The Meaning of John 7:16 Explained

John 7:16

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

YLT: Jesus answered them and said, 'My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me;

Darby: Jesus therefore answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but that of him that has sent me.

ASV: Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does John 7:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jesus responded by explaining that His knowledge had come from the One who had sent Him, namely, God the Father (cf. John 5:19-30). It had not come from Himself. He meant that His was not knowledge that He had dreamed up or arrived at through independent study. Jewish rabbis normally cited other rabbis as the sources of their information. Jesus avoided giving the impression that He was an inventive upstart, but He also implied that His teaching was not simply the continuation of rabbinic tradition. His teaching did not come from the rabbis or from self-study but directly from God.
"It is characteristic of many of the outstanding men of the Bible that they are convinced that they must do what they are doing, and say what they are saying, because they have received a divine commission." [1]

Context Summary

John 7:14-24 - How To Know The Truth Of Jesus' Word
Jesus now went up to the feast, not because he was prompted by the worldly policy suggested by His brethren, but because He was led by His Father's will. We must be on our guard against unspiritual advisers, and must wait till the hour and the minute-hands of the clock have reached the precise moment of the Father's appointment.
Here is an easy method of ascertaining whether our Lord's words about God, Himself, and the future are merely the words of a human teacher, or are really God's. Be willing to do as He says! Stand prepared to fulfill whatever is revealed to your mind and witnessed to by the inner voice! Live with your face toward the dawn, for though it tarry long it will certainly break. See John 3:21. Faith in the gospel does not come by logic, but as the result of obeying the highest truth that you know. Follow on and your path will lead you out to where Jesus stands, the revealed Son of God and the Savior of men. The old quarrel as to the miracle wrought at Bethesda on the Sabbath was still alive, John 7:22-23. His critics did not hold that the Mosaic law was violated if a child's submission to the Jewish initiatory rite was performed on the Sabbath. How foolish, then, to blame Jesus for an act of mercy and healing! [source]

Chapter Summary: John 7

1  Jesus reproves the ambition and boldness of his kinsmen;
10  goes up from Galilee to the feast of tabernacles;
14  teaches in the temple
40  Various opinions of him among the people
45  The Pharisees are angry that their officers took him not,
50  and chide with Nicodemus for taking his side

Greek Commentary for John 7:16

Mine [εμη]
Possessive pronoun, “not mine in origin.” Jesus denies that he is self-taught, though not a schoolman. But his that sent me Genitive case of the articular participle (first aorist active of πεμπω — pempō). His teaching is not self-originated nor is it the product of the schools (see the Talmud in contrast with the New Testament). Jesus often in John uses this idiom of “the one who sent me” of the Father (John 4:34; John 5:23, John 5:24, John 5:30, John 5:37; John 6:38-40, John 6:44; John 7:16, John 7:18, John 7:28, etc.). The bold claim is here made by Jesus that his teaching is superior in character and source to that of the rabbis. [source]
Doctrine [διδαχὴ]
Better, teaching, as Rev. Doctrine has acquired a conventional sense which might mislead. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 7:16

John 5:23 Which sent Him []
A phrase peculiar to John, and used only by the Lord, of the Father. See John 4:34; John 6:38, John 6:39; John 7:16, John 7:28, John 7:33, etc. [source]
John 12:44 Cried and said [εκραχεν και ειπεν]
First aorist active indicative of κραζω — krazō to cry aloud, and second aorist active of defective verb ερω — erō to say. This is probably a summary of what Jesus had already said as in John 12:36 John closes the public ministry of Jesus without the Synoptic account of the last day in the temple on our Tuesday (Mark 11:27-12:44; Matt 21:23-23:39; Luke 20:1-21:4). Not on me, but on him “Not on me only, but also on,” another example of exaggerated contrast like that in John 12:30. The idea of Jesus here is a frequent one (believing on Jesus whom the Father has sent) as in John 3:17.; John 5:23, John 5:30, John 5:43; John 7:16; John 8:42; John 13:20; John 14:1; Matthew 10:40; Luke 9:48. [source]
John 7:16 Mine [εμη]
Possessive pronoun, “not mine in origin.” Jesus denies that he is self-taught, though not a schoolman. But his that sent me Genitive case of the articular participle (first aorist active of πεμπω — pempō). His teaching is not self-originated nor is it the product of the schools (see the Talmud in contrast with the New Testament). Jesus often in John uses this idiom of “the one who sent me” of the Father (John 4:34; John 5:23, John 5:24, John 5:30, John 5:37; John 6:38-40, John 6:44; John 7:16, John 7:18, John 7:28, etc.). The bold claim is here made by Jesus that his teaching is superior in character and source to that of the rabbis. [source]
John 7:26 They say nothing unto him [ουδεν αυτοι λεγουσιν]
But only make sneering comments about him (John 7:16) in spite of his speaking “openly” Negative answer expected by μη ποτε — mē pote and yet there is ridicule of the rulers in the form of the question. See a like use of μη ποτε — mē pote in Luke 3:15, though nowhere else in John. Εγνωσαν — Egnōsan (second aorist ingressive active indicative of γινωσκω — ginōskō) may refer to the examination of Jesus by these rulers in John 5:19. and means, “Did they come to know or find out” (and so hold now)? That this is the Christ The Messiah of Jewish hope. [source]
John 8:28 When ye have lifted up the Son of man [οταν υπσωσητε τον υιον του αντρωπου]
Indefinite temporal clause with οταν — hotan It is unnecessary to render the aorist subjunctive as if a future perfect, simply “whenever ye lift up” (actually lift up, ingressive aorist). In Acts 2:33 the verb is used of the Ascension. Shall ye know Future (ingressive aoristic) middle of εγω ειμι — ginōskō Cognoscetis ex re quod nunc ex verbo non creditis (Bengel). But the knowledge from the facts like the fall of Jerusalem will come too late and will not bring a change of heart. The Holy Spirit will convict them concerning judgment (John 16:8). For I am This claim Jesus repeats (see John 8:26) and clearly makes on his arrival at the feast (John 7:16.). This fact marks Jesus off from the rabbis. [source]
2 John 1:9 And abideth not in the teaching of Christ [και μη μενων εν τηι διδαχηι του Χριστου]
Not the teaching about Christ, but that of Christ which is the standard of Christian teaching as the walk of Christ is the standard for the Christian‘s walk (1 John 2:6). See John 7:16; John 18:19. These Gnostics claimed to be the progressives, the advanced thinkers, and were anxious to relegate Christ to the past in their onward march. This struggle goes on always among those who approach the study of Christ. Is he a “landmark” merely or is he our goal and pattern? Progress we all desire, but progress toward Christ, not away from him. Reactionary obscurantists wish no progress toward Christ, but desire to stop and camp where they are. “True progress includes the past” (Westcott). Jesus Christ is still ahead of us all calling us to come on to him. [source]

What do the individual words in John 7:16 mean?

Answered therefore them - Jesus and said - My teaching not is of Myself but of the [One] having sent Me
Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτοῖς ‹ὁ› Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν Ἐμὴ διδαχὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὴ ἀλλὰ τοῦ πέμψαντός με

Ἀπεκρίθη  Answered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀποκρίνομαι  
Sense: to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer.
‹ὁ›  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἐμὴ  My 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Feminine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
διδαχὴ  teaching 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: διδαχή  
Sense: teaching.
ἐμὴ  of  Myself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Feminine 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐμός  
Sense: my, mine, etc.
τοῦ  of  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πέμψαντός  having  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: πέμπω  
Sense: to send.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.