And you will not come to me that you may have life.

“Having set forth the teaching concerning the life-giving power of the Son, here he consequently confirms it; and first he confirms what he had said about the excellence of his power, by manifold testimony; secondly he rebukes their slowness to believe, at the place, "I do not receive glory from men," and so on. Regarding the first he does two things. First he sets down the necessity of adducing testimony; secondly he adduces the testimonies themselves, at the place, "There is another who bears witness of me." The necessity of adducing testimony arose on the part of the Jews who did not believe him; and for this reason he says, "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." But what is said furnishes matter for wonder. For as the Lord says of himself below, John 14:6, he himself is the truth: how then is his witness not true? If he is the truth, who will be believed if the truth is not believed? And therefore it must be said, according to Chrysostom, that the Lord here speaks of himself according to the opinion of others, so that the sense is: "If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true" — as far as your estimation goes, since you do not accept what I say of myself unless it is confirmed by another testimony; below, John 8:13: "You bear witness of yourself: your witness is not true." Consequently, when he says, "There is another who bears witness of me," he adduces testimonies, and first the human testimony; secondly the divine testimony, at the place, "But I have a greater witness than John." Regarding the first he does two things. First he adduces the testimony of John; secondly he assigns the reason for the testimony, at the place, "But I do not receive testimony from man." Regarding the first he does two things. First he adduces the testimony; secondly he commends his testimony, at the place, "I know that his testimony is true." He adduces the witness, saying, "There is another who bears witness of me." This other, according to Chrysostom, is John the Baptist, of whom it is said above, John 1:6: "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John: this man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light." Now he commends the testification when he says, "And I know that his testimony is true." And this from two things: first from truth; secondly from authority, because it was sought from them, at the place, "You sent to John." From truth indeed he commends his testimony, saying "and I know," that is, I experience for certain, "that his testimony is true," namely John's, which he bears of me. For thus his father Zechariah prophesied of him, Luke 1:76: "For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people." Now it is certain that a lying testimony is not salvific but deadly, since a lie is a cause of death; Wisdom 2:11: "the mouth that lies kills the soul." If therefore the testimony of John is for giving the knowledge of salvation to his people, his testimony is true. But according to the Gloss, otherwise: "if I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." Above, Christ spoke of himself according as he is God; here, however, he speaks according as he is man. And the sense is: "if I," namely as man, "bear witness of myself," namely without God, that is, such that God the Father does not bear witness; then it follows that "my witness is not true": for a human word, unless it is supported by God, has nothing of truth, according to that saying, Romans 3:4: "but God is true, and every man a liar." Hence if we understand Christ as a man separated from the deity and not conformed to it, a lie is found both in his essence and in his words; below, John 8:14: "if I bear witness of myself, my witness is true"; below: "because I am not alone, but I and the Father who sent me." And therefore, because he was not alone but with the Father, his testimony is true. Hence, to show that his testimony does not have its truth from his humanity considered in itself, but insofar as it is joined to the divinity and to the Word of God, he says, "but there is another who bears witness of me" — not John, but the Father, according to this exposition: because if the testimony of Christ as man concerning himself is not true and effective, much less would the testimony of John be effective. Therefore it is not certified by the testimony of John, but by the testimony of the Father: hence this "other" who bears witness is understood to be the Father. "And I know that his testimony is true," for he himself is truth; 1 John 1:5: "God is light," that is, truth, "and in him there is no darkness" — of falsehood — "at all." But the first exposition, which is Chrysostom's, is more literal. He also commends the testimony of John from authority, because it was sought by the Jews, when he says, "You sent to John"; as if he were saying: I know that his testimony is true, nor ought you to repudiate it, because on account of the great authority which John held among you, you sought testimony from him concerning me — which you would not have done, if you had not thought him worthy of faith. Above, John 1:19: "the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to John." And John then bore witness, not to himself, but to the truth, that is, to me. As a friend of the truth, he bore witness to Christ the truth; above, John 1:20: "he