The Meaning of John 3:33 Explained

John 3:33

KJV: He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

YLT: he who is receiving his testimony did seal that God is true;

Darby: He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true;

ASV: He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this , that God is true.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that hath received  his  testimony  hath set to his seal  that  God  is  true. 

What does John 3:33 Mean?

Context Summary

John 3:31-36 - A Witness To Be Trusted
Let us all seek to live more habitually in heaven, that is, in contact with the spiritual world. To do our best work in the world it is not necessary to be great in argument or rhetoric, but simply to bear witness of what we have seen and heard. It is true that the natural man will not receive our testimony. Paul found that out in after years, 1 Corinthians 2:14. But where our witness is accepted by the spiritually-minded, another seal is placed upon it as being the truth of God. Notice also that when a man is sent on God's errand and speaks God's word, he can count on the supply of God's spirit without stint. There is no careful measurement of how much or how little. For long years and to any extent, he may count upon God.
Note the present tenses of the last two verses. They are as true today as when first uttered. Our eternity dates not from our dying moment, but from that in which we first trust in Jesus Christ. If you can do nothing else, be willing to trust Him as soon as He is revealed to you, and in the meanwhile obey Him; that path will bring you into the open. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 3

1  Jesus teaches Nicodemus the necessity of being born again,
14  of faith in his death,
16  the great love of God toward the world,
18  and the condemnation for unbelief
22  Jesus baptizes in Judea
23  The baptism, witness, and doctrine of John concerning Jesus

Greek Commentary for John 3:33

Hath set his seal [εσπραγισεν]
First aorist active indicative of σπραγιζω — sphragizō for which verb see Matthew 27:66. The metaphor of sealing is a common one for giving attestation as in John 6:27. The one who accepts the witness of Jesus attests that Jesus speaks the message of God. [source]
Hath set to his seal [ἐσφράγισεν]
To set to, is to affix. To set to a seal is therefore to attest a document. The expression is retained from Coverdale's version (1535). So, “They must set to their hands, and shall set to their hands.” Compare also the old legal formula: “In wittenesse qwherof I haue set to myn seele.” Rev., better, hath set his seal to this. The meaning here is, has solemnly attested and confirmed the statement “God is true.” Only here in this sense. Elsewhere of closing up for security; hiding; marking a person or thing. See on Revelation 22:10. The aorist tense here denotes an accomplished act. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 3:33

John 6:27 Him hath God the Father sealed []
The Rev. makes the sentence culminate properly in God: “for Him the Father, even God, hath sealed.” According to the strict Greek order it is: for Him the Father sealed, even God. On sealed ( ἐσφράγισεν ) see on John 3:33. Wyc., betokened Him. [source]
John 3:34 God giveth []
The best texts omit God. Rev., He giveth. Rev., also, rightly, omits the italicized to Him. The personal object of the verb giveth is indefinite. Render, He giveth not the Spirit by measure. In order to convey the full force of the terms giveth and by measure, it will be necessary to attempt an explanation of the general scope and meaning of this very difficult and much disputed passage. The starting point of the exposition must be John 3:30, the Baptist's noble resignation of his own position, and claims to Jesus: He must increase, but I must decrease. At this point the Evangelist, as we have seen, takes up the discourse. The Baptist's declaration that Jesus “must increase” - that He is a messenger of a transcendently higher character, and with a far larger and more significant message than his own - furnishes the Evangelist with a text. He will show why Jesus “must increase.” He must increase because He comes from above, and is therefore supreme over all (John 3:31). This statement he repeats; defining from above ( ἄνωθεν ) by out of heaven ( ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ), and emphasizing it by contrast with mere earthly witness ( ὁ ἐκ τῆς γῆς ) whose words bear the stamp of his earthly origin ( ἐκ τῆς γῆς λαλεῖ ). Being from heaven, He testifies of heavenly things, as an eye-and ear-witness. “What He hath seen and heard, of that he beareth witness.” It is indeed true that men reject this testimony. “No man receiveth His witness” (John 3:32). None the less it is worthy of implicit credence as the testimony of God himself. He that has received that testimony has solemnly attested it as God's own witness; “hath set his seal to this, that God is true.” To declare Jesus' testimony untrue is to declare God untrue (John 3:33). For He whom God hath sent utters the whole divine mess age (the words of God, John 3:34). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Thus far the reasoning is directed to the conclusion that Jesus ought to increase, and that His message ought to be received. He is God's own messenger out of heaven, and speaks God's own words. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
The common explanation of the succeeding clause is that God bestows the Spirit upon Jesus in His fullness, “not by measure.”-DIVIDER-
But this is to repeat what has already been more than implied. It would seem to be superfluous to say of one who comes out of heaven, who is supreme over all things, who bears witness of heavenly things which He has seen and heard, and who reveals the whole message of God to men - that God bestows upon Him the Spirit without measure. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Take up, then, the chain of thought from the first clause of John 3:34, and follow it on another line. The Messenger of God speaks the words of God, and thus shows himself worthy of credence, and shows this further, by dispensing the gift of the Spirit in full measure to His disciples. “He giveth not the Spirit by measure.” This interpretation adds a new link to the chain of thought; a new reason why Jesus should increase, and His testimony be received; the reason, namely, that not only is He himself divinely endowed with the Spirit, but that He proves it by dispensing the Spirit in full measure. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
Thus John 3:35follows in natural sequence. This dispensing power which attests His claims, is His through the gift of the divine Father's love. “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” This latter phrase, into His hand, signifies not only possession, but the power of disposal. See Mark 9:31; Mark 14:41; Luke 23:46; Hebrews 10:31. God has given the Son all things to administer according to His own pleasure and rule. These two ideas of Christ's reception and bestowment of divine gifts are combined in Matthew 11:27. “All things are delivered unto me of my Father; and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and He to whomsoever the Son may determine ( βούληται ) to reveal Him.”-DIVIDER-
Therefore John the Baptist must decrease, and Jesus must increase. A measure of the Spirit was given to the Baptist, sufficient for his preparatory work, but the Baptist himself saw the Spirit descending in a bodily form upon the Son of God, and heard the voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Spirit is thus Christ's own. He dispenses, gives it ( δίδωσιν ), in its fullness. Hence Jesus said, later, of the Spirit of truth, “He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I that He shall take of mine and shall show it unto you” (John 16:14, John 16:15). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

