Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 9:4

ἡμᾶς for ἐμέ (a correction to harmonize with με) with א1BL against א3AC.

4. ἡμᾶς δεῖ … με. The readings are doubtful as to whether ἡμᾶς or ἐμέ, με or ἡμᾶς is right in each place. The more difficult reading is the best supported: We must work the works of Him that sent Me. Some copyists changed ἡμᾶς to ἐμέ to agree with με; others changed με to ἡμᾶς to agree with ἡμᾶς. ‘We must work:’ Christ identifies Himself with His disciples in the work of converting the world. ‘Him that sent Me:’ Christ does not identify His mission with that of the disciples. They were both sent, but not in the same sense: the Son is sent by the Father, the disciples by the Son. So also He says ‘My Father’ and ‘your Father,’ ‘My God’ and ‘your God;’ but not ‘our Father,’ or ‘our God’ (John 20:17). Τὰ ἔργα refers to John 9:3.

ἔως ἡμέρα ἐστίν. So long as it is day, i.e. so long as we have life. Day and night here mean, as so often in literature of all kinds, life and death. Other explanations, e.g. opportune and inopportune moment, the presence of Christ in the world and His withdrawal from it,—are less simple and less suitable to the context. If all that is recorded from John 7:37 takes place on one day, these words would probably be spoken in the evening, when the failing light would add force to the warning, night cometh (no article), when no one can work; not even Christ Himself as man upon earth: comp. John 1:7-10; Psalms 14:2-3.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

John 9:4

Old Testament

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