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John 7:16
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

John 8:26-28,40,47
I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him…

for God.

John 3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 1:16
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

John 5:26
For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

speaks the words of God
Jesus' teachings are not His own but are directly from God, emphasizing His divine authority and the truth of His message (John 7:16,John 12:49-50). This aligns with the Jewish understanding of a prophet as one who speaks God's words, but Jesus surpasses this role as He embodies the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). His words are life-giving and eternal (John 6:63, 68), and they fulfill the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 18:18).

for God gives the Spirit without limit
This phrase highlights the unique relationship between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Unlike the Old Testament prophets who received the Spirit in a limited measure for specific tasks (e.g.,Judges 6:34,1 Samuel 10:10), Jesus possesses the fullness of the Spirit (Isaiah 11:2,Luke 4:18). This unlimited anointing empowers His ministry and signifies the new covenant era, where the Spirit is poured out abundantly (Joel 2:28-29,Acts 2:17-18). It also points to the Trinitarian relationship, where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity.

The verse opens by highlighting that Jesus is the divinely appointed envoy.

• John repeatedly stresses this sending: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16) and “the Father has sent Me” (John 5:36).

• This mission reveals the Father’s heart—He initiates salvation, not humanity (Romans 8:3;Galatians 4:4).

• Jesus’ authority and identity flow from the Sender, echoing the pattern of other godly messengers like Moses (Hebrews 3:1-2), yet surpassing them because He is the eternal Word made flesh (John 1:14).

• Knowing Jesus is “sent” anchors our confidence that His works and words carry Heaven’s full backing (John 17:18).

Everything Jesus says carries divine weight.

• “I do nothing on My own, but speak exactly what the Father has taught Me” (John 8:28).

• “I have not spoken on My own; instead, the Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say” (John 12:49-50).

• This means the red-letter words are not suggestions but the very voice of God, as sure as the prophets yet clearer and final (Hebrews 1:1-2).

• Because He speaks God’s words, they are life-giving (John 6:63), authoritative over storms (Mark 4:39) and able to judge or save (John 5:24).

• Listening to Jesus is the same as building on rock (Matthew 7:24).

The Father pours the Spirit on the Son in unlimited measure.

• At Jesus’ baptism “the Spirit descended and remained on Him” (John 1:32-34).

• Unlike Old Testament figures who received partial, task-focused anointings (Numbers 11:17;1 Samuel 16:13), Jesus carries the fullness: “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him” (Colossians 1:19).

• Isaiah’s prophecy rests on Him completely—“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him” (Isaiah 11:2)—and Peter echoes it: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38).

• The unlimited Spirit guarantees that every word Jesus speaks is Spirit-breathed truth, and equips Him to pour that same Spirit on believers (John 20:22;Acts 2:33).

John 3:34 declares that Jesus is Heaven’s commissioned representative, speaking nothing less than God’s own words, empowered by the limitless Spirit. Because His authority, message, and power all come directly from the Father, every promise He makes can be trusted, every command obeyed, and every offer of grace received with full assurance.

For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.--The italics will show that the words "unto Him" are added in our version; and it is probable that the word "God," which has been repeated from the first clause of the verse, should be also omitted here. We have then to read, "For He giveth not the Spirit by measure;" or, possibly, "For the Spirit giveth not by measure." If, however, we remember that John the Baptist is the speaker, and that he had seen "the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and coming upon Him" (see Note onMatthew 3:16, and comp. such passages asLuke 11:13, and in this GospelJohn 14:16;John 15:26), we shall still interpret the words in the sense which our version gives. The words "by measure," in the sense of limitation, are frequent in the classical and rabbinical writings. The Rabbis seem to have applied the phrase to prophets and teachers, saying that the Spirit dwelt in the prophets only in a certain measure. Comp.2Kings 2:9, where Elisha prays for "a double portion," or, more exactly,a portion of two--the portion of the first-born son (Deuteronomy 21:17)--of the spirit of Elijah. The same thought meets us in St. Paul (himself a pupil of Gamaliel), who speaks of "the self-same Spirit dividing to every man severally as He will" (see1Corinthians 12:4-12). The opposite of this thought, then, is before us here. God gives in this case not as in others. The Son who cometh from above is above all. There is no gift of prophet, or of teacher, which is not given to Him. He has the fulness of the spiritual gifts which in part are given to men, and He speaks the very words of God. It will be noted that John is still expounding to his disciples the meaning of his own declaration, "He must increase, but I must decrease." . . .

(1)For God giveth not the Spirit by measure; for ifὁ Θεός is omitted, still the same subject, "God," might be and is generally supplied, and the object, supposed to be either Christ or any of his servants to whom in these days of the baptism of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost is poured forth from an inexhaustible treasure. Augustine and Calvin urged that it was said concerning Christ; for we read in ver. 35 that "the Father hath given all things into his hand;" but exclusively to limit the object ofδίδωσι to Christ is more than the passage will justify.

(2)For he (the Messiah,sc.)giveth not the Spirit by measure;i.e. He is exalted to pour forth from the heart of the Deity the Spirit of the Father and Son. This is preferred by Westcott, and by those who see in the entire passage the reflections of the author of the Gospel (cf.John 15:26).

(3)For the Spirit giveth not by measure; the object (sc.) being "the words of God," which he who is sent and is coming from heaven, and is above all, is now lavishing upon the world. This translation (Godet) is in harmony with the vision of John at the baptism, when the Holy Spirit after the manner of a dove descended and abode upon him. With an unmeasurable supply of spiritual energy was thehumanity of him who came (qua his Divine nature and personality) from heaven enriched for his prophetic and Messianic functions as the beloved Son of God on earth. I see no difficulty in this last interpretation. . . .

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