiring.

(9) His comfort of the sorrowful.

II. THE RIGHT MODE OF ITS RECEPTION.

1. Divine truth demands admittance into the heart. It first accosts the intellectual faculties, then accosts the conscience, but completely triumphs only when it enters the holiest of all. Human learning appeals only to the intelligence. Christ claims the heart.

2. Its impartation proceeds directly from Christ (Gal_1:12; Joh_4:42; 2Co_10:5). The practical improvement of the process is that which make us solicitous for evidence of the work of God in the soul through the Spirits effectual conveyance of the Word.

3. We should rejoice in its reception, because the deliverance it works is so great, the blessings it imparts so vast, and the prospect it opens so excellent.

III. THE EFFECT ASCRIBED TO BELIEF IN IT. Just as unbelief is an imputation on the Divine veracity, so cordial, unprejudiced reception is a mark of adoption into His family. It liberates a man from harassments and doubts. The obedience of the heart leads after it conviction of mind Joh_7:17). The believer can set his seal over against the promise and affirm that not one thing hath failed. Many an ancient mark may be seen in the aged saints Bible showing that the promise has been fulfilled. (W. G. Lewis.)

The testimony and the seal

I. THE TRUE NOTION OF CHRISTS DOCTRINE--IT IS A TESTIMONY.

1. The nature of it. A testimony is a sort of proof necessary in matters that cannot otherwise be decided by rational discourse.

(1) In matters that depend upon the arbitrary will of another. The gospel cannot be found out by the light of nature, but Christ, who was in the bosom of the Father, knew His heart and hath given testimony how it stands affected to the salvation of men (Mat_11:27, cf. Joh_3:16). Salvation proceedeth from the free motion of Gods will.

(2) In matters of fact. Matters of law are argued by reason, but matters of fact is only proved by credible witnesses. In this sense the gospel is a testimony that Christ came into the world, taught the way of salvation, died for our sins, and rose again to confirm all. The apostles were witnesses of these things (Act_1:21-22; Act_2:32; Act_10:39).

2. The value of Christs testimony which will appear if we consider

(1) The person witnessing. He who was promised in paradise (Gen_3:15), shadowed in the sacrifices of the law, and foretold by the prophets Joh_5:39); He who was owned of God by a voice from heaven Mat_3:17; Mat_17:5; Joh_12:28); it is His testimony whom God the Father hath sealed (Joh_6:27), and to whom He has given the Spirit without measure (Joh_12:34).

(2) The testimony itself.

(a) It is such a testimony as men need. Men need a religion that will allay their fears and satisfy their desires. The gospel provides pardon for sin and eternal peace and happiness.

(b) It has a fair correspondency with the principles of reason. That there is a wise, good, and powerful God; that men have sinned and become liable to punishment; that there are not hopes of freedom from this punishment but by satisfaction; that the universal soul must have higher and more abiding satisfactions than those afforded by the world.

(c) It has a convincing evidence in itself (2Co_4:2-4).

3. The use of it as a testimony.

(1) To bless God that the way of enjoying Him is not left to our uncertain guesses, but is made known in an authentic way by Christ.

(2) To show us with what success we may build upon the hopes of the gospel; it is Gods testimony (1Jn_5:9).

(3) Our danger is great if we disbelieve and reject this testimony Mat_24:14; cf. Mar_13:9). First, to them, then against them.

II. THE RESPECT THAT IS DUE TO THIS TESTIMONY.

1. Hear it or regard it we must. For us to disregard it is the greatest affront that we can offer God (Mat_22:5).

2. Understand it we must, or we do not receive it. A man must have it (Joh_14:21) in his judgment before he can keep it in his memory, heart, and conscience.

3. We must firmly consent to and acquiesce in this testimony (1Ti_1:15; Joh_6:69; Joh_17:8).

4. To embrace it with all affection (Act_2:41).

5. To build our hope and confidence thereupon while we continue with patience in well-doing (Psa_119:166; Luk_18:15).

III. HE THAT THUS RECEIVETH DOTH RATIFY THE TRUTH OF GOD and solemnly bear witness to it.

1. The manner of confirming. Doubtful things we do not confirm, but those things of which we are assured (1Ki_21:8; Neh_9:38; Est_8:8; Jer_32:18). But how can we confirm the truth of God? Gods truth is the same, and needeth not our confirmation, but He will put this honour upon us that we should honour His truth by our subscription (Rom_3:4). Our sealing is of great use

(1) To ourselves. To bind us more firmly to believe that doctrine and life according to it which we have owned by our consent (Isa_44:5; Psa_87:6).

(2) To others (Isa_43:10). Gods people that have such proofs of His power and providence are able to give sufficient testimony for Him, and others are confirmed in the faith of that which we attest when we live in holiness, patient and joyful under the cross (1Th_1:5-7).

2. The matter confirmed--that God is true.

(1) Gods truth is a great prop of faith (Heb_11:11). God can do anything, but cannot lie.

(2) The honour of His veracity is most pleasing to God (Psa_138:2), just as men cannot endure the imputation of falsehood.

(3) The setting to ones seal that God is true supposeth some precedent obligation. God is engaged by promise to Christ that He will justify, sanctify, and glorify all those who believe in Him (Isa_53:10-11). The soul that receiveth this testimony giveth it under hand and seal that God is as good as His word.

3. The use is to persuade us to so receive Christs testimony that we put to our seal that God is true.

(1) From the honour done to God.

(2) The honour put upon us that we should confirm Gods promises.

(3) The dishonour to God done by discrediting His word (1Jn_5:10).

Conclusion: In this scaling there are many things implied that most people want.

1. Spiritual evidence (1Co_2:14; Eph_1:17-18).

2. Some experience of the truth in comforting and changing the heart 1Jn_1:1-2).

3. Confidence in temptations (Job_13:15).

4. Holiness (1Th_1:5-7). (T. Manton, D. D.)

Christs testimony receive

I. THE TESTIMONY THAT HAS BEEN BORNE.

1. The testimony borne to Christ antecedently to the completion of His work.

(1) That of prophecy.

(2) That of the angels and the magi at the incarnation.

(3) That of Anna and Simeon in the temple.

(4) That of the Father at the baptism.

2. The testimony which Christ bore Himself.

(1) As to the nature of His ministry. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, etc. I am come not to be ministered to, etc.

(2) To His Messiahship. I and My Father are One. God so loved, etc.

(3) To His own purpose and plans.

