31. He that hath a divine origin is above all men, and so above me; but He that is of the earth by origin, of the earth he is in nature, and of the earth He speaks (compare verse 6). This is true of all men, in comparison with Christ: their thoughts are earthly, weak, and limited; His divine and inexhaustible; but it is also true absolutely, if we consider them apart from faith and grace. “Hoc autem in Joanne verum est primo, si ejus nudam naturam spectes, et seclusa Dei gratia, vocatione, et revelatione: sic enim Joannes non nisi terreus et terrenus erat, nec nisi terrena sapiebat; quia ‘si quid divinum audisti a Joanne illuminantis est, non recipientis,’ ait St. Augustinus, quasi dicat, id accepit a Deo, non habet a se” (A Lap.). 32. Et quod vidit, et audivit, 32. And what he hath seen and hoc testatur: et testimonium, heard, that he testifieth: and eius nemo accipit. no man receiveth his testimony. 32. What Christ knoweth of His own _immediate_ divine knowledge, as being “in the bosom of the Father” (i. 18), this He testifieth; and yet hardly anyone (“no man” being an hyperbole) receiveth His testimony. Christ is metaphorically spoken of here as seeing and hearing, to indicate His direct and _immediate_ knowledge of things divine. Compare v. 19; vi. 46; viii. 38; xv. 15; xvi. 13. According to Patrizzi and others, this and the following verses are the words of the Evangelist; but more probably the Baptist continues to the end of the chapter, developing the reason why Christ must increase. 33. Qui accepit eius 33. He that hath received his testimonium, signavit quia testimony, hath set to his Deus verax est. seal that God is true. 33. He who has believed in Christ has thereby testified solemnly (as though he set his _seal_ to the testimony) that God is truthful. *God* here refers to the Father; and the meaning is, that by believing what Christ teaches, we believe Him to be truthful, and therefore believe the Father also, from whom He has received His divine nature and knowledge, and His mission as Messias, to be truthful. This is better than to refer God here to the Son (Christ), as Maldonatus does; for in the next verse, which proves this, God plainly refers to the Father. 34. Quem enim misit Deus, 34. For he whom God hath sent, verba Dei loquitur: non enim speaketh the words of God: for ad mensuram dat Deus spiritum. God doth not give the spirit by measure.