From the beginning. They who translate the words ten archen, as if they had been in the nominative case, I am the beginning, [1] and as if Christ were here asserting his eternal Divinity, are greatly mistaken. There is no ambiguity of this sort in the Greek, but still the Greek commentators also differ as to the meaning. All of them, indeed, are agreed that a preposition must be understood; but many give to it the force of an adverb, as if Christ had said, "This ought first (ten archen) to be observed." Some too -- among whom is Chrysostom -- render it continuously thus: The beginning, who also speak to you, I have many things to say and judge of you This meaning has been put into verse by Nonnus. [2] But a different reading is more generally adopted, and appears to be the true one. I interpret ten archen, from the beginning; so that the meaning, in my opinion, is this: "I did not arise suddenly, but as I was formerly promised, so now I come forth publicly." He adds, Because I also speak to you; by which he means that he testifies plainly enough who he is, provided that they had ears. This word, oti because, is not employed merely to assign a reason, as if Christ intended to prove that he was from the beginning, because he now speaks; but he asserts that there is such an agreement between his doctrine and the eternity which he has spoken of, that it ought to be reckoned an undoubted confirmation of it. It may be explained thus: "According to the beginning, that is, what I have formerly said, I now, as it were, confirm anew;" or, "And truly what I now also speak, is in accordance with the conditions made in all ages, so as to be a strong confirmation of it." In short, this reply consists of two clauses; for, under the word beginning, he includes an uninterrupted succession of ages, during which God had made a covenant with their fathers. When he says that he also speaks, he joins his doctrine with the ancient predictions, and shows that it depends on them. Hence it follows that the Jews had no other reason for their ignorance, than that they did not believe either the Prophets or the Gospel; for it is the same Christ that is exhibited in all of them. They pretended to be disciples of the Prophets, and to look to the eternal covenant of God; but still they rejected Christ, who had been promised from the beginning, and presented himself before them.

Footnotes

1 - Ceux qui traduisent, "Je suis le commencement."

2 - He refers to Nonnus, a Greek writer, who rendered into hexameter verse the Gospel by John. The passage stands thus: Ti>v su< pe>leiv kai< Cristo<v ajni>acen, o{tti par uJmi~n Ex ajrch~v ajo>rizon e]cwn nh>riqma dika>zein Kai< lale>ein Who art thou? and Christ cried aloud, What (I say) to you from the beginning, having an innumerable multitude of things to say and judge So far as relates to ten archen, Nonnus appears to agree with Calvin; for he renders it ex arches, from the beginning. -- Ed

Who art thou? - As Jesus did not expressly say in the previous verse that he was the Messiah, they professed still not to understand him. In great contempt, therefore, they asked him who he was. As if they had said, "Who art thou that undertakest to threaten us in this manner!" When we remember that they regarded him as a mere pretender from Galilee; that he was poor and without friends; and that he was persecuted by those in authority, we cannot but admire the patience with which all this was borne, and the coolness with which he answered them.
Even the same - What he had professed to them was that he was the light of the world; that he was the bread that came down from heaven; that he was sent by his Father, etc. From all this they might easily gather that he claimed to be the Messiah. He assumed no new character; he made no change in his professions; he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and as he had once professed to be the light of the world, so, in the face of contempt, persecution, and death, he adhered to the profession.
The beginning - From his first discourse with them, or uniformly.

Who art thou? - This marks the indignation of the Pharisees - as if they had said: Who art thou that takest upon thee to deal out threatenings in this manner against us?
Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning - Rather, Just what I have already told you, i.e. that I am the light of the world - the Christ - the Savior of mankind. There are a variety of renderings for this verse among the critics. Some consider την αρχην (which makes the principal difficulty in the text) as the answer of our Lord. Who art thou? I am την αρχην, the chief, the supreme; and have therefore a right to judge, and to execute judgment. But if our Lord had intended to convey this meaning, he would doubtless have said ἡ Αρχη, or ὁ Αρχων, and not την αρχην, in the accusative case. This mode of reading appears to have been followed by the Vulgate, some copies of the Itala, and some of the fathers; but this construction can never be reconciled to the Greek text. Others take την αρχην as an adverb, in which sense it is repeatedly used by the best Greek writers; and, connecting the 25th with the 26th verse, they translate thus: I have indeed, as I Assure ye, many things to say of you, and to condemn in you. See Wakefield. Raphelius takes up the words nearly in the same way, and defends his mode of exposition with much critical learning; and to him I refer the reader. I have given it that meaning which I thought the most simple and plain, should any departure from our own version be thought necessary: both convey a good and consistent sense.

(9) Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even (f) [the same] that I said unto you from the beginning.
(9) He will eventually know who Christ is who will diligently hear what Christ says.
(f) That is, I am Christ, and the Saviour, for so I told you from the beginning that I was.

Then said they unto him, who art thou?.... That talks at this rate, and threatens with death, in case of unbelief; this they said with an haughty air, and in a scornful manner:
and Jesus saith unto them, even the same that I said unto you from the beginning; meaning, either of this discourse, as that he was the light of the world, and which he continued to assert; or of his being had before the sanhedrim, when he affirmed that God was his Father, and by many strong arguments proved his divine sonship; or of his ministry, when by miracles, as well as doctrines, he made it to appear that he was he that was to come, the true Messiah; or who spake from the beginning to Moses, saying, I am that I am, hath sent thee, and to the church, and Jewish fathers in the wilderness; and who is that word that was from the beginning with God; and who is called the beginning, the first cause of all things, and of the creation of God; and some think this is intended here.

Who art thou?--hoping thus to extort an explicit answer; but they are disappointed.

Who art thou? No doubt asked with a sneer; hence, he only refers them to his past words.

Even what I say to you from the beginning - The same which I say to you, as it were in one discourse, with one even tenor from the time I first spake to you.