(4) To the everlasting awards.

(5) All the truth taught by Christ was on His part a witness.

3. The testimony which came afterwards.

(1) By angels again.

(2) By the apostles.

(3) By the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.

(4) By Paul.

4. Remark

(1) That knowledge is for the most part derived from testimony. Everything in connection with ancient history, biography, foreign countries. It is easy to ridicule testimony, but without it a great tract of our life would be left in darkness.

(2) That the testimony borne to Christ and His salvation comes to us with the clearest signatures and the strongest authentications. It comes to us in a book which is unique in its condemnation of lying.

II. THE RECEPTION OF THE TESTIMONY.

1. It must be examined with precision, so that we may know what it is.

2. This reception embraces the admission of the things contained in it as true. As to the great matters in question, they are true or false; if false, let them be rejected; if true, let them be accepted as true.

3. There must be no hostility to it, because it is very possible that the testimony may be understood and accepted, and yet hated, as it is by the devils, as it was by the Jews. This is of the nature of the sin against the Holy Ghost.

4. There should be appreciation of the value, importance, and dignity of it.

5. It must be loved. With the heart man believeth unto righteousness.

(1) Love of Christ Himself.

(2) Love of His truth.

6. There is a course of life and conduct to be adopted in accordance with the truth of the testimony.

III. Having received the testimony, we can SET TO OUR SEAL. A seal and signature are intended to authenticate a document and the thing which that document contains. We not calling God a liar, but, attesting the truth of the witness of the Lord Jesus, are said to set to our seal that God is true. But mark

1. The truth of God and the testimony of Christ are true irrespective of our seal. God cannot lie; and the matter for amazement is that God should condescend to receive our attestations.

2. Then let the signature be written. Bring in the document. What signatures are already there! Those of apostles, martyrs, etc.

3. If you put your signature to the truth of God, God will put His on thee.

(1) On thy forehead, the mark of His preservation.

(2) On thy heart, the mark of His grace. (James Stratten.)

Sealed unto Christ

I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEAL. The seal is one of the old legal forms that still survives, and gives a peculiar character to documents on which it is stamped. Let us note some of its characteristics.

1. As a necessity. In many cases an instrument without a seal is of none effect. The lawyer may draw up a will with the utmost care, but until the seal is affixed to the will the lawyers skill and the legators resolve count for nothing. So one may hear the gospel preached, but that is not sufficient. He must set to his seal the testimony--receive it, believe it, live in accordance with it.

2. As a personal distinction. In the old times few men knew how to write even their own names. They could do no more than make their mark, which was easily counterfeited; therefore each man who had occasion to use it, if possible possessed his own seal. Joseph was placed in charge of the kings seal, and wherever he affixed it, it carried all the kings authority with it. So religion is an intensely personal matter. Each must settle the great question of salvation for himself. No one can accept Christ for me. I must set to my seal that God is true.

3. As a finality. The ancient seal was often used to denote the conclusion of a matter. Daniel was told to seal up the prophecies--implying that they were finished. He that accepts Christ, accepts Him for all time. We enter into Gods service, not for a few years, not merely for a lifetime, but for eternity. There is no discharge in that war. We have set to our seal that God is true, once for all.

II. THE NATURE OF THE TESTIMONY. It is

1. An indictment. God charges us with violation of His law, and we are to plead guilty or not guilty. If we deny our guilt we reject the very first proposition with which the Saviour comes to us. Shall any one dare to do this? Nicodemus thought he had kept the law, but the Saviour told him that he must be born again, and Paul felt this when he wrote (Rom_7:9), I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

2. Pardon. After the American civil war, when a general amnesty was offered, each man, to profit by the act, was required first to take the oath of allegiance. We are rebels against God; from Him alone can we look for pardon. Through Christ it is offered to every one, but it must be accepted before it becomes effective. We must set to our seal this testimony of pardon--take the oath of allegiance to Gods government.

3. A testament. If property comes into my possession by will, it is necessary that my name and a seal be affixed to the will before the properly is at my disposal. The testimony of the gospel is that God has made a testament for us. He not only grants us pardon, but peace and joy in this life, and in the world to come life eternal. These are offered to each of us freely; but we must set our seal to the testimony by accepting it in faith. (G. H. Smith.)

Set to his seal

The method of sealing seems to have been very ancient. Judah had a signet as well as a bracelet. The document sent to the elders respecting Naboth and his vineyard is said to have been sealed with the kings signature. So was that which commanded the extermination of the Jews in the time of Esther sealed. So in the days of Jeremiah, when his property was sold, the document which contained the account of the sale was sealed and signed. So have we the great seal of England, which affixed to a document authenticates the document. There are the seals and signatures in like manner of foreign potentates. And to make it still more dear and easy, and to bring it nearer home, in many matters of business, in the ordinary transactions between man and man, there is an agreement which is signed and sealed. Being signed, and sealed, and attested, the document stands; it is good and substantial, and has authority and weight in law. When in like manner, I suppose, we are represented as putting our seal and signature to Gods great document, authenticating it as far as our belief and our conviction goes as true, this is what is meant. Exactly as in the prophet Isaiah, when it is said by the Almighty, Ye are My witnesses. We set to our seal that God is true. (James Stratten.)

Sealing the truth

The firmness of the venerable Polycarp in persecution unto death is known to all. Urged by the chief officer to pay religious honours to the emperor, he mildly replied, I shall not do as you advise me. Swear, curse Christ, and I release you. Sixty-eight years have I served Him, and He has done ms nothing but good; how, then, can I curse Him, my Lord and my Saviour? At the stake, when they were about to bind him, he said, Leave me as I am. He who has strengthened me to encounter the flames, will enable me to stand firm at the stake.

The testimony of human experience to the Divinity of Christ

As there can be no argument in chemistry in proof of odours like a present perfume itself; as the shining of the stars is a better proof of their presence than the figures of an astronomer; as the restored health of his patients is a better argument of skill in a physician than laboured examinations and certificates; as the testimony of the almanac that summer comes with June is not so convincing as the coming of summer itself in the sky, in the air, in the fields, on hill and mountain, so the power of Christ upon the human soul is to the soul evidence of His Divinity based upon a living experience, and transcending in conclusiveness any convictions of the intellect alone, founded upon a contemplation of mere ideas, however just and sound. If Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God, in the experience of those who trust and love Him there needs no further argument of His Divinity. (H. W. Beecher.)

