some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — nominative singular masculine
will
θέλῃthelē
G2309
to determine (as an active option from subjective impul… · verb — present active subjunctive, 3rd person singular
do
ποιεῖν,poiein
G4160
to make or do (in a very wide application · verb — present active infinitive
his
αὐτοῦautou
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
will
θέλημαthelēma
G2307
a determination (properly · noun — accusative singular neuter
he shall know
γνώσεταιgnōsetai
G1097
to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applicatio… · verb — future middle deponent indicative, 3rd person singular
of
περὶperi
G4012
properly · preposition
the doctrine
διδαχῆςdidachēs
G1322
instruction (the act or the matter) · noun — genitive singular feminine
whether
πότερονpoteron
G4220
interrogative as adverb · adverb
it be
ἐστίestí
G2076
he (she or it) is
of
ἐκek
G1537
literal or figurative · preposition
God
θεοῦtheou
G2316
figuratively · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
or
ἢē
G2228
disjunctive · conjunction
I
ἐγὼegō
G1473
I · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular
speak
λαλῶ.lalō
G2980
to talk · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
of
ἀπ᾽ap᾽
G575
"off · preposition
myself
ἐμαυτοῦemautoû
G1683
of myself so likewise the dative case
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Jeremiah 31:33-34 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inwar…
John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise s…
Psalms 25:8-9 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
Philippians 3:15-16 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
Psalms 119:101-102 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on John 7:14-36
Here is, I. Christ's public preaching in the temple (Joh 7:14): He went up into the temple, and taught, according to his custom when he was at Jerusalem. His business was to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and he did it in every place of concourse. His sermon is not recorded, because, probably, it was to the same purport with the sermons he had preached in Galilee, which were recorded by the other evangelists. For the gospel is the same to the plain and to the polite. But that which is observable here is that it was about the midst of the feast; the fourth or fifth day of the eight. Whether he did not come up to Jerusalem till the middle of the feast, or whether he came up at the beginning…
If any man will do his will, &c.--"is willing," or "wishes to do."
whether . . . of God, or . . . of myself--from above or from beneath; is divine or an imposture of Mine. A principle of immense importance, showing, on the one hand, that singleness of desire to please God is the grand inlet to light on all questions vitally affecting one's eternal interests, and on the other, that the want of his, whether perceived or not, is the chief cause of infidelity amidst the light of revealed religion.
Adam Clarke on John 7:17
If any man wilt do his will, etc. - I will give you a sure rule by which ye may judge of my doctrine: If you really wish to do the will of God, begin the practice of it; and take my doctrine, and apply it to all that you know God requires of man; and if you find one of my precepts contrary to the nature, perfections, and glory of God, or to the present or eternal welfare of men, then ye shall be at liberty to assert that my doctrine is human and erroneous, and God has not sent me. But if, on the contrary, ye find that the sum and substance of my preaching is, That men shall love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, and their neighbor as themselves; and that this doctrine must…
"If any man do His will, he shall know of the doctrine." What meaneth, "If any man do His will?" "If any man be a lover of the life which is according to virtue, he shall know the power of the sayings." "If any man will give heed to the prophecies, to see whether I speak according to them or not."
One speaks in one way of the truth, in another way the truth interprets itself. The guessing at truth is one thing, and truth itself is another. Resemblance is one thing, the thing itself is another. And the one results from learning and practice, the other from power and faith. For the teaching of piety is a gift, but faith is grace. "For by doing the will of God we know the will of God." "Open, then," says the Scripture, "the gates of righteousness; and I will enter in, and confess to the Lord." But the paths to righteousness (since God saves in many ways, for He is good) are many and various, and lead to the Lord's way and gate. And if you ask the royal and true entrance, you will hear, "This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter in by it." While there are many gates open, that in righteousness is in Christ, by which all the blessed enter, and direct their steps in the sanctity of knowledge.
"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself." What He saith is this, "Cast out from yourselves the malice and wrath and envy and hatred which has without cause been conceived against Me, then there is nothing to hinder you from knowing that My words are indeed the words of God. For at present these things cast a darkness over you, and destroy the light of right judgment, while if ye remove them this shall no longer be your case." Yet He spake not (plainly) thus, (for so He would have confounded them exceedingly,) but implied it all by saying, "He that doeth His will shall know of the doctrine, whether it is of God, or whether I speak of Myself"; that is, "whether I speak anything different and strange and contrary to God." For, "of Myself" is always put with this meaning, that "I say nothing except what seemeth good to Him, but all that the Father willeth, I will also."
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Conduct, Christian · Blessedness of maintaining — Blessedness of maintaining
Doctrines · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Doctrines Of The Gospel, The · The obedience of saints leads to surer knowledge of — The obedience of saints leads to surer knowledge of
Will · 20:42; — 20:42;
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on John 7:17
If any man will do his will,.... Meaning, not one that perfectly fulfils the law, which is the good, and perfect, and acceptable will of God; for there is no man that does this, or can do it; nor is it so said here, "if any man do his will", but "if any man will do" it; that is, is desirous of doing it; who has it wrought in him both to will and do, of the good pleasure of God, by his grace and Spirit; with whom to will is present, though, he has not power to perform, and so is a spiritual man; and who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is one branch of the will of God; and who depends upon the Spirit and grace of God, and acts from a principle of love to God, and in the exercise of fa…
John 7:14-19
14. And about the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15. And the Jews wondered, saying, How doth this man know letters, since he did not learn them? 16. Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but that of him who sent me. 17. If any man wish to do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, if it be of God, or if I speak from myself. 18. He who speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory; but he who seeketh the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is no unrighteousness in him. 19. Did not Moses give you the law, and not one of you keepeth the law? Why do you seek to kill me?
14. Jesus went up into the temple. We now see that Ch…
Those who truly want to do the will of God receive and accept Jesus and his teaching (see also 5:42-47). Those who focus on the world, by contrast, are not receptive to Christ.