confessed, and did not deny; he confessed, I am not the Christ." Consequently, when he says, "But I do not receive testimony from man," he assigns the reason for the testimony of John that was adduced, and first he excludes an opinion about the reason; secondly he asserts the true reason, at the place, "but this I say, that you may be saved." Now the reason for adducing the testimony could be believed by someone to be a certification concerning Christ on account of his insufficiency; and therefore he excludes this, saying, "But I do not receive testimony from man." Here it must be known that in the sciences, sometimes something is proved through what is less known in itself, but more known to us; sometimes through something more known in itself and absolutely. As in this place, it indeed had to be proved that Christ was God: and although the truth of Christ was more known in itself and absolutely, nevertheless it is proved by the testimony of John, which was more known as far as the Jews were concerned. And therefore Christ in himself did not need the testimony of John, and this is what he means when he says, "I do not receive testimony from man." But against this it seems, because Isaiah 43:10: "You are my witnesses, saith the Lord"; Acts 1:8: "you shall be witnesses to me in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth." How then does he say here, "I do not receive testimony from man"? But it must be said that this can be understood in two ways. In one way, so that the sense is "I do not receive testimony from man," as if I were content with that alone; rather I have a greater testimony, namely the divine; 1 Corinthians 4:3: "but to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you"; Jeremiah 17:16: "the day of man," that is, human glory, "he has not desired: thou knowest." In another way, "I do not receive testimony from man" insofar as the one testifying is a man, but I receive it insofar as he is enlightened by God to testify; above, John 1:6: "there was a man sent from God, whose name was John"; 1 Thessalonians 2:6: "not seeking glory from men"; below, John 8:50: "I seek not my own glory." Thus, therefore, I receive the testimony of John, not insofar as he was a man, but insofar as he was sent and enlightened by God to testify. In a third way, and better, "I do not receive testimony from man," that is, from human testimony; as far as it depends on me, I do not receive authority from anyone, but from God, who shows me to be glorious. Consequently, when he says, "but these things I say that you may be saved," he asserts the true reason, which was their own salvation; and first he states the reason; secondly he explains it. Now the reason for adducing the testimony was that the Jews, believing in Christ through the testimony of John, might be saved; and therefore he says: "I do not receive the testimony of John for my own sake, but I say these things that you may be saved"; 1 Timothy 2:4: "he wills all men to be saved"; and ibid. 1:15: "Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners." And he explains what he means by "that you may be saved": namely, because I adduce a testimony accepted by you. And therefore when he says, "he was a burning and shining lamp," he sets forth the acceptance of John: and first he sets forth that John was a witness accepted in himself; secondly how he was accepted among them, at the place, "but you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light." Now that John was in himself an accepted witness, he shows through three things that perfected him. The first pertains to the condition of nature, and this is when he says "he was a lamp"; the second pertains to the perfection of affection, because "burning"; the third to the perfection of intellect, because "shining." He was, therefore, perfect in nature, because "a lamp," that is, enlightened by grace, and enlightened by the light of the Word of God. For a lamp differs from light: for light is that which shines through itself; a lamp, however, is that which does not shine through itself, but shines by participation. Now the true light is Christ, as it is said above, John 1:9: "that was the true light which enlightens every man." John, however, was not the light, as it is said in the same place, but a lamp, because he was enlightened, that he might bear witness of the light, leading to Christ: of which lamp it is said in Psalm 131:17: "I have prepared a lamp for my Christ." But in him there was a burning and fervent affection, hence he says "burning." For some are lamps only as to office, but as to affection they are extinguished: for just as a lamp cannot shine unless it is kindled by fire, so a spiritual lamp does not shine unless it first burns and is inflamed by the fire of charity. And therefore burning is set before enlightenment, because through the ardor of charity the knowledge of truth is given; below, John 14:23: "if any one loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him"; below, John 15:15: "but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you." Ecclesiasticus 2:20: "You that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened." For fire has two things: namely that it burns and that it shines. Now the burning of fire signifies love on account of three things. First indeed, because fire among all bodies is the most active: so also the ardor of charity, to such