The best evidence of the truth of Christianity

As I looked upon the sun this November morning shining through some beautiful clouds, a man called upon me to prove that the sun was, in his judgment, as far as he could make out by the tables, about sufficient to light the world. He turned over long pages of logarithms, fractions, and decimals, and long precessions of figures. He asked me for a slate and pencil, and he was going to make it out to my satisfaction that the sun was just about sufficient to enlighten a hemisphere at a time. I ordered him off I Why? I saw it! I felt it! (J. Parker, D. D.)

Experience the teachers best helper

Oh I when a truth has broken your heart; when it has afterwards bound it up; when Christ has spoken it to you till you have felt it, then will you speak as men could speak who are ambassadors for God. George Fox was called a Quaker because, when he preached, he often trembled. Was that a folly? No. He had so felt the power of what he spoke that his very body trembled while he delivered that truth to others, and well may you and I tremble at His Word. Whenever that Word, however, comes home to the heart with sweetness, why, then, with what sweetness a man tells it again! There is nobody can speak it like the man who has experienced it. You know the tale of a tale, the report of a report is a very poor thing; but when a man says, I saw it, I was there, then you listen to him. So, if you can say of Christ, He is precious, for He is precious to me; He can save, for He has saved me; He can comfort and cheer and gladden, for He has done all that to me, then you speak with power because Christ has spoken with power to you. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Seal

The supposed necessity of a seal to attest the signature is shown in the following: At Jezreel, the chief desired Captain Wilson to make a report to the governor at Jenin, and our dragoman was accordingly directed to write a letter in Arabic, and submit it for signature.… This was duly signed by Captain Wilson; and as the chief insisted on a seal being appended to the signature, an old monogram was cut off a sheet of note paper and affixed to the letter. This was supposed to prove the genuineness of the document, as a mans seal cannot be forged. (Recovery of Jerusalem.)

The purpose of sealing

In courts of law, in olden times, a witness gave his statement of that which he professed was truth. Having done so, parties present who were cognisant of the veracity of the speaker, or who were in circumstances that they might be expected to be so, when called on to testify their knowledge, in confirmation of what had been asserted, by doing this set to their seal that what had been spoken was true, and that the witness who had spoken was faithful. But parties who, being thus appealed to, and being qualified to testify, declined to speak in corroboration of the testimony delivered, were held, by that declining, to make the witness a liar. To this practice allusion is made in the text. God hath spoken by His Son to the world; He has spoken that which all men may know, that which all men are bound to know to be true, that they may be able to confirm it as His word of truth. Being commanded to become acquainted with the things which are spoken, they are then, as a great duty, commanded to bear testimony to the truth, to the veracity of Him by whom it has been uttered. When they refuse to know what God speaks, they offend against His authority. When they refuse to testify to the truth--to set to their seal that He is true in the Word which has been given to them--they offend against His veracity; they make Him a liar. (A. Beith, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:31 Jesus had come from above, so he was uniquely able to reveal the Father (1:18; 3:13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 3:31. Ὁ ἄνωθεν, He who is from above) These words, and on to the end of the chapter, the Evangelist seems to have appended, as in congruity with the feeling of the Baptist: comp. notes, ch. Joh 1:7. Moreover this proposition, He who comes from above is above all, [already] evident by means of those conjugate terms, ἄνωθεν, ἐπάνω, from above, above, is presently made [still more] clear by means of the opposite, he who is of the earth.—ἐπάνω πάντων, above all) in dignity, excellence, and speech. Therefore [He is] also above John. John answers to that expression, all [men come to Him], Joh 3:26.—ὁ ὢκ ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστί, who is of the earth is earthly) There is a Ploce [a word used first literally, then to express an attribute of it]: the former being understood according to natural birth, the latter according to disposition and state; which latter is followed by a corresponding style of speech. The antithetic proposition forthwith corresponds, consisting also of three members. It is not said, He that cometh from the earth: because He was also on the earth; but it is said, He who cometh from above, who cometh from heaven, to wit, to the earth: for previously He was in heaven.—ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστί, is of the earth) The antithesis to this is, is above all.—ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ, speaketh of the earth) for which reason the inhabitants of the earth the more readily hear him. The spiritual excellence of a teacher is not to be measured by the pleasure of the audience.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_3:31-32, down to Joh_3:35, is not the comment of the evangelist (so Wetstein, Bengel, Kuinoel, Paulus, Olshausen, Tholuck, Klee, Maier, Bäumlein). Joh_3:32, comp. with Joh_3:29-30, seems to sanction the notion that it is; but as no intimation to this effect is given in the text, and as the thread of discourse proceeds uninterruptedly, and nothing in the subject-matter is opposed to it, we may regard it as the continued discourse of the Baptist, though elaborated in its whole style and colouring by John,not, however, to such an extent that the evangelists record passes almost entirely into a comment of his own (Lücke, De Wette, comp. also Ewald). We perceive how the Baptist, as if with the mind of Jesus Himself, unveils before his disciples, in the narrower circle of whom he speaks, with the growing inspiration of the last prophet, the full majesty of Jesus; and therewith, as if with his swanlike song, completes his testimony before he vanishes from the history.[174] Even the subsequent momentary perplexity (Matthew 11) is psychologically not irreconcilable with this (see on Joh_1:29), simply because John was ἘΚ Τῆς Γῆς. But the Baptist, notwithstanding his witness concerning Jesus, has not gone over to Him, because the calling of forerunner had been once divinely committed to him, and he felt that he must continue to fulfil it so long as the Messianic kingdom was not yet established. These remarks tell, at the same time, against the use which is made of this passage to prove that the entire scene is unhistorical (Strauss, Weisse, Reuss, Scholten, following Bretschneider).

ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμ.] He who cometh from, above, i.e. Christ (comp. Joh_3:13; Joh_8:23), whose coming, i.e. whose coming forth from the divine glory in human form as Messiah, is here regarded as still in the course of its actual self-manifestation (cf. Joh_8:14), and consequently as a present phenomenon, and as not ended until it has been consummated in the establishment of the kingdom.

πάντων] Masc. John means the category as a whole to which Jesus belongedall interpreters of God, as is clear from what follows, Joh_3:31-32.

ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς] i.e. the Baptist, who, as an ordinary man, springs from earth, not heaven.

ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι] as predicate denotes the nature conditioned by such an origin. He is of no other kind or nature than that of one who springs from earth; though withal his divine mission (Joh_1:6), in common with all prophets, and specially his divinely conferred baptismal vocation (Mat_21:25-26), remain intact.

