SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:35
Y el que lo vio, da testimonio, y su testimonio es verdadero; y l sabe que dice verdad, para que vosotros tambin creis.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 19:35
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 xii. 46; Num. ix. 12; Psa. xxxiv. 20. They shall look upon him whom they pierced, Zech. xii. 10; Psa. xxii. 16.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 35. And he that saw it, bare record , etc.] 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 5:6,8) 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 31-37 - A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time tha persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; n human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnl attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and wate that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believer partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced sid of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for ou justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let thi silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; ther came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justif and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's no allowing his legs to be broken, Ps 34:20. There was a type of this is the paschal lamb, Ex 12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes agains convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both wate and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM εωρακως 3708 5761 V-RAP-NSM-ATT μεμαρτυρηκεν 3140 5758 V-RAI-3S και 2532 CONJ αληθινη 228 A-NSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S η 3588 T-NSF μαρτυρια 3141 N-NSF κακεινος 2548 D-NSM-C οιδεν 1492 5758 V-RAI-3S οτι 3754 CONJ αληθη 227 A-APN λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S ινα 2443 CONJ υμεις 5210 P-2NP πιστευσητε 4100 5661 V-AAS-2P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
35. He that saw it bare record (o ewrakwv memarturhken). Rev., rendering the perfect tense in both verbs, he that hath seen hath born witness. This can refer only to the writer of this Gospel. Compare 1 John i. 1.True (alhqinh). Genuine, according to the true ideal of what testimony should be. See on i. 9.
And he (kakeinov). This pronoun is urged by some as a reason for regarding the witness as some other than John, because it is the pronoun of remote reference. But ix. 37 shows clearly that a speaker can use this pronoun of himself; and it is, further, employed in this Gospel to indicate a person "as possessing the quality which is the point in question in an eminent or even exclusive degree" (Godet). See i. 18; v. 39.
True (alhqh). Literally, true things. As distinguished from false. Thus, by the use of the two words for true, there are brought out, as Westcott remarks, "the two conditions which testimony ought to satisfy; the first, that he who gives it should be competent to speak with authority; and the second, that the account of his experience should be exact."
