John 19:35

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܘܡܰܢ ܕ݁ܰܚܙܳܐ ܐܰܣܗܶܕ݂ ܘܫܰܪܺܝܪܳܐ ܗ݈ܝ ܣܳܗܕ݁ܽܘܬ݂ܶܗ ܘܗܽܘ ܝܳܕ݂ܰܥ ܕ݁ܰܫܪܳܪܳܐ ܐܶܡܰܪ ܕ݁ܳܐܦ݂ ܐܰܢ݈ܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܬ݁ܗܰܝܡܢܽܘܢ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he that: John 19:26, John 21:24, Acts 10:39, Hebrews 2:3, Hebrews 2:4, 1 Peter 5:1, 1 John 1:1-3

that ye: John 11:15, John 11:42, John 14:29, John 17:20, John 17:21, John 20:31, Romans 15:4, 1 John 5:13

Reciprocal: Zechariah 13:1 - a fountain John 12:17 - bare Acts 20:26 - I take 2 Timothy 1:8 - the testimony 1 John 5:6 - is he 1 John 5:11 - this 3 John 1:12 - and we Revelation 1:2 - bare

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he that saw it, bare record,.... Meaning himself, John the evangelist, the writer of this Gospel, who, in his great modesty, frequently conceals himself, under one circumlocution or another; he was an eyewitness of this fact, not only of the piercing of his side with a spear, but of the blood and water flowing out of it; which he saw with his eyes, and bore record of to others, and by this writing; and was ready to attest it in any form it should be desired:

and his record is true; though it is not mentioned by any of the other evangelists, none of them but himself being present at that time:

and he knoweth that he saith true; meaning either God or Christ, who knew all things; and so it is a sort of appeal to God or Christ, for the truth of what he affirmed, as some think; or rather himself, who was fully assured that he was under no deception, and was far from telling an untruth; having seen the thing done with his eyes, and being led into the mystery of it by the Divine Spirit; see 1 John 5:6 wherefore he could, and did declare it with the strongest asseverations:

that ye might believe; the truth of the fact, and in Christ, both for the expiation of the guilt of sin, and cleansing from the filth of it; both for sanctifying and justifying grace, which the water and the blood were an emblem of.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He that saw it - John himself. He is accustomed to speak of himself in the third person.

His record is true - His testimony is true. Such was the known character of this writer, such his sacred regard for truth, that he could appeal to that with full assurance that all would put confidence in him. He often appeals thus to the fact that his testimony was known to be true. It would be well if all Christians had such a character that their word would be assuredly believed.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 35. He that saw it — Most probably John himself, who must have been pretty near the cross to have been able to distinguish between the blood and the water, as they issued from the side of our blessed Lord.

And he knoweth — This appears to be an appeal to the Lord Jesus, for the truth of the testimony which he had now delivered. But why such a solemn appeal, unless there was something miraculous in this matter? It might appear to him necessary:

1. Because the other evangelists had not noticed it.

2. Because it contained the most decisive proof of the death of Christ: as a wound such as this was could not have been inflicted, (though other causes had been wanting,) without occasioning the death of the person; and on his dying for men depended the salvation of the world. And,

3. Because two important prophecies were fulfilled by this very circumstance, both of which designated more particularly the person of the Messiah. A bone of him shall not be broken, Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalms 34:20. They shall look upon him whom they pierced, Zechariah 12:10; Psalms 22:16.