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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - John 2:25 - 2:25
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25. ἵνα τις μαρτ. See on Joh 1:7-8 : that any should bear witness concerning man; comp. Joh 16:30. The article with ἀνθρώπου is generic.
αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐγ. For He of Himself knew: note the repetition of αὐτός in Joh 2:23-24. We have instances of this supernatural knowledge in the cases of Peter (Joh 1:42), Nathanael (Joh 1:47-48), Nicodemus (Joh 3:3), the Samaritan woman (Joh 4:29), the disciples (Joh 6:61; Joh 6:64), Judas (Joh 6:70, Joh 13:11), Peter (Joh 13:38, Joh 21:17), Thomas (Joh 20:27). It is remarkable that the word here used for this supernatural knowledge is γινώσλκειν, ‘to come to know, perceive,’ rather than εἰδέναι, ‘to know’ absolutely (comp. Joh 5:42, Joh 10:14-15; Joh 10:27, Joh 17:25). This tends to shew that Christ’s supernatural knowledge was in some degree analogous to ours. Both verbs are used, 1. in reference to facts, knowledge of which Christ might have obtained in the ordinary manner (γινώσκειν, Joh 4:1, Joh 5:6, Joh 6:15; εἰδέναι, Joh 6:61); 2. in reference to facts, knowledge of which must have been supernatural (γινώσκειν Joh 2:24-25, Joh 10:14; Joh 10:27; εἰδέναι, Joh 6:64, Joh 13:1; Joh 13:11, Joh 18:4); 3. in reference to divine things transcending human experience (γινώσκειν, Joh 17:25; εἰδέναι, Joh 3:11, Joh 5:32, Joh 7:29, Joh 8:14; Joh 8:55, Joh 11:42, Joh 12:50, Joh 13:3, Joh 19:28). These references shew that the distinction, though not quite absolute, is very marked between knowledge which in some sense can be regarded as acquired (γινώσκειν) and that which is simply regarded as possessed.