καὶ ἐκ τ. γῆς λαλεῖ] and he speaketh of the earth. His speech has not heaven as its point of departure, like that of the Messiah, who declares what He has seen in heaven (see Joh_3:32); but it proceeds from the earth, so that he utters what has come to his knowledge upon earth, and therefore under the limitation of earthly conditions,a limitation, however, which as little excluded the reception of a revelation (Joh_1:33; Luk_3:2), as it did in the case of the saints of the O. T., who likewise were of earthly origin, nature, and speech, and afterwards e.g. in that of the Apostle Paul.[175] The contents of the discourse need not therefore relate merely to τὰ ἐπίγεια (Joh_3:12), as Weisse thinks, but may also have reference to ἐπουράνια, the knowledge and promulgation of which, however, do not get beyond the ἐκ μέρους (1Co_13:9 ff.). The expression ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλ. must not be confounded with ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλεῖν, 1Jn_4:5.

ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρ. ἐρχ., κ.τ.λ.] A solemn repetition of the first clause, linking on what follows, viz. the antithesis still to be brought out, of the ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ.

ὁ ἑώρακε, καὶ ἤκουσε] i.e. during His pre-existence with God, Joh_1:15; Joh_1:18, Joh_3:11. From it He possesses immediate knowledge of divine truth,[176] whose witness (μαρτυρεῖ) He accordingly is. Note the interchange of tenses (Kühner, II. p. 75).

τοῦτο] this and nothing else.

Κ. Τ. ΜΑΡΤ. ΑὐΤΟῦ ΟὐΔΕῚς ΛΑΜΒ.] tragically related to what preceded, and introduced all the more strikingly by the bare ΚΑΊ. Comp. Joh_1:10, Joh_3:11. The expression ΟὐΔΕῚς ΛΑΜΒ. is the hyperbole of deep sorrow on account of the small number of thosesmall in comparison of the vast multitude of unbelieverswho receive His witness, and whose fellowship accordingly constitutes the bride of the marriage. John himself limits the οὐδείς by the following Ὁ ΛΑΒῺΝ, Κ.Τ.Λ. Comp. Joh_1:10-12. The concourse of hearers who came to Jesus (Joh_3:26), and the Baptists joy on account of His progress (Joh_3:29-30), could not dim his deep insight into the worlds unbelief. Accordingly, his joy (Joh_3:29) and grief (Joh_3:32) both forming a noble contrast to the jealousy of his disciples (Joh_3:26).

[174] It is self-evident, that all that is said in ver. 31 f. was intended to incite the disciples of John to believe in Jesus, and to scare them from unbelief.

[175] The Fathers rightly perceived the relative character of this self-assertion. Euthymius Zigabenus: πρὸς σύγκρισιν τῶν ὑπερφυῶν λόγων τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Hofmarnn Schriftbew. II. 1, p. 14, misapprehends this, supposing that this ver. 31 has no reference to the Baptist.

[176] Decisive against Beyschlag, p. 96, who understands the words only of a prophetic sight and hearing through the Spirit, is the antithesis with the Baptist (who was yet himself a prophet), running through the whole context, as also the ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν, which ranks Jesus above the prophets. Comp. also Heb_12:25.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vv. 31-36. “He.”

The bridegroom, He must increase, while the friend decreases, for He is superior to him, first, through His origin (Joh 3:31), then, through the perfection of His teaching (Joh 3:32-34), finally, through His dignity as Son, and the absolute sovereignty which belongs to Him as such (Joh 3:35). The discourse closes with a practical conclusion (Joh 3:36).

Ver. 31. “He that cometh from above is above all;he that is of the earth, is of the earth, and speaketh as being of the earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all.” With his own earthly nature John contrasts the heavenly origin of Jesus.

῎Ανωθεν, from above, is applied here, not to the mission—for that of John is also from above—but to the origin of the person. The all denotes the divine agents in general. All, like John himself, are to be eclipsed by the Messiah. The words three times repeated: of the earth, forcibly express the sphere to which John belongs and beyond which he cannot go. The first time they refer to the origin (ὤν ἐκ): a mere man; the second, to the mode of existence (ἐστί): as being of the earth, he remains earthly in his whole manner of being, feeling and thinking (comp. the antithesis Joh 3:13); the third time, to the teaching (λαλεῖ): seeing the things of heaven only from beneath, from his earthly dwelling-place. This is true of John, even as a prophet. No doubt, in certain isolated moments and as if through partial openings, he catches a glimpse of the things from above; but even in his exstacies he speaks of God only as an earthly being. So, while inviting to repentance, he does not introduce into the kingdom.

This estimate of John by himself is in harmony with the judgment of Jesus, Mat 11:11 : “The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” And the shaking of his faith, which followed so soon, was not long in demonstrating the justice of it. After having thus put in their proper place, as contrasted with Jesus, all the servants of heaven, John returns to the principal theme: He. If, with some of the Mjj., we reject the last words of this verse: is above all, the words he that cometh from heaven must be made the subject of the verb bears witness, Joh 3:32 (rejecting the καί). But the fullest and richest reading is also the one most accordant with the spirit of the text. By the last words, John returns to the real subject of this part of his discourse, Jesus, from which he had turned aside, for a moment, in order to make more prominent His superiority by the contrast with himself.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Savoreth of nothing but corruption, ignorance, dullness, etc.

Is nothing else but man, a piece of work and of the slime of the earth.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

He that, &c.--Here is the reason why He must increase while all human teachers must decrease. The Master "cometh from above"--descending from His proper element, the region of those "heavenly things" which He came to reveal, and so, although mingling with men and things on the earth, is not "of the earth," either in Person or Word. The servants, on the contrary, springing of earth, are of the earth, and their testimony, even though divine in authority, partakes necessarily of their own earthiness. (So strongly did the Baptist feel this contrast that the last clause just repeats the first). It is impossible for a sharper line of distinction to be drawn between Christ and all human teachers, even when divinely commissioned and speaking by the power of the Holy Ghost. And who does not perceive it? The words of prophets and apostles are undeniable and most precious truth; but in the words of Christ we hear a voice as from the excellent Glory, the Eternal Word making Himself heard in our own flesh.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 31. Is above all] This blessed bridegroom, who has descended from heaven, Joh 3:13, is above all, superior to Moses, the prophets, and me.