John 1:9 TRUE [ἀληθινὸν]
Wyc., very light (compare the Nicene creed, “very God of very God”). This epithet is applied to light only here and 1 John 2:8, and is almost confined to the writings of John. A different word, ἀληθής , also rendered true, occurs at John 3:33; John 5:31; John 8:13, and elsewhere. The difference is that ἀληθινόζ signifies true, as contrasted with false; while ἀληθινός signifies what is real, perfect, and substantial, as contrasted with what is fanciful, shadowy, counterfeit, or merely symbolic. Thus God is ἀληθής (John 3:33) in that He cannot lie. He is ἀληθινός (1 Thessalonians 1:9), as distinguished from idols. In Hebrews 8:2, the heavenly tabernacle is called ἀληθινή , as distinguished from the Mosaic tabernacle, which was a figure of the heavenly reality (Hebrews 9:24). Thus the expression true light denotes the realization of the original divine idea of the Light - the archetypal Light, as contrasted with all imperfect manifestations: “the Light which fulfilled all that had been promised by the preparatory, partial, even fictitious lights which had existed in the world before.”“Our little systems have their day;They have their day and cease to be: They are but broken lights of Thee,-DIVIDER-
And Thou, O Lord, art more than they.”Tennyson, In Memoriam. [source]

John 6:27 Work not for [μη εργαζεστε]
Prohibition with μη — mē and present middle imperative of εργαζομαι — ergazomai old verb from εργον — ergon work. The meat The act of eating (Romans 14:17), corrosion (Matthew 6:19), the thing eaten as here (2 Corinthians 9:10). See note on John 4:32. Which perisheth Present middle participle of apollumi They were already hungry again. Unto eternal life Mystical metaphor quite beyond this crowd hungry only for more loaves and fishes. Bernard thinks that John has here put together various sayings of Christ to make one discourse, a gratuitous interpretation. Will give Future active indicative of εις ζωην αιωνιον — didōmi The outcome is still future and will be decided by their attitude towards the Son of man (John 6:51). For him the Father, even God, hath sealed Literally, “For this one the Father sealed, God.” First aorist active indicative of διδωμι — sphragizō to seal. See elsewhere in John 3:33 (attestation by man). Sealing by God is rare in N.T. (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). It is not clear to what item, if any single one, John refers when the Father set his seal of approval on the Son. It was done at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him and the Father spoke to him. Cf. John 5:37. [source]
Romans 15:28 Sealed - this fruit []
Secured to them the product of the contribution. See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
1 Corinthians 9:2 Seal [σφραγίς]
See on Romans 4:11; see on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
2 Corinthians 1:22 Sealed [σφραγισάμενος]
See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. [source]
Ephesians 1:13 Ye were sealed [ἐσφραγίσθητε]
See on John 3:33; see on Revelation 22:10. Sealed with the assurance of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:16; 2 Corinthians 1:22; 2 Timothy 2:19. [source]
Revelation 22:10 Seal [σφραγίσῃς]
Rev., seal up. This word occurs eighteen times in Revelation and twice in the Gospel, and only five times elsewhere in the New Testament. It means to confirm or attest (John 3:33); to close up for security (Matthew 27:66; Revelation 20:3); to hide or keep secret (Revelation 10:4; Revelation 22:10); to mark a person or thing (Revelation 7:3; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30) [source]
Revelation 20:3 Sealed []
See on John 3:33. [source]

What do the individual words in John 3:33 mean?

The [one] having received His - testimony has set his seal that - God TRUE is
λαβὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἐσφράγισεν ὅτι Θεὸς ἀληθής ἐστιν

  The  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λαβὼν  having  received 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
αὐτοῦ  His 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μαρτυρίαν  testimony 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: μαρτυρία  
Sense: a testifying.
ἐσφράγισεν  has  set  his  seal 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: σφραγίζω  
Sense: to set a seal upon, mark with a seal, to seal.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεὸς  God 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἀληθής  TRUE 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀληθής  
Sense: true.