27---34-
ἐκεῖνον δεῖ " αὐξάνειν, ἐμὲ δὲ ἐλαττοῦσθαι.
” Σἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν.
τῆς γῆς Nadel: ὁ 4 ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐρχόμενος, ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστὶ,'
6 ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς, ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ
721
be 3 , : 1. °6 ἄνωθεν ἐρχόμενος, a intrans. in 3 ΕΕ ore oi. 28: xiii. 32, etc.; trans in 1 Cor. iii, 6, 7.
A “ A , 32. καὶ ὃ ἑώρακε καὶ ἤκουσε, τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ: καὶ τὴν µαρτυρίαν b viii. 23.
αὐτοῦ "οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει. » 33. ὃ λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν µαρτυρίαν, 47, ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι ΄ὁ Θεὸς ἀληθής ἐστιν. Θεὸς, τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλεῖ: οὐ γὰρ ἐκ µέτρου δίδωσιν ὁ Θεὸς 3
in Gospp.
d xvi. 28.
1 Cor. xv Phil τν c 1. 0.
34. ὃν γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν Oc Lk. xix. 17,19; in local sense freq. Rom. iii. Ee
ei, 11. Is. liii. 1. f vii. 18.
1 επανω παντων εστι Omitted in ND vet. Lat., etc., but found in cABL. The words are omitted by W.H.., but are almost necessary as a balance to ex της γης εστι.
2 o Beos omitted in NBC*L 1, 33, and therefore by Tisch., W.H.and Weiss; Τ.Ε.
in AC?D vet. Lat.
flocking to Him. The precise point in the Baptist’s language to which the evangelist attaches this commentary or expansion [‘‘theils erklarende, theils erweiternde Reflexion,” Licke] is his affirmation of the Messiah’s superiority to himself. To this John adds (ver. 31): He is superior not only to the Baptist but to all, ἐπάνω πάντων éoriv, the reason being that He comes from above, ἄνωθεν; which is the equivalent of ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ in the latter part of the verse. These expressions are contrasted with ἐκ τῆς γῆς, the ordinary earthly origin of men, and they refer Christ’s origin to a higher and unique source: unique because the result of this origin is that He is supreme over all, ἐπάνω "πάντων. His origin is superior to that of all, therefore His supremacy is universal (cf. ver. 13). The results of origin, whether earthly or heavenly, are traced out in a twofold direction: in the kind of life lived and in the words spoken. On the one hand 6 ἐκ τῆς γῆς . . . ἐστι. The first ἐκ expresses origin: the second moral connection, as in xviii. 37, xv. 19: he whose origin is earthly is an earthly person, his life rises no higher than its source, his interests and associations are of earth. Another result is given in the words ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ, from the earth his ideas and his utterance of them spring. A man’s talk and teach- ing cannot rise above their source. So far as experimental knowledge goes he is circumscribed by his origin. In contrast to persons of earthly origin stands 6 ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ épydpevos; ἐρχ. is added that not only his origin but his transition to his present condition may be indicated. His origin in like manner determines both his moral relationships and his teaching. The one is given in
ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστί. He lives in a higher region than all others and is not limited by earthly conditions.—Ver. 32. The result is ὁ ἑώρακε.. . μαρτυρεῖ. Seeing and hearing are equivalent to having direct knowledge. The man who is of earth may be trusted when he speaks of earth: he who is from heaven testifies to that of which he has had experimental knowledge (cf. ver. 13), and might there- fore expect to be listened to, but τὴν µαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ ovdels λαμβάνει. The καὶ which connects the clauses implies the meaning ‘“‘and yet’’. This statement could not have been made when crowds were thronging to Jesus’ baptism. They are the reflection of the evangelist, who sees how sporadically the testimony of Christ has been received. Yet it has not been universally rejected: 6 AaBov.. . ἀληθής ἐστιν. He who received His testimony sealed that God is true. σφραγ. means to stamp with approval, to endorse, to give confirmation. Wet- stein quotes from Aristides, Platonic., i., p. 18: Αἰσχίνης μαρτυρεῖ Πλάτωνι .. . καὶ τὴν τοῦδε µαρτυρίαν ὥσπερ ἐπισ- Φραγίζεται. But he who believes Christ not only confirms or approves Christ’s truthfulness, but God’s. ὃν γὰρ ἀπέσ- τειλεν . . . λαλεῖ. For Christ is God’s ambassador and speaks God’s words. This is a thought which pervades this Gospel, see viii. 26, 28; xv. 5, etc. ‘* He that sent me,” or ‘‘ the Father that. sent me,” is a phrase occurring over twenty times in the Gospel and is char- acteristic of the aspect of Christ pre- sented in it, as revealing the Father.— Ver. 34. The reason assigned for the truth and trustworthiness of Christ’s words is scarcely the reason we expect: ov yap . . . Πνεῦμα. John has told us that Christ is to be believed because He.