He that is of the earth] John himself, who was born in the common way of man.

Speaketh of the earth] Cannot speak of heavenly things as Christ can do; and only represents Divine matters by these earthly ordinances; for the spirit and meaning of which, you must all go to the Messiah himself.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31. He who cometh from above. By another comparison he shows how widely Christ differs from all the rest, and how far he is above them; for he compares him to a king or distinguished general, who, speaking from his lofty seat, ought to be heard with reverence for his authority, but shows that it is enough for himself to speak from the lowest footstool of Christ. In the second clause the old Latin translation has only once the words, is of the earth; but the Greek manuscripts agree in repeating the words twice. I suspect that ignorant men considered the repetition to be superfluous, and therefore erased it; but the meaning is: he who is of earth gives evidence of his descent, and remains in an earthly rank according to the condition of his nature. He maintains that it is peculiar to Christ alone to speak from above, because he came from heaven

But it may be asked, Did not John also come from heaven, as to his calling and office, and was it not therefore the duty of men to hear the Lord speaking by his mouth? For he appears to do injustice to the heavenly doctrine which he delivers. I reply, this was not said absolutely, but by comparison. If ministers be separately considered, they speak as from heaven, with the highest authority, what God commanded them; but, as soon as they begin to be contrasted with Christ, they must no longer be anything. Thus the Apostle, comparing the Law with the Gospel, says,

Since they escaped not who despised him that spoke on earth, beware lest you despise him who is from heaven, (Hebrews 12:25.)

Christ, therefore, wishes to be acknowledged in his ministers, but in such a manner that he may remain the only Lord, and that they may be satisfied with the rank of servants; but especially when a comparison is made, he wishes to be so distinguished that he alone may be exalted.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(31) He that cometh from above.—Comp. Note on Joh_3:13, and Joh_8:23. It is expressed in another form in the last clause of the verse.

Is above all—i.e., above all persons, and, as the context limits the sense, specially above all teachers.

He that is of the earth is earthly.—This is the right sense, but the force of the words is lessened by not preserving the three-fold “of the earth” which is in the Greek. “He who is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh.” The first marks out the Baptist’s origin, as opposed to Him that cometh from above; the second asserts that the nature is, in accord with this origin, human and limited in faculty, as opposed to that of Him who is above all; the third declares that his teaching is from the standpoint of human nature and limited faculty, embracing indeed divine subjects and receiving divine revelation (Joh_1:33), but having this treasure in earthen vessels, imperfectly realising it, and imperfectly teaching it (Joh_3:33). Then the contrast carries him away from this thought of self, in all its weakness, to dwell on the fulness of the teaching of the perfect Teacher, and he emphatically repeats, with the change of words suggested by “of the earth,” what he has before said of it, “He that cometh from heaven is above all.”

This repetition is the answer to the jealousy of his disciples, who wished to place him in a position of rivalry with Jesus. It is the answer to all self-assertion on the part of human teachers.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31. that cometh from above] i.e. Christ. Comp. Joh_3:13, Joh_8:23, He ‘is above all,’ John included. No one, however exalted a Prophet, can rival Him.

is earthly] There is loss instead of gain in obliterating the emphatic repetition of the words ‘of the earth’ as they appear in the Greek. He that is of the earth, of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh. This was John’s case: he spoke of ‘earthly things’ (see on Joh_3:12), Divine Truth as manifested in the world, and as revealed to him. He could not, like Christ, speak from immediate knowledge of ‘heavenly things.’ Note that ‘speaking of the earth’ is a very different thing from ‘speaking of the world’ (1Jn_4:5). The one is to speak of God’s work on earth; the other of what opposes, or at least is other than, God’s work.

he that cometh from heaven] A repetition with further development, very characteristic of S. John’s style.

31–36. A question is raised with regard to this section similar to that raised about Joh_3:16-21. Some regard what follows not as a continuation of the Baptist’s speech, but as the Evangelist’s comment upon it. But, as in the former case, seeing that the Evangelist gives us no intimation that he is taking the place of the speaker, and that there is nothing in what follows to compel us to suppose that there is such a transition, it is best to regard the Baptist as still speaking. It is, however, quite possible that this latter part of the discourse is more strongly coloured with the Evangelist’s own style and phraseology, while the substance still remains the Baptist’s. Indeed a change of style may be noticed. The sentences become less abrupt and more connected; the stream of thought is continuous.

“The Baptist, with the growing inspiration of the prophet, unveils before his narrowing circle of disciples the full majesty of Jesus; and then, as with a swan-like song, completes his testimony before vanishing from history.” Meyer, in loco.

There is no contradiction between this passage and Mat_11:2-6, whatever construction we put on the latter (see notes there). John was ‘of the earth,’ and therefore there is nothing improbable in his here impressing on his disciples the peril of not believing on the Messiah, and yet in prison feeling impatience, or despondency, or even doubt about the position and career of Jesus.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And what he hath seen and heard,.... Of the Father, of his mind and will, of his purposes and promises, of his love, grace, and mercy, in the council and covenant of peace, lying in his bosom, and being privy to all his secrets. The phrases express the clear and perfect knowledge Christ has of all truths and doctrines; he having all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in him.

That he testifieth; fully, freely, and faithfully; withholds nothing, but declares the whole counsel of God; and is deservedly called the faithful witness, Rev 1:5.

And no man receiveth his testimony; though it was the testimony of God, which is greater than that of man; yet few, and which were next to none at all, gave any heed or credit to it; few or none among the Jews, or among the disciples of John, or even among those that followed Christ. John, and his disciples, widely differed; they thought that all men came to Christ, and believed in him; and John thought few or none, in comparison of the numbers he could have wished, did: and indeed, no one person can receive the testimony of Christ, and believe in him, unless it be given him from above, by the grace of God: for the natural man receives not divine and spiritual things; see Joh 3:11.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

Ver. 31. He that cometh, &c.] Hitherto Christ hath been compared with John. In the rest of the chapter he stands compared, first, with all men; secondly, with the faithful, and infinitely preferred before them all. "He is the chief of ten thousand," Son 5:10; or the standard-bearer, which ever are the goodliest.

Is earthy] Terra est, so Augustine renders it, in the same sense as "he is flesh," Joh 3:6. God will smite this "earth with the rod of his mouth," Isa 11:4.