an extent that nothing can bear its impetus, according to that saying, 2 Corinthians 5:14: "the charity of Christ presses us." Secondly, because just as fire, in that it is most perceptible to sense, causes much heat, so also charity causes a heat until man attains what he intends; Song of Songs 8:6: "the lamps thereof are lamps of fire and flames." Thirdly, just as fire tends upward, so also charity, to such an extent that it joins us to God; 1 John 4:16: "he who abides in charity, abides in God, and God in him." He was also shining in intellect. First indeed through the knowledge of truth inwardly; Isaiah 58:11: "he will fill with brightness," that is, he will make to shine. Secondly through preaching outwardly; Philippians 2:15: "among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life." Thirdly through the manifestation of good works; Matthew 5:16: "so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works." Because, therefore, John was thus acceptable in himself, since he was a lamp not extinguished, but burning, not dark, but shining, he is worthy to have been accepted among you as well. This indeed was so, because "you were willing to rejoice for a time in his light." And fittingly he joins rejoicing to light: because man rejoices in that in which he is most delighted; and nothing among corporeal things is more delightful than light, according to that saying, Ecclesiastes 11:7: "it is a delightful thing for the eyes to see the sun." Now he says "you were willing to rejoice," by resting and placing your end in him, believing him to be the Christ; but nevertheless "for a time," because in this you were unstable: for seeing John leading men to another, not to himself, you turned away from him. Hence it is said, Matthew 21:32, that the Jews did not believe in John. For they are of those of whom it is said, Matthew 13, that they believe for a time. Consequently, when he says, "but I have a greater testimony than John," he sets forth the divine testimony, and first he adduces its greatness; secondly he pursues it further, at the place, "the works which the Father has given me to accomplish" and so on. He says therefore first: I say that as far as it is from me, I do not receive testimony from man, but for your sake; for I have a testimony greater than John's, namely God's, which is a greater testimony than John's; 1 John 5:9: "if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater." Greater, I say, on account of greater authority, greater knowledge, and more infallible truth: for God cannot lie. "God is not as man, that he should lie": Numbers 23:19. Now he pursues the testimony when he says, "for the works which the Father has given me to accomplish" and so on. Now God bore witness of Christ in three ways: namely through works, through himself, and through the Scriptures; and therefore he first sets forth the manner of testifying as regards the works of miracles; secondly the manner of testifying through himself, at the place, "and the Father who sent me, he has borne witness"; thirdly through the Scriptures, at the place, "search the Scriptures" and so on. He says therefore first: "I have another testimony greater than John's"; and this as regards works, because "the works of miracles which the Father has given me to accomplish." For it must be known that it is natural to man to know the power and natures of things from their actions: and therefore fittingly the Lord says that he can be known, of what sort he is, through the works which he himself does. Since therefore he was doing them by his own divine power, it had to be believed that there was in him a divine power; below, John 15:24: "if I had not done among them the works that no other has done, they would not have sin," namely of unbelief. And therefore he leads to knowledge of himself through his own works, saying "the works which he gave me," in the Word, "the Father," by giving me, through eternal generation, a power equal to his own. Or, "he gave me," in the conception, giving that I should be one person of God and man, "that I should accomplish them," that is, that I should do them by my own power: which he says to distinguish from others who work miracles not by their own power, but by obtaining them from God. Hence Peter said, Acts 3:6: "in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise." And therefore they themselves do not accomplish it, but God; Christ, however, accomplished them by his own power; below, John 11:43: "Lazarus, come forth." And therefore "the works that I do bear witness of me"; below, John 10:38: "if you do not believe me, at least believe the works." That the works of miracles are testimonies of God is stated, Mark 16:20: "the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed." Consequently, when he says, "and the Father who sent me, he has borne witness of me," he sets forth the second manner of testifying, through God himself, and first he sets forth the manner itself; secondly he shows that they were not capable of this sort, at the place, "and you have never heard his voice" and so on. He says, therefore: not only do the works which the Father gave me bear witness of me, but he himself who sent me, the Father, has borne witness of me, at the Jordan, when he was baptized, as is found in Matthew 4:5, and on the mountain, when he was transfigured, as it is said, Matthew 17:5. For in both