Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus turns their accusation back on them by highlighting the stark contrast between His relationship with God and theirs. While they claim God as their own, Jesus emphasizes that He knows God intimately and is known by Him, a profound connection they clearly lack despite their religious claims.
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Jewish leaders have just challenged Jesus, questioning His authority and demanding to know if He's greater than Abraham. Jesus responds by stating that His glory isn't self-derived but comes from His Father, whom the leaders claim as their God. This sets up Jesus' argument that despite their claim to know God, they actually don't know Him or His Son.
Jesus is accused of self-exaltation. But His response reveals a profound truth about where true honor comes from. What makes human praise ultimately worthless?
Jesus directly addresses the accusation that He is glorifying Himself. He states plainly, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.” This isn't just about humility; it's about the nature of glory itself. Any honor or praise we try to drum up for ourselves, apart from God, is ultimately empty and fleeting.
Think about it: when we boast about our own achievements, how does it land? It often feels hollow, doesn't it? That's because true worth and lasting honor aren't self-generated. They are bestowed by a higher authority. Jesus, fully God and fully man, understood this perfectly. He knew that His divine identity and mission were validated not by His own claims, but by the Father.
While self-praise is worthless, Jesus points to a divine source of honor. What does it mean that God Himself is our ultimate glorifier?
Jesus immediately follows His statement about empty self-glory with a powerful declaration: 'It is my Father who glorifies me.' This is the ultimate affirmation. While the crowds might have been questioning Him, His Father's approval was the only one that mattered. This wasn't just a passive acceptance; it was an active, ongoing bestowal of honor.
This divine endorsement was evident throughout Jesus' ministry – through the voice from heaven at His baptism, the miracles He performed, and His ultimate resurrection and exaltation. For us, this means that our deepest sense of worth and purpose isn't found in what others think of us, or even what we think of ourselves, but in the Father's affirmation through Christ.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus confronts the Jews' claim to know God. What's the crucial difference between professing faith and truly knowing Him?
The Jews in this passage proudly declared, 'He is our God.' But Jesus immediately exposes their hollow claim. He says, 'You say that he is your God... but I know him.' Their outward profession was a facade; they lacked genuine, intimate knowledge of the Father. This wasn't just an intellectual deficiency; it was a spiritual disconnect.
Jesus contrasts their ignorance with His perfect knowledge, stating that if He were to deny knowing the Father, He would be a liar like them. True knowledge of God, as Jesus lived and taught, is demonstrated through obedience and faithfulness – 'and keep his word.' It’s not enough to claim God; we must truly know Him and live by His truth.
Understand the original words
doxazō · Greek Verb
The manifestation of God's character, radiance, and excellence; glorifying someone involves recognizing and honoring their true status and divine nature.
theos · Greek Noun
The Supreme Being, Creator, and Covenant-maker who revealed Himself to the patriarchs and through the Law; the ultimate object of worship for Israel.
Jesus here states that if He bore witness about Himself, His testimony would not be true, directly echoing the sentiment that self-glorification is meaningless. This verse is referenced by the commentaries as a parallel to John 8:54.
1 Samuel 16:7This passage emphasizes that God looks at the heart and what He honors, not outward appearance or self-proclaimed status, contrasting with the Jews' focus on lineage and external markers of righteousness.
Hebrews 1:1-5This passage details how God the Father has spoken through His Son, Jesus, and glorified Him, directly aligning with Jesus' claim that His Father glorifies Him.
John 17:1-5In His prayer, Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him with the glory He had with the Father before the world was, demonstrating the intimate, divine connection and source of His glory.
Isaiah 42:1This prophetic verse speaks of God's chosen servant whom He upholds and in whom He delights, foreshadowing the Father's public affirmation and glorification of Jesus.
jfbJohn 8:54: "Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:"
54-56. If I honour myself, my honour is nothing, &c.—(See on [1813]Joh 5:31, &c.).
calvinJohn 8:51-55: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."
- Verily, verily, I say to you, If any man keep my word, he shall never see death. 52. The Jews said therefore to him, Now we know that thou hast the devil, [245] Abraham is dead, and the Prophets, and thou sayest, If any man keep my word, he shall never taste of death. 53. Art thou greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The Prophets also are dead. Whom makest thou thyself? 54. Jesus answ…
Jesus turns their accusation back on them by highlighting the stark contrast between His relationship with God and theirs. While they claim God as their own, Jesus emphasizes that He knows God intimately and is known by Him, a profound connection they clearly lack despite their religious claims.
The Jewish leaders have just challenged Jesus, questioning His authority and demanding to know if He's greater than Abraham. Jesus responds by stating that His glory isn't self-derived but comes from His Father, whom the leaders claim as their God. This sets up Jesus' argument that despite their claim to know God, they actually don't know Him or His Son.
The Jewish leaders have just challenged Jesus, questioning His authority and demanding to know if He's greater than Abraham. Jesus responds by stating that His glory isn't self-derived but comes from His Father, whom the leaders claim as their God. This sets up Jesus' argument that despite their claim to know God, they actually don't know Him or His Son.
"Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’" — Jesus turns their accusation back on them by highlighting the stark contrast between His relationship with God and theirs. While they claim God as their own, Jesus emphasizes that He knows God inti…
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Last reviewed October 2026