Speaketh of the earth] As ducklings have always their bills in the mud, as swine are ever rooting in the mire; like that fish in the Gospel, either dumb, or nothing but gold in their mouths.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He that cometh from above - The Messiah, represented as coming down from heaven. See Joh 3:13; Joh 6:33; Joh 8:23. It has been doubted whether the remainder of this chapter contains the words of “John the Baptist” or of “the evangelist.” The former is the more probable opinion, but it is difficult to decide it, and it is of very little consequence.

Is above all - In nature, rank, and authority. “Is superior to all prophets” Heb 1:1-2; “to all angels” Heb 1:4-14, “and is over all the universe as its sovereign Lord,” Rom 9:5; Eph 1:21-22; Col 1:15-19; 1Co 15:25.

He that is of the earth - He who has no higher nature than the human nature. The prophets, apostles, and John were men like others, born in the same way, and sinking, like others, to the dust. See Act 14:15. Jesus had a nature superior to man, and “ought,” therefore, to be exalted above all.

Is earthly - Is human. Is inferior to him who comes from heaven. Partakes of his origin, which is inferior and corrupt.

Speaketh of the earth - His teaching is inferior to that of him who comes from heaven. It is comparatively obscure and imperfect, not full and clear, like the teaching of him who is from above. This was the case with all the prophets; and even with John the Baptist, as compared with the teaching of Christ.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He that cometh from above, meaning Christ. He that is of the earth, meaning himself, is from the earth,[2] is earthly, is but a frail and infirm man; and so speaketh as from the earth: this seems rather the sense, than that he speaketh of, or concerning the earth. See the Greek text. (Witham)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Qui est de terra, de terra est, Greek: o on ek tes ges, ek tes ges esti, kai ek tes ges lalei. et de terra loquitur.

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George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

He that cometh from heaven, (for it appeareth by the latter part of the verse, that is the sense of from above), as Christ did, not only in respect of his Divine nature, but being (as to his whole person) clothed with majesty and authority from above, infinitely excelleth any one who is a mere creature: he that is of an earthly original,

speaketh of the earth. Such as is a man’s original, such is his nature, such is his discourse. Though I be sent of God, as Joh 16:27, and my baptism be from heaven, (so our Saviour himself testifieth, Mat 21:25), yet my original is of the earth, and my relations and expressions are suitable to a mere man: but he that is from heaven excels all, as in the dignity of his person, so in the sublimity of his knowledge.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

31. From above… of the earth—Between a messenger from heaven and a messenger from the earth there can be no comparison of authority. A messenger from heaven is a concluder of all questions.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 31-36. A large number of commentators of all schools hold that the remaining verses of this chapter give us the reflections of the evangelist rather than a continuous discourse of the Baptist. Strauss, Weisse, Reuss, and Bretschneider, who make the supposed proof of this Johannine appendix to the Baptist"s words an evidence of inhistoricity throughout the Gospel, and the school of Baur, which finds in the entire representation simply an artistic endeavour on the part of a second century falsarius to show that John"s disciples were absorbed into the Catholic Church, are joined here by Bengel, De Wette, Westcott, Moulton, and Edersheim, who see no difficulty in the introduction of these sentiments, which correspond with those of the Epistles of John, as an appendix of the evangelist, and not a reminiscence of the teaching of the Baptist. The reasons in favour of this view are that the ideas and phraseology are said to be far in advance of John the Baptist"s theological position, and certainly reflect the later teaching of the Master. We will consider some of these seriatim, but cannot accept the argument as final. Hengstenberg, Meyer, Godet, Alford, Lange, even Renan, do not yield to the positions thus assumed, nor will they admit any word of the Baptist here uttered to be inconsistent with the known doctrine of the forerunner; whereas they urge that the simple communication to John of the substance of our Lord"s discourse to Nicodemus is adequate explanation of the similarities between the two. It may be admitted that some subjective colouring from the apostle"s own mind may have been transfused by him into his report of both discourses, which we cannot doubt (whatever may be said about the Galilaean ministry) were conducted in the Aramaic tongue. Weiss makes the pertinent suggestion that we cannot think that John the son of Zebedee beard the final testimony of the Baptist. It may easily have been communicated to the circle around Jesus by Andrew and some other disciple of the two masters. This may account for the appearance throughout the discourse of more Johannine language than usual. If we cannot, or may not, make these simple hypotheses, then we too should be disposed to think that the subjective element had so predominated as almost to hide the historic quality of the whole of this swanlike song of the Old Testament dispensation. But the hypotheses seem to be highly probable and extremely natural, and the coherence of the passage with what has gone before to be obvious and complete. The discourse contrasts the entire prophetic ministry with that of the Son of God (vers. 31, 32), which then sets forth the menus of appropriating the Divine gift of the Son of God (vers. 33-35), and predicts the awful issues of rejecting the supreme claims of the Divine Lord (ver. 36). The teaching is in accord with Old Testament doctrine, illumined, as we learn that John"s was, by special visions, and by communications to him of the significance of the Lord"s uttered words. It is quite irrelevant, if not absurd, to say that such a testimony of the forerunner makes the continuance or spread of John"s teaching and baptism impossible; for

(1) the words were obviously addressed to a small group only of the many thousands who heard John preach, and

(2) it does not follow that all those who heard these memorable words should have deserted their first master, even in deference to his own advice. The words that follow, whether a simple record of John"s discourse or one deeply coloured by the subjectivity of the evangelist, are as follows:

He that is coming from above is above all. Now, it is obvious that Jesus had spoken of the Son of man as having come down from heaven (ver. 13), and of his own power to speak of heavenly things (i.e. of causes and measures of Divine operations); and he contrasts these with the "earthly things" of which he too had spoken they were because they dealt with experiences felt and witnessed and realized on earth. Now, John is represented, on the occasion of the baptism of our Lord, as being convinced that Jesus was "the Son of God," and that his existence was prior to his own, and that his rank in the universe was one utterly transcending his own. These statements have been already put into the lips of John by the fourth evangelist, and are scarcely exceeded, if at all, by the utterance before us. We find a bold contrast between the Logos himself and the witness to the manifested Logos. He who cometh from above, being before John, and being, therefore, in his essential dignity, superior to him, is above all, and therefore above him. He that is, in his origin and the entire self-realization of his life, from the earth, and not incarnate Logos, is of the earth in quality, and speaketh of the earth (observe, not kosmov , but gh is here used). The experiences to which he refers are enacted on the earth, and he has no power to go back and heavenwards for the full explanation of them. Higher than heaven are the thoughts and revelations of the Son of God. He can unveil the heart of the eternal Father. Christ can link his own work with the ministry of the mightiest of the Heaven-sent messengers; but John starts from the consciousness, the perils, the self-deceptions and contrition of man. He that cometh out of heaven is above All. this great utterance is repeated, and it involves little more than what John had implied to the Sanhedrin. (Joh_1:30-34)

Vers. 31-36. The Baptist"s confirmation of his statement respecting the superiority of Christ.

