John 7:16

16 Jesus answered them and said, `My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me;

John 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

John 7:16

Jesus answered them and said
Having heard them express their surprise, and state their objection:

my doctrine is not mine:
it was his, as he was God; as such, he was the author of it, it was from him, by the revelation of him; and it was of him, or he was the subject of it, as Mediator; it respected his person as God-man, his offices, as prophet, priest, and King, and his grace, righteousness; and salvation; and it was his, as preached by him as man; it came by him, and first began to be spoken by him; and was so spoken by him, as it never was before, or since: but it was not human; it was not acquired by him, as man; he did not learn it of man; he needed no human teachings; he increased in wisdom without them, from his infancy: they said right, in saying he had never learned; the spirit of wisdom and knowledge rested on high, and the treasures of them were hid in him; nor was it a device or invention of his, as man; it was not from himself as such, but it was from heaven, from his Father: wherefore he adds,

but his that sent me;
thereby intimating, that it was of God, and was communicated to him by his Father; from whom he received it, and from whom he had a commission to preach it; so that his doctrine was that wisdom which comes from above, and is pure and peaceable, divine and heavenly, and ought to be received by men.

John 7:16 In-Context

14 And it being now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up to the temple, and he was teaching,
15 and the Jews were wondering, saying, `How hath this one known letters -- not having learned?'
16 Jesus answered them and said, `My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me;
17 if any one may will to do His will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is of God, or -- I do speak from myself.
18 `He who is speaking from himself his own glory doth seek, but he who is seeking the glory of him who sent him, this one is true, and unrighteousness is not in him;
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.