John 9:19

9:18-23 The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, Pr 29:25, and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth.

And they asked them, saying, is this your son,.... The first question they put was, whether the man that stood before them, pointing to him, was their son or not; whether they knew him by any marks to be their son, and would own him as such: had they answered to this in the negative, they would have got an advantage against him, and would have convicted him of a lie, since he had given out that he was the son of such parents; and proving such a lie upon him, would at once have brought the whole affair into suspicion at least: they add, who ye say was born blind; this contains a second question, whether, if this was their son, he was born blind or not; and if he was not born blind, though he had been blind, it would have greatly lessened the miracle: and besides, they would have put other questions upon this, whether his blindness was real, and by what means it came. Next follows a third question, how then doth he now see? By what means has he received his sight? They might hope, that if he was their son, and was really born blind, that he had his sight some other way than by Jesus; or they might object this to his being born, blind, as being a thing impossible, or at least not credible that he should ever see, was that the case.

18-23. the Jews did not believe … he had been born blind … till they called the parents of him that had received his sight—Foiled by the testimony of the young man himself, they hope to throw doubt on the fact by close questioning his parents, who, perceiving the snare laid for them, ingeniously escape it by testifying simply to the identity of their son, and his birth-blindness, leaving it to himself, as a competent witness, to speak as to the cure. They prevaricated, however, in saying they "knew not who had opened his eyes," for "they feared the Jews," who had come to an understanding (probably after what is recorded, Joh 7:50, &c.; but by this time well known), that whoever owned Him as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue—that is, not simply excluded, but excommunicated.

The parents of this man that was blind, in their answer show a great deal of discretion and prudence. Three things the Pharisees ask: 1. Whether this was their son? 2. Whether (as they said) he was indeed born blind? 3. How he came now to see? The manner of the propounding their question, who ye say, lets us know what answer they would have had, and that they did not send for the parents of this blind man out of a desire to know the naked truth of the thing, but hoping to fright them into a speaking doubtfully (at least) whether it was their son, yea or no; or whether he was stark blind when he was born, yea or no. But, alas! The providence of God ordering his condition to be so poor, that he was glad to beg for his livelihood, made this design vain, would his parents have gratified the Pharisees by any shuffling and indirect answer.

(19) Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? —The “ye” is emphatic; ye say he was born blind, as opposed to us, for we do not believe it. There are three questions. Is this your son? Do ye still say that he was born blind? which is incredible, as he now possesses the faculty of sight ( John 9:32 ). If you do, how do you account for the fact that he now sees? How then doth he now see?—Their question means—“How does it come to pass, since he was born blind, that he all at once seeth?” The word rendered “now,” here and in John 9:21; John 9:25, conveys the idea of the suddenness of the change which had taken place.

Is this your son? ... - The Pharisees proposed three questions to the parents, by which they hoped to convict the man of falsehood: 1. Whether he was their son? 2. Whether they would affirm that he was born blind? and, 3. Whether they knew by what means he now saw? They evidently intended to intimidate the parents, so that they might give an answer to one of these questions that would convict the man of deception. We see here the art to which men will resort rather than admit the truth. Had they been half as much disposed to believe on Jesus as they were to disbelieve, there would have been no difficulty in the case. And so with all men: were they as much inclined to embrace the truth as they are to reject it, there would soon be an end of cavils.

John 9:19-21 . To the two questions put in John 9:19 exactly corresponding answers are returned in John 9:20-21 ; the second, however, twice nesciendo . ὃν ὑμεῖς λέγετε ] opposed to the personal unbelief of the questioners; ὅν as in John 6:71 . πῶς ] how does it happen that? οὖν ] as it is alleged that he was born blind. John 9:20 . πῶς δὲ ἄρτι βλέπει , ἀγνοεῖν λέγουσι , φοβούμενοι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους . Ἔξω κινδύνου καθιστῶντες ἑαυτοὺς , ἐπὶ τὸν τεθεραπευμένον παραπέμπουσι τὴν ἐρώτησιν , ὡς ἀξιοπιστότερον αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ ζητήματι , Euth. Zigabenus. ἡμεῖς ] opposed to the αὐτός … αὐτόν … αὐτός , afterwards thrice repeated, and asyndetically, with passionate emphasis. ἡλικίαν ἔχει ] he himself is of full age; comp. Herod. 3. 36, 7. 18; Thuc. 8. 75; Polyb. 9. 23. 9, al . See Kypke, I. p. 387; Loesner, p. 150. αὐτὸς περὶ αὐτοῦ ] he will himself speak concerning himself . αὐτοῦ with the Spir. lenis. Buttm. Neut. Gr. p. 97 f. [E. T. p. 112]).

[Bible] 9:12. And they said to him: Where is he? He saith: I know not. 9:13. They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. 9:14. Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 9:15. Again therefore the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes: and I washed: and I see. 9:16. Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, who keepeth not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 9:17. They say therefore to the blind man again: What sayest thou of him that hath opened thy eyes? And he said: He is a prophet. 9:18. The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, 9:19. And asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then doth he now see? 9:20. His parents answered them and said: We know that this is our son and that he was born blind: 9:21. But how he now seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. Ask himself: he is of age: Let him speak for himself. 9:22. These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 9:23. Therefore did his parents say: He is of age. Ask himself. 9:24. They therefore called the man again that had been blind and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. 9:25. He said therefore to them: If he be a sinner, I know not. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. 9:26. They said then to him: What did he to thee? How did he open thy eyes? 9:27. He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear it again? Will you also become his disciples? 9:28. They reviled him therefore and said: Be thou his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses.

[Bible] 8:55. And you have not known him: but I know him. And if I shall say that I know him not, I shall be like to you, a liar. But I do know him and do keep his word. 8:56. Abraham your father rejoiced that he might see my day: he saw it and was glad. 8:57. The Jews therefore said to him: Thou art not yet fifty years old. And hast thou seen Abraham? 8:58. Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I AM. 8:59. They took up stones therefore to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John Chapter 9 He gives sight to the man born blind. 9:1. And Jesus passing by, saw a man who was blind from his birth. 9:2. And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? 9:3. Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 9:4. I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 9:5. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 9:6. When he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and spread the clay upon his eyes, 9:7. And said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore and washed: and he came seeing. 9:8. The neighbours, therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said: This is he. 9:9. But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he. 9:10. They said therefore to him: How were thy eyes opened? 9:11. He answered: That man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe and wash. And I went: I washed: and I see. 9:12. And they said to him: Where is he? He saith: I know not. 9:13. They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. 9:14. Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.