He gives several reasons why Jesus must increase, and he himself must decrease.

I THE ORIGIN OF JESUS. "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth.

1. Jesus belongs to heaven; the Baptist to the earth.

2. Jesus is above all servants of God; the Baptist is one of his servants.

3. Jesus must ever eclipse all his servants, causing them to fade away like the morning star before the sun; they find their true enjoyment in the resplendent glory of Christ.

4. John is hemmed in by the peculiar limitations of an earthly existence; his ideas are derived and. dependent; he sees heavenly realities from the imperfect standpoint of faith. He can summon the world to repentance, but he cannot give repentance.

II THE PERFECTION OF CHRIST"S TEACHING. "And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth.

1. His Divine origin secures the unique glory of his teaching; for, being in the bosom of the Father, he is acquainted with all his counsels. He is a witness who has both seen and heard what he declares to man.

2. Consider the perverse unbelief that rejects the teaching. "And no man receiveth his testimony." Jerusalem, as the religious centre of Judaism, gives it no welcome.

3. The believers witness to the truth of God. "He that receiveth his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

(1) The Jews" rejection was not total. There were many believers in Christ"s words.

(2) The believer bears his testimony the testimony of his inward experience to the truth of God, just as the unbeliever makes God a liar. (1Jn_2:4) What a grand reality is faith!

(3) The reason of Christ"s words being the very truth of God; for "God giveth net the Spirit by measure." Therefore he is "full of grace and truth," and "in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4. Christ"s filial dignity and sovereignty. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

(1) The love of the Father is the source of all gifts to the Head, and, through the Head, to the members.

(2) The sovereignty in the hands of Christ enables him to make all things work together for the good of his people. He has a hand of power, of pity, of blessing, always stretched out over his Chinch.

5. The practical consequence of the Sons sumpremacy in the twofold issue of life.

(1) The issue of eternal life. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.

(a) The nature of faith.

(a) It is not a mere brief in the Son"s Godhead, or Mediatorship, or ability to give life; it is not a mere assent to Divine testimony concerning the Son.

(b) It is an actual trusting in the Son, and therefore an act of the will and the heart as welt as of the understanding.

(b) The object of faith. "The Son," who is able to save,

(a) because he is the Son of God, and therefore Divine;

(b) because he is the Son of man, and therefore human. Faith derives all its importance from its object.

(c) The connection between faith and life. Faith brings the sinner into possession of everlasting life, because it unites him to Christ as his life. "Because I live, ye shall live also." "The life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God". (Gal_2:20)

(2) The issue of abiding wrath. "But he that disobeyeth the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

(a) Unbelief is disobedience, as faith is obedience, to the Son of God. Thus it is essentially a practical principle controlling conduct.

(b) The guilt of disobedience is enhanced by the supreme dignity of him to whom it is due.

(c) Disobedience is incapacity to see life. The sinner has

(a) no conception of its nature,

(b) and no enjoyment of its blessings.

(d) The retribution of disobedience is permanent.

(a) So long as a sinner obstinately refuses to receive the Son of God, there is nothing to break the connection established by Divine law between disobedience and wrath. "The wrath of God abideth on him.

(b) There is wrath as well as love in God.

(g) The last words of this discourse represent the last words of the Old Testament for the warning voice of the Baptist is no more heard; and they recall the closing sentence of that Testament, "Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is not improbable, that what is added, to the end of the chapter, are the words of the evangelist, not the Baptist. He that is of the earth - A mere man; of earthly original, has a spirit and speech answerable to it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

31. He that cometh from above. Christ, who is, therefore, above and over John.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

He who comes from above is above all

"He who comes from heaven is more important than anyone else"

He who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks about the earth

John means that Jesus is greater than he is since Jesus is from heaven, and John was born on the earth. AT: "He who is born in this world is like everyone else who lives in the world and he speaks about what happens in this world" (See: Metonymy)

He who comes from heaven is above all

This means the same thing as the first sentence. John repeats this for emphasis.

He testifies about what he has seen and heard

John is speaking about Jesus. AT: "The one from heaven tells about what he has seen and heard in heaven"

no one accepts his testimony

Here John exaggerates to emphasize that only a few people believe Jesus. AT: "very few people believe him" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

He who has received his testimony

"Anyone who believes what Jesus says"

has confirmed

"proves" or "agrees"

translationWords

earth

heaven

testimony

God

receive

true

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

31–36. A question is raised with regard to this section similar to that raised about Joh 3:16-21. Some regard what follows not as a continuation of the Baptist’s speech, but as the Evangelist’s comment upon it. But, as in the former case, seeing that the Evangelist gives us no intimation that he is taking the place of the speaker, and that there is nothing in what follows to compel us to suppose that there is such a transition, it is best to regard the Baptist as still speaking. It is, however, quite possible that this latter part of the discourse is more strongly coloured with the Evangelist’s own style and phraseology, while the substance still remains the Baptist’s. Indeed a change of style may be noticed. The sentences becomes less abrupt and more connected; the stream of thought is continuous.

“The Baptist, with the growing inspiration of the prophet, unveils before his narrowing circle of disciples the full majesty of Jesus; and then, as with a swan-like song, completes his testimony before vanishing from history” (Meyer).

There is no contradiction between this passage and Mat 11:2-6, whatever construction we put on the latter (see notes there). John was ‘of the earth,’ and therefore there is nothing improbable in his here impressing on his disciples the peril of not believing on the Messiah, and yet in prison feeling impatience, or despondency, or even doubt about the position and career of Jesus.

31. ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχ. Christ: Joh 3:13, Joh 8:23: ἄνωθεν here must mean ‘from above’; see on Joh 3:3. He is above all, John included, little as John’s disciples may like the fact. Comp. Mat 11:11.

