Church Fathers Commentary John 7:14-18

"But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. The Jews therefore marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or [whether] I speak from myself. He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." — John 7:14-18 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Our Lord delays His visit in order to capture people's attention, going up not on the first day, but around the middle of the feast: Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. Those who had been searching for Him, seeing Him suddenly appear, would be more attentive to His teaching—both His supporters and His enemies. The former would admire and profit by it, while the latter would look for an opportunity to lay hands on Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: At the beginning of the feast, people would be more focused on the festival's own observances; afterward, they would be better disposed to hear Christ.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The feast seems, as far as we can judge, to have lasted for several days. Therefore, it is said, about the middle of the feast, meaning when as many days of the feast had passed as were still to come. In this way, His assertion, I go not up yet to this feast day (that is, to the first or second day, as you wanted me to), was strictly fulfilled, for He went up afterward, around the middle of the feast.

In going there, He went up not for the feast day, but for the light. They had gone to enjoy the pleasures of the festival, but Christ’s own feast day was the one on which He redeemed the world by His Passion.

He who had previously concealed Himself now taught and spoke openly, and yet was not seized. The first action was intended as an example for us; the second was to testify to His power.

St. John Chrysostom: The Evangelist does not say what His teaching was, but its wonderful nature is shown by its effect even on those who had accused Him of deceiving the people. They turned around and began to admire Him: And the Jews marveled, saying, How knows this Man letters, having never learned? See how perverse they are, even in their admiration. It is not His doctrine they admire, but something else entirely.

St. Augustine of Hippo: It would appear that all admired Him, but not all were converted. What, then, was the source of their admiration? Many knew where He was born and how He had been educated, but they had never seen Him learning letters. Yet now they heard Him debating the law and bringing forward its testimonies. No one could do this who had not read the law, and no one could read the law who had not learned letters. This is what amazed them.

St. John Chrysostom: Their wonder might have led them to infer that our Lord acquired this learning in some divine way, not through any human process. But they would not acknowledge this and contented themselves with merely wondering. So our Lord answered them: Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me.

St. Augustine of Hippo: To say, "Mine is not Mine," appears to be a contradiction. Why did He not simply say, "This doctrine is not Mine"? Because the doctrine of the Father is the Word of the Father, and since Christ Himself is that Word, Christ Himself is the doctrine of the Father. Therefore, He calls the doctrine both His own and the Father’s.

A word must belong to someone. What is so much your own as you yourself? And what is so much not your own as you yourself, if who you are, you are from another? His statement, My doctrine is not Mine, thus seems to briefly express the truth that He is not from Himself. It refutes the Sabellian heresy, which dares to assert that the Son is the same as the Father, with there being only two names for one reality.

St. John Chrysostom: Alternatively, He calls the doctrine His own in that He taught it, but not His own in that the doctrine was from the Father. However, if all things the Father has are His, then for this very reason the doctrine is His—precisely because it is the Father’s. In fact, when He says it is not Mine, He strongly shows that His doctrine and the Father’s are one. It is as if He said, "I do not differ at all from Him, but act in such a way that it is clear I say and do nothing other than what the Father does."

St. Augustine of Hippo: Or, to put it another way: in one sense He calls it His, and in another sense, not His. According to the form of God, it is His; according to the form of a servant, it is not His.

However, if anyone does not understand this, let them hear the advice that our Lord immediately gives: If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself. What does this mean, If any man will do His will? To do His will is to believe in Him, as He Himself says elsewhere, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent. And who does not know that to do the work of God is to do His will? Here, to know is to understand. Therefore, do not seek to understand in order to believe, but believe in order to understand, for, Except you believe, you shall not understand.

St. John Chrysostom: This is the same as saying, "Put away the anger, envy, and hatred you have toward Me, and there will be nothing to prevent you from knowing that the words I speak are from God."

Then He introduces an irresistible argument from human experience: He that speaks of himself, seeks his own glory. This is as if to say, "Anyone who aims to establish their own doctrine does so for no other purpose than to gain glory for themselves." But I seek the glory of Him who sent me and wish to teach you for His sake—that is, for another’s. And then it follows: But he that seeks His glory that sent Him, the same is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Theophylact of Ohrid: It is as if He said, "I speak the truth because My doctrine contains the truth; there is no unrighteousness in Me because I do not usurp another’s glory."

St. Augustine of Hippo: The one who seeks his own glory is Antichrist. But our Lord set an example of humility for us, in that being found in appearance as a man, He sought His Father’s glory, not His own. When you do good, you take the glory for yourself; when you do evil, you blame God.

St. John Chrysostom: Observe that the reason He spoke so humbly of Himself was to let people know that He does not aim at glory or power. It was also to accommodate Himself to their weakness and to teach them moderation and a humble, rather than a presumptuous, way of speaking about themselves.