places the voice of the Father was heard: "this is my beloved Son." And therefore he must be believed, as the true and natural Son of God; 1 John 5:9: "this is the testimony of God, which is greater, because he has testified of his Son." And thus, whoever does not believe him to be the Son of God does not believe the testimony of God. But someone might say that God also bore witness to others through himself, as to Moses on the mountain, with whom he spoke, all hearing; but we have never heard a testimony, and therefore the Lord says, that "you have never heard his voice" and so on. But against this it is said, Deuteronomy 4:33: "if ever such a thing was done, that a people should hear the voice of the Lord God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard and seen." What then is it that Christ now says, "and you have never heard his voice"? I answer, according to Chrysostom, that the Lord, placing them in a philosophical consideration, wishes to show that God bears witness to someone in two ways, namely sensibly and intelligibly. Sensibly indeed, as through a sensible voice alone; and in this way he bore witness to Moses on Mount Sinai; Deuteronomy 4:12: "you heard his voice, but you saw no form at all." Likewise through a sensible appearance, as he appeared to Abraham, Genesis 26, and Isaiah 6:1: "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated." But nevertheless in these visions neither the bodily voice nor the figure is of God as of some animal, but effectively, insofar as it is formed by God: for since God is spirit, he neither emits a sensible voice from himself, nor can he be figured. Intelligibly, however, he bears witness by inspiring in the hearts of some what they ought to believe and hold; Psalm 84:9: "I will hear what the Lord God will speak in me"; Hosea 2:4: "I will lead her into the wilderness, and there I will speak to her heart." Of the first kind of testification, therefore, you were capable; nor is it a wonder, because those voices and appearances were of God only effectively, as has been said. But not of that intelligible voice. "And you have never heard his voice," etc., that is, you were not partakers of it; below, John 6:45: "every one who hears from the Father and has learned, comes to me." But you do not come to me; therefore you have not heard his voice, nor seen his appearance; that is, you did not have this intelligible testimony, and therefore he adds, "and you have not his word abiding in you"; that is, you do not have the word inwardly inspired. And this is the reason, because "him whom he sent," that is, the Father, "him you do not believe." For the word of God leads to Christ: for Christ himself is the natural Word of God. Now every word inspired by God is a certain participated likeness of that Word. Since therefore every participated likeness leads back to its principle, it is manifest that every word inspired by God leads to Christ. And therefore, because you are not led to me, you do not have the word of God, inspired, "abiding in you"; below: "he who does not believe in the Son of God does not have life abiding in himself." And he says "abiding," because although there is no one who does not have some truth from God, only those have the truth, and the word abiding in them, in whom knowledge advances so far that they are led to the knowledge of the true and natural Word. Or, through what he says, "and you have never heard his voice," a threefold manner is shown by which something is revealed to someone by God. For either through a sensible voice, and thus he bore witness to Christ at the Jordan and on the mountain, as has been said; 2 Peter 1:16: "made eyewitnesses of his greatness, by a voice come down from heaven from the excellent glory." And this the Jews did not hear. Or through a vision of his essence; and this he reveals to the blessed. And this appearance they themselves did not see, because 2 Corinthians 5:6: "as long as we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord" and so on. Or by inspiring an interior word; and this too they themselves did not have. Consequently, when he says, "search the Scriptures," he sets forth the third manner in which God bore witness to Christ through the Scriptures, and first he adduces the testimony of the Scriptures; secondly he shows that they were not capable of the fruit of this testimony, at the place, "and you will not come to me" and so on. He says, therefore, "search the Scriptures," as if he were saying: you do not have the word of God in your hearts, but in the Scriptures; and therefore you must seek it elsewhere. And therefore "search the Scriptures," namely of the Old Testament. For the faith of Christ was contained in the Old Testament, but not on the surface, because it lay hidden in the depths, shadowed by figure; 2 Corinthians 3:15: "even until this day, having the same veil." And therefore he pointedly says "search," as if you should seek in the depths; Proverbs 2:4: "if thou shalt seek her as money, and shalt dig for her as for treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and shalt find the knowledge of God"; Psalm 118:69: "give me understanding, and I will search thy commandments." Now the reason for the searching is taken from your own opinion, because you think that "in them," namely the Scriptures, "you have eternal life," from what is said, Ezekiel 18:19: "he who