meant by these words that even if He did testify of Himself, and make assertions about His own office and mission, His testimony ought not to be despised and disregarded as not trustworthy. Whether His enemies would hear it or not, what He said deserved credit, and was worthy of all acceptation. — " The testimony that I bear is not the testimony of a common witness, but of one who is thoroughly to be depended on."
[For I know whence I came, etc.'] Our Lord here gives a solemn and weighty reason why His testimony to Himself ought to be reverently received by the Jews, and not refused. That reason was His divine nature and mission. He came to them and stood before them not as a common prophet and an every- day witness, but as one who knew the mysterious truth that He was the Divine Messiah, that should come into the world. — " I know whence I came : — I came forth from the Father, to be His Messenger to a lost world. I know whither I go : — I am about to return to my Father when I have finished His work, and to sit down at His right hand after my ascension. Knowing all this, I have a right to say that my testimony is trustworthy. You, on the other hand, are utteriy ignorant about me. You neither know nor believe my Divine origin nor mission. Justly, therefore, I may say that it matters little whether you think my testimony deserving of credit or not. Your eyes are blinded, and your opinion is worthless."
Chrysostom observes that our Lord " might have said, I am God. But He ever mingleth lowly words with sublime, and even these He veileth."
Bucer, Chcmnitius, and Quesnel observe that our Lord's argument is like that of an ambassador from a king, who says, — "I know my commission and Who sent Me, and therefore I claim attention to my message."
Webster paraphrases the sentence : " I speak in the full consciousness of my previous and future existence in the glory of the Father; and I therefore feel and assert my right to be believed on my own testimony. If you knew whence I came and whither I go, you would not want any other witness than myself. And this you might know if you were spiritual; but you are carnal, and judge after the flesh."
15. — [Ye judge after the ftesh.~] The meaning of this sentence seems to be, — '• You judge and decide everything on fleshly and worldly principles, according to the outward appearance. You estimate Me and my mission according to what you see with the eye. You presume to despise Me and set light by Me, because there is no outward grandeur and dignity about Me. Judging everything by such a false standard, you see no beauty in Me and my ministry. You have already set Me down in your own minds as an impostor, and worthy to die. Your minds are full of carnal prejudices, and hence my testimony seems worth- less to you."