SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:31
¶ Si yo doy testimonio de mí mismo, mi testimonio no es verdadero.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 5:31
Verse 31. If I bear witness] If I had no proof to bring of my being the Messiah, and equal to God, common sense would direct you to reject my testimony; but the mighty power of God, by which I work my miracles, sufficiently attests that my pretensions are well founded. Bishop Pearce gives a different turn to this verse, by translating it interrogatively, thus: "If I only bear witness of myself, is not my witness true? i.e. is it, on that account, not true? In chap. viii. 14, he says, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. And in chap. viii. 18, he says, I am one that bear witness of myself."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. If I bear witness of myself , etc.] Which was not allowed any man to do; nor indeed is it proper that a man should be a witness in his own cause: and, according to the Jewish canons, a man might not be a witness for his wife, because she was reckoned as himself. An husband is not to be believed in bearing witness for his wife, that had been carried captive, that she is not defiled, wmx[l dy[m da ya , for no man witness of himself f248 .
So likewise they say f249 , a city that is subdued by an army, all the priestesses (or priests daughters) that are found in it are rejected (from the priesthood, as defiled); but if they have witnesses, whether a servant, or an handmaid, lo, they are to be believed; but no man is to be believed for himself: says R. Zechariah ben Hakatzah, by this habitation (swearing by the temple) her hand was not removed from my hand, from the time the Gentiles entered Jerusalem, till they went out: they replied to him, no man bears witness of himself.
Christ reasons here upon their own principles, and according to their sense of things, that should he bear witness of himself; then, says he, my witness is not true , man al , not to be believed, or admitted as an authentic testimony: and so the Ethiopic version renders it, is not credible; not valid in law, or in such a court of judicature in which Christ now was; for, as according to the Jewish law, no man was admitted a witness for himself, so neither was anything established by a single testimony, but by the mouth of two or three witnesses, ( Deuteronomy 19:15). Christs meaning is, that his testimony alone, his single witness, how true soever it was, would stand for nothing in their court; and therefore he would not insist upon it, but drop it; for true here, is not opposed to that which is false, but to that which is not valid in law.
Christs testimony was true in itself; nor could it be any other, it coming from him, who is truth itself, the Amen, and faithful witness; but being considered as an human testimony, and in his own cause, was not to be admitted as sufficient; and this he allows. From arguments, proving his equality with the Father, he passes to testimonies; and without ranking use of his own, he had enough to produce, and which were valid and authentic, and are as follow.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 30-38 - Our Lord returns to his declaration of the entire agreement between the Father and the Son, and declared himself the Son of God. He had highe testimony than that of John; his works bore witness to all he had said But the Divine word had no abiding-place in their hearts, as the refused to believe in Him whom the Father had sent, according to his ancient promises. The voice of God, accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, thus made effectual to the conversion of sinners, stil proclaims that this is the beloved Son, in whom the Father is wel pleased. But when the hearts of men are full of pride, ambition, an the love of the world, there is no room for the word of God to abide in them.
Greek Textus Receptus
εαν 1437 COND εγω 1473 P-1NS μαρτυρω 3140 5725 V-PAS-1S περι 4012 PREP εμαυτου 1683 F-1GSM η 3588 T-NSF μαρτυρια 3141 N-NSF μου 3450 P-1GS ουκ 3756 PRT-N εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S αληθης 227 A-NSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
31. If I (ean egw). The I expressed for emphasis: I alone.True (alhqhv). As distinguished from false. See on i. 9.
