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Selected Verse: John 8:23 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 8:23 |
King James |
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| Ye are from beneath; I am from above--contrasting Himself, not as in Joh 3:31, simply with earthborn messengers of God, but with men sprung from and breathing an opposite element from His, which rendered it impossible that He and they should have any present fellowship, or dwell eternally together. (Again see on Joh 7:33; also see on Joh 8:44). |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Ye are from beneath - The expression from bequeath, here, is opposed to the phrase from above. It means, You are of the earth, or are influenced by earthly, sensual, and corrupt passions. You are governed by the lowest and vilest views and feelings, such as are opposed to heaven, and such as have their origin in earth or in hell.
I am from above - From heaven. My views are heavenly, and my words should have been so interpreted.
Ye are of this world - You think and act like the corrupt men of this world.
I am not of this world - My views are above these earthly and corrupt notions. The meaning of the verse is: "Your reference to self-murder shows that you are earthly and corrupt in your views. You are governed by the mad passions of men, and can think only of these." We see here how difficult it is to excite wicked men to the contemplation of heavenly things. They interpret all things in a low and corrupt sense, and suppose all others to be governed as they are themselves. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
world
Greek, "kosmos", means "world-system". (Joh 12:25); (Joh 12:31); (Joh 7:7).
(See Scofield) - (Rev 13:8). |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Ye are from beneath (ἐκ τῶν κάτω ἐστὲ)
A phrase peculiar to John and to his Gospel. Jesus states the radical antagonism between His opposers and Himself, as based upon difference of origin and nature. They spring from the lower, sensual, earthly economy; He from the heavenly. Compare Jam 3:15 sqq.
From above (ἐκ τῶν ἄνω)
Also peculiar to John's Gospel. Compare Col 3:1. On the phrase to be of (εἶναι ἐκ) see on Joh 1:46.
Ye are of this world (ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐστὲ)
Peculiar to John, and occurring in the First Epistle. On κόσμου, world, see on Joh 1:9. Ye are of this earthly order or economy. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Ye are - Again he passes over their interruption, and proves what he advanced, Joh 8:21. Of them that are beneath - From the earth. I am of them that are above - Here he directly shows whence he came, even from heaven, and whither he goes. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Ye are from beneath - Ye are capable of murder, and of self-murder too, because ye have nothing of God in you. Ye are altogether earthly, sensual, and devilish. They verified this character in murdering the Lord Jesus; and many of them afterwards, to escape famine, etc., put an end to their own lives. |
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.