John 5:31

"I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is righteous, because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me."

Key Reflection

In John 5:31, Jesus asserts that his judgments are based solely on what he hears and understands from God’s will. This statement would have resonated strongly with the original audience as it echoes the principle of divine revelation found in Deuteronomy 4:29 and Psalm 119:105. For first-century Jews, who placed great emphasis on divine law and prophets, Jesus’ claim highlights his unique authority and reliability as he speaks God’s word, emphasizing that his teachings are not from himself but from the will of the Father who sent him.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 31. If I bear witness of myself. If I have no other evidence than my own testimony about myself. My witness. My testimony; my evidence, The proof would not be decisive. Is not true. The word true. here, means worthy of belief, or established by suitable evidence. See Mt 22:16: "We know that thou art true"--that is, worthy of confidence, or that thou hast been truly sent from God, Lu 20:21; Joh 8:13,17. The law did not admit a man to testify in his own case, but required two witnesses, De 17:6. Though what Jesus said true Joh 8:13,17, yet he admitted it was not sufficient testimony alone to claim their belief.

Related Verses

More from John 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion