John 7:17 kjv
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
John 7:17 nkjv
If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
John 7:17 niv
Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.
John 7:17 esv
If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
John 7:17 nlt
Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
John 7 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 25:12 | "Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen." | Obedience leads to divine instruction. |
| Ps 111:10 | "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who practice it have good understanding." | Obedience (practice) yields understanding. |
| Prov 2:6-7 | "For the LORD gives wisdom... He stores up sound wisdom for the upright." | God gives wisdom to those who walk uprightly. |
| Jn 8:31-32 | "If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples... and the truth will set you free." | Persistence in truth brings true freedom and knowledge. |
| Jn 14:21 | "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father..." | Obedience shows love, leading to God's revelation. |
| Jas 1:5-6 | "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God... But let him ask in faith..." | Wisdom given to those who ask in faithful submission. |
| 1 Cor 2:14 | "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God... they are spiritually discerned." | Spiritual truth requires spiritual discernment. |
| Rom 12:2 | "...be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God..." | Transformed mind (aligned with God's will) enables discernment. |
| Eph 5:17 | "Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." | Understanding God's will avoids foolishness. |
| Col 1:9-10 | "...filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord..." | Knowledge of God's will for worthy walk. |
| Deut 13:3-4 | "...for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart..." | Testing to see if hearts are committed to God. |
| 1 Jn 4:1-3 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God..." | Discernment of spirits/teachings is vital. |
| Mat 7:15-20 | "You will recognize them by their fruits... A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." | Recognizing truth by its practical outcomes/fruits. |
| Jn 3:19-21 | "And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil." | Unwillingness to obey God obscures truth. |
| Jn 5:39-40 | "You search the Scriptures... yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life." | Religious study without willingness leads to blindness. |
| Jn 9:39-41 | "...for those who do not see, that they may see, and for those who see, that they may become blind." | Spiritual blindness on the arrogant, sight for the humble. |
| 2 Cor 4:3-4 | "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers..." | Spiritual blindness due to Satan's work and unbelief. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | "...Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive..." | Heart closed to God's truth due to hardened will. |
| Rom 1:21, 28 | "...though they knew God, they did not honor him as God... And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up..." | Suppression of truth due to lack of honoring God. |
| Jn 14:26 | "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit... will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." | The Spirit illuminates truth to believers. |
| Jn 16:13 | "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth..." | The Spirit guides into all truth. |
| Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." | Reverence for God is prerequisite for knowledge. |
| Heb 5:14 | "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." | Discernment refined through practice and maturity. |
| Mat 6:22-23 | "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light..." | Moral and spiritual clarity leads to understanding. |
John 7 verses
John 7 17 Meaning
Jesus states a profound principle: the gateway to discerning divine truth is not primarily intellectual capacity or academic training, but a genuine and active commitment to obey God's will. If a person desires to live in accordance with God's commands, they will be given the spiritual insight to recognize whether Jesus' teaching originates from God or merely from human invention. This highlights that spiritual knowledge is intrinsically linked to moral willingness and obedience.
John 7 17 Context
John 7 finds Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. The chapter details growing public debate and division concerning His identity and authority. Jesus initially comes secretly, then publicly teaches in the Temple courts (v. 14). The Jews are astonished, asking, "How does this man know so much, though he has never studied?" (v. 15). They challenge His teaching, which did not stem from formal rabbinical schooling or recognized authority. In response, Jesus asserts in v. 16 that His teaching is not His own, but from the Father who sent Him. Verse 17 directly follows, explaining the necessary condition for an individual to truly grasp the divine origin of this teaching. It addresses the skepticism of those who prioritized intellectual credentials over spiritual commitment, setting a clear moral prerequisite for spiritual understanding. This principle serves as a direct polemic against the prevailing rabbinic culture that often valued external knowledge and tradition above inward obedience and a receptive heart.
John 7 17 Word analysis
- If anyone (ἐάν τις): Introduces a condition that applies broadly to any individual. It underscores that spiritual insight is accessible to all, not just a select group or intellectual elite. The conditional "if" emphasizes choice.
- wills (θέλῃ - thelē): From the Greek thelo, it signifies a deep, deliberate desire, intent, and willingness, rather than a fleeting wish or mere intellectual curiosity. It points to a volitional act, a commitment of the will.
- to do (ποιείν - poiein): An active infinitive meaning "to do, to make, to perform." It's not enough to intellectually agree with God's will; one must actively carry it out. This highlights the ethical dimension.
- His will (τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ): Refers specifically to the will of God the Father (from v. 16 context). This implies the whole revealed will of God, including His commands and His saving purposes in Jesus.
- he will know (γνώσεται - gnōsetai): From ginosko, this is an experiential, personal, and relational knowledge, not merely intellectual acquaintance (oida). It's a profound, assured understanding that comes through experience, guaranteed by the future tense.
- concerning the teaching (περὶ τῆς διδαχῆς): The object of this knowledge is Jesus' instruction and doctrine, which was the subject of scrutiny and debate in the Temple. It speaks to the authoritative content of what Jesus taught.
- whether it is from God (πότερον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστιν): Poses the core question regarding the divine origin and ultimate authority of Jesus' message. "From God" indicates its source and legitimacy.
- or whether I speak from Myself (ἢ ἐγὼ ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ λαλῶ): The alternative, presenting human origin. "From Myself" implies self-devised teaching lacking divine authority, rooted in human wisdom or agenda. Jesus contrasts ultimate truth with mere human opinion.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If anyone wills to do His will": This phrase establishes the foundational condition. It emphasizes active, deliberate obedience rooted in genuine desire for God. It's a heart posture, not just head knowledge, that opens the way to divine revelation. The will to obey is the key to spiritual enlightenment.
- "he will know concerning the teaching": This connects ethical commitment directly to epistemological certainty. Obedience doesn't just make one good; it grants deep, experiential insight into the truth. This is a promise of reliable discernment.
- "whether it is from God or whether I speak from Myself": This highlights the crucial dichotomy being tested. It is the ultimate question of Jesus' authority and the divine inspiration of His words, revealing that such truth is known experientially by those committed to God's ways.
John 7 17 Bonus section
The "will to do His will" is a crucial prerequisite often overlooked. It's not merely knowing about God's will intellectually, but an active, persistent intention to perform it in one's daily life. This act of committing to obedience removes the moral biases that can blind us to truth. Human pride, selfish desires, or an attachment to personal agendas often obscure genuine spiritual insight. Jesus reveals that those who approach truth with a readiness to live it, even before fully comprehending it, are the ones to whom the deeper meaning is unveiled. This teaching challenges purely academic or detached intellectual approaches to faith, suggesting that an open, obedient heart is more important for true understanding than advanced reasoning alone. This echoes wisdom literature themes, where the "fear of the LORD" (which includes obedience) is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. This spiritual epistemology ensures that knowledge is not divorced from character.
John 7 17 Commentary
John 7:17 articulates a cornerstone of Christian epistemology: spiritual truth is discerned ethically. It is not an exclusively intellectual endeavor but requires a transformed heart. The willingness to obey God's will creates an inner receptivity, cleansing the spiritual "eye" to perceive the divine origin of Jesus' words. This means unbiased surrender to God is a prerequisite for understanding divine revelation. When an individual genuinely desires to align their life with God's desires, removing the obstacles of pride, self-will, and preconception, God then grants the clarity to discern truth from falsehood. Jesus effectively tells His skeptical audience that their inability to recognize the divine nature of His teaching stems not from His lack of credentials, but from their own lack of volitional commitment to God's will. It posits a truth accessible not by academic prowess but by humble, obedient faith.
Examples:
- A person wrestling with a moral decision finds clarity on a biblical teaching after committing to act according to God's word, even if initially hesitant.
- An individual initially questioning the divinity of Christ finds profound conviction after years of sincerely trying to live out Christian principles and serving others in love.
- Someone searching for life's purpose discovers meaning in scripture after deciding to actively seek and submit to God's plans rather than their own.