ὁ ὢν ἐκ τ. γῆς. Εἶναι ἐκ, expressing a moral relation, is characteristic of S. Joh 7:17; Joh 8:23; Joh 8:44; Joh 8:47; Joh 15:19; Joh 17:14; Joh 17:16; Joh 18:36-37; 1Jn 2:16; 1Jn 2:19; 1Jn 2:21; 1Jn 3:8; 1Jn 3:10; 1Jn 3:12; 1Jn 3:19; 1Jn 4:1-7; 1Jn 5:16, 3Jn 1:11; elsewhere in N.T. not common. Comp. γεγενῆσθαι ἐκ, Joh 3:5-6; Joh 3:8, Joh 1:13, Joh 8:41; 1Jn 2:29; 1Jn 3:9; 1Jn 4:7; 1Jn 5:1; 1Jn 5:4; 1Jn 5:18. Note the emphatic repetition of ἐκ τ. γῆς, as of κόσμος in Joh 3:17. Comp. Joh 12:36, Joh 15:19. He that is of the earthy of the earth he is, and of the earth he speaketh. This was John’s case: he spoke of ‘earthly things’ (Joh 3:12). Divine Truth as manifested in the world, and as revealed to him. He could not, like Christ, speak from immediate knowledge of ‘heavenly things.’ Ἐκτ. γῆς λαλεῖν is very different from ἐκ τ. κόσμου λαλεῖν (1Jn 4:5); the one is to speak of God’s work on earth; the other of what is not God’s work but opposes it.

ὁ ἐκ τ. οὐρ. ἐρχ. Repeating and defining ὀ ἄνωθεν ἐρχ., thoroughly in S. John’s style. In what follows we have another (see Joh 3:13; Joh 3:15) interesting question of reading. T. R. has ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστί, καὶ. The καί must be omitted on overwhelming evidence (אBDL against A): asyndeton is the rule throughout this passage. The evidence as to ἐπάνω π. ἐστί is very divided, the balance being against the words. Omitting them, we translate: He that cometh from heaven beareth witness to that which He hath seen and heard.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31.] Many modern critics, beginning with Bengel and Wetstein, and including Lücke, Kuinoel, Olshausen, Tholuck, De Wette. and others, maintain that after ver. 30 we have the words, not of the Baptist, but of the Evangelist. Lücke and De Wette assume that the Evangelist has put his own thoughts into the Baptist’s mouth, or at least mixed them with his words. The reason of this arbitrary proceeding is, (α) that the sentiments of the following verses seem to them not to be congruous with the time and position of the Baptist. But some of them confess (e.g. Lücke, De Wette) that this very position of the Baptist is to them yet unexplained, and are disposed to question the applicability to their idea of it of very much which is undoubtedly recorded to have been said by him. So that we cannot allow such a view much critical weight, unless it can be first clearly shewn, what were the Baptist’s convictions concerning the Person and Office of our Lord. (β) That the diction and sentiments of the following verses are so entirely in the style of our Evangelist. But first, I by no means grant this, in the sense which is here meant. It will be seen by the reff. that the Evangelist does not so frequently repeat himself as in most other passages of equal length. And even were this so, the remark made above on vv. 16-21, would apply here also; that the Evangelist’s peculiar style of theological expression was formed on some model; and on what more likely than in the first place the discourses of his Divine Master, and then such sententious and striking testimonies as the present? But there is a weightier reason than these for opposing the above view, and that arises from what modern criticism has been so much given to overlook,—the inner coherence of the discourse itself; in which John explains to his disciples the reason why He must increase; whereas his own dignity was to be eclipsed before Him. This will be seen below as we proceed.

And there is nothing inconsistent with what the Lord himself says of the Baptist in these verses. He (the Baptist) ever speaks not as a disciple of Jesus, not as within the Kingdom,—but as knowing the blessedness of those who should be within it; as standing by, and hearing the Bridegroom’s voice.

Nor again is there any thing inconsistent with the frame of mind which prompted the question sent by John to our Lord afterwards in the onward waning of his days in prison: see note on Mat 11:2.

ὁ ἄνωθ. ἐρχ.] This gives us the reason why He must increase: His power and His words are not from below, temporary, limited; but are divine and inexhaustible; and, ver. 32, His witness is not, like John’s, only of what he has been forewarned to expect, but of that which he has seen and heard. But οὐδείς,—i.e. in reference to the κόσμος into which He is come, the σκοτία in which His light shines,—no one comparatively,—receives His testimony. The state of men’s minds at Jerusalem with regard to Jesus must ere this have been well known to the Baptist. Notice in ver. 31 the collocation of the words as regards emphasis: ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστιν, κ. ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ.

33,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

31-36. Reasons have been given in the Introduction (p. xxiii) for taking these verses in sequence to vv. 16-21, vv. 22-30 having been displaced from their original position.

The argument of this paragraph is as follows: He that is of the earth can testify only to earthly things (v. 31; cf. v. 12). Christ, who is from heaven, in testifying of heavenly things, testifies to that which He has seen and heard, but His witness is not accepted (v. 32; cf. v. 11). Nevertheless, he who does accept it, agrees that Jesus was the promised Messenger of God (v. 33; cf. v. 17). He speaks the message of God, and thereby shows that He was sent by God (v. 34). He speaks this message in its completeness, for the Spirit is not granted to Him in part only (v. 34); He is the Beloved Son (v. 35; cf. v. 16).

31. א*D fam. 1 a b e ff2 and Syr. cur. om. the second ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν at the end of the verse; but ins. אcABLTbΔΘW. Jn. is fond of repeating phrases, with a slight verbal change (see on v. 16).

ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος, i.e. Christ. ἄνωθεν has its usual Johannine significance of desuper, “from above” (but see on 3:3); cf. ἐγὼ ἐκ τῶν ἄνω εἰμί (8:23) and 1Co 15:47.

ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν. This is expressed by Paul in the same way ὁ ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων (Rom 9:5; cf. Eph 1:21).

ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς … λαλεῖ. There is a similar thought in 1Jn 4:5: αὐτοὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἰσί· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλοῦσιν, the only difference being that κόσμος carries the idea of the moral condition of the world (see on 1:9), while γῆ is the physical “earth” simply. Cf. 2 Ezr 4:21: “Qui super terram inhabitant quae sunt super terram intellegere solummodo possunt, et qui super caelos quae super altitudinem caelorum.” See on 3:12.

ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστιν. Jn. is inclined to the constr. εἶναι ἐκ … as indicating origin and affinity; cf. 8:23 and passim. The constr. γεγεννῆσθαι ἐκ has already been discussed (3:5 and 1:13).

For λαλεῖ, see on 3:11.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.