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I. IN THE SUBLIMITY OF HIS ORIGIN (ver. 1). All others, from Enoch to Malachi were "of the earth."

II. IN THE CHARACTER OF HIS DOCTRINES. What does He teach?

1. The realities of which He Himself was conscious (ver. 2) and not speculations.

2. Realities which were moral in their influence upon His hearers. They were not compelled to receive them, so many rejected Him. But those who believed Him had an assured consciousness that God was true (ver. 33).

3. Realities which were pre-eminently Divine (ver. 34): not the sciences, but God Himself, the Root and Branch, Centre and Circumference of all truth.

III. IS THE AFFECTION OF HIS FATHER (ver. 35).

1. No teacher shared so much of the Divine love as Christ. The Father loveth all. All true teachers may expect a special share of this affection. But He loves Christ pre-eminently, and as He presents His Well-beloved He says, "Hear ye Him."

2. No teacher deserved so much of the Divine love as Christ did. He never offended the Father or misrepresented Him in doctrine or conduct.

3. No teacher ever had such demonstrations of Divine love as Christ. "All things," the administration of all blessings and the authority over all souls.

IV. IN THE EXTENT OF HIS ENDOWMENTS (ver. 34). Other teachers had the Spirit in a limited degree; Christ fully. This is clear from the fact that He knew what was in man, and from His miracles. But He had more of the Spirit than the old prophets, as is manifest by comparing —

1. Their theology with His.

2. Their spirit with His.

3. Their lives with His.

V. IS THE NECESSITY OF HIS MISSION. Faith in Him is essential to man's eternal welfare (ver. 36).

1. The faith He requires is faith in HIM: not merely in the facts of His history, or the truth of His prepositions, but in Himself as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. No other teacher ever required this. To so trust the best of them would be ruin.

2. Faith in Him determines the destiny of the soul.

(1)  Those who believe in Him have now everlasting life.

(2)  God's wrath abides on the unbeliever.

(D. Thomas, D. D.)

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KJV: He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

WEB: He who comes from above is above all. He who is from the Earth belongs to the Earth, and speaks of the Earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.