has done my judgments, shall live in life." But you are deceived; because although the precepts of the old law are life-giving, nevertheless they do not have life in themselves; but they are called life-giving only insofar as they lead to me, Christ; whereas you use them as though they had life in themselves — which has deceived you. For "these," namely the Scriptures, "are they which bear witness of me"; that is, they are life-giving only insofar as they lead to the knowledge of me. Or through open prophecies, as Isaiah 7:14: "behold a virgin shall conceive," and again Deuteronomy 18:15: "the Lord thy God will raise up to thee a prophet" and so on. Hence it is said, Acts 10:43: "to him all the prophets give testimony." Or through the mystical operations of the prophets: hence it is said, Hosea 12:10: "I have been likened by the hands of the prophets." Or in sacraments and figures; such as the immolation of the lamb, and other figurative sacraments of the law; Hebrews 10:1: "having a shadow of the good things to come" and so on. And therefore, because the Scriptures of the Old Testament bear witness of Christ in many ways, the Apostle says, Romans 1:2: "which he had promised before by his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son, who was made to him of the seed of David according to the flesh." But the fruit which you think you have in the Scriptures, namely eternal life, you will not be able to obtain, because, not believing the testimonies of Scripture concerning me, "you will not come to me"; that is, you will not believe in me, in whom is the fruit of those Scriptures, "that you may have life in me," which I give to those who believe in me; below, John 10:28: "I give them eternal life"; Ecclesiasticus 4:12: "wisdom inspires life into her children"; Proverbs 8:35: "he that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord."”

“And ye will not come to me,.... Which is to be understood, not of a corporeal coming to him; for many of the Jews did come to him in this sense; some for one thing, and some for another; some for the loaves, that they might eat and be filled; some to see his miracles, and others to partake of the benefit of them; some to hear him preach, and others to catch and cavil at what they could: nor is bare coming to hear Christ preached, or an outward attendance on, and submission to his ordinances, such a coming to him as is here designed; for with these eternal life is not connected: bodily exercise profiteth not in this way; but a spiritual coming to Christ, or a coming to him by faith is here meant; in which sense the phrase is frequently used in this Gospel, especially in the next chapter; see Joh 6:35; and those who come aright to Christ, come to him as the alone, able, suitable, and sufficient Saviour; and in themselves as sinners, and ready to perish; and as such they are received by him with a welcome: but these men did not see themselves as such; nor did they see any need they had of coming to Christ; for they thought they had eternal life elsewhere: and such were their ignorance of themselves and Christ; and such their prejudices against him; and such the depravity, perverseness, and stubbornness of their wills, that they had no inclination, desire, and will to come to Christ, any more than power; which is an argument against, and not for the free will of man, unless it be to that which is evil: and this perverseness of their wills to come to Christ, when revealed in the external ministry of the word, was blameworthy in them, since this was not owing to any decree of God, but to the corruption and vitiosity of nature; which being blameworthy in them, that which follows upon it must be so too; and it was the greater aggravation of their sin, that they had the Scriptures which testified of Christ, and pointed at him as the way of life, and yet would not come to him for it: that ye might have life; that is, eternal life, as is expressed in the foregoing verse, and is so read here in Beza's old copy, in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions. This is in Christ, not only the purpose and promise of it, but that itself: he has the disposal of it, gives the right unto it, and a meetness for it, with all the comforts arising from it, and all the promises and blessings relating to it; and all that come to Christ by faith may, and shall have it: this is the will of the Father, the end of his giving of Christ, and of his mission and coming into the world, and is inseparably connected with believing in him.”

“And you will not come to me. Christ now gives them reason why they do not receive him, and his doctrine, nor believe in him; because they are void of the love of God, full of self-love, envy, pride, seeking for praise and glory one from another. Hence you will not receive me, who come in the name of my Father, sent to redeem the world. But if another, such as false prophets, or even Antichrist himself, who will pretend to be the Messias, come in his own name, him you will receive. (Witham) — It is proper to remark, that the testimonies here adduced all rise gradually one above another, and make a body of evidence that must leave the incredulous Jews without excuse: for they pay no regard to Jesus Christ himself, nor to John the Baptist, nor to the evidence of miracles, nor to the voice of God, nor to the Scriptures, nor even to Moses himself.”