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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
Cyril of Alexandria
On Christ saying that He is what He is by Nature and truly (for He openly declared, I am the Light of the world) the multitude of the Pharisees unrecking of danger deemed that He spake falsely. For in their exceeding folly they knew not that when some set forth their own nature and tell what is essentially inherent in them, we shall not, if we think aright, suppose that they do so out of boasting, nor shall we say that they are bent on hunting vain-glory, but rather that they declare what they really are. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
Therefore He also answers them according to their craftiness. Let it be so, that I Myself bear witness of Myself. Although in reality it is not so, but I have three witnesses – My Father, My works, and the Scripture, as was also said above (John 5:33, 5:36, 5:37, 5:39). Let us suppose that I Myself bear witness of Myself. But even if I Myself bear witness of Myself, My witness is true because I know that I am the Son of God, and not a mere man, but One who comes from above, and God. …
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
The Jews then answered, "Thou bearest witness of thyself; thy witness is not true." Let us see what they hear; let us also hear, yet not as they did: they despising, we believing; they wishing to slay Christ, we desiring to live through Christ. Let this difference distinguish our ears and minds from theirs, and let us hear what the Lord answers to the Jews. …
Thomas Aquinas
Next (v 14), our Lord rejects their opposition: first, by the authority of his Father; secondly, by answering their rejection, which arose concerning his Father (v 19). The opposition of the Jews arose from a certain conclusion which they drew: and so the first he shows that their conclusion is not true; secondly, he proves that his own testimony is true (v 14b). He does two things concerning the first: first, he shows that their conclusion is false; secondly, he adds the reason for their error (v 14b). …
Bonaventure
"Jesus answered and said to them," and he defends his testimony as true, because it is certain, because it is legitimate: therefore he says: "Even if I bear witness of myself, my testimony is true," because I am God: Numbers twenty-three: "God is not a man, that he should lie." Therefore it is true and acceptable, because certain: whence he says: "Because I know whence I come and whither I go": Proverbs twelve: "He who speaks what he knows is a judge of justice, but he who lies is a fraudulent witness"; below, chapter thirteen: …
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