John 5:31

Witness of myself. In regard to legal testimony as to certain phases, at least, of one’s personal life, the Mishnah declares: “No one may testify concerning himself’ (Mishnah Kethuboth 2. 9, Soncino ed. of the Talmud, p. 151). Jesus’ statement in the present verse probably was intended to appeal to this type of thinking among His Jewish hearers. At first sight ch. 8:14 appears to be a contradiction of His declaration here. In each case, however, Jesus’ words were framed to meet the thinking of His hearers. In ch. 8:14 the discussion was not in regard to His relation to the Father, but rather to His declaration, “I am the light of the world,” which the Pharisees rejected because He said it of Himself. To this objection Jesus insisted nevertheless that His words were true. In the present passage, however, the setting is different: here Jesus sought to demonstrate His dependence upon His Father by pointing to the works that He was empowered to perform as an evidence of His claims (John 5:36, 37). To enforce His point, He seems to have reminded His hearers of the Jewish principle that testimony regarding one’s own conduct was not considered valid.