John 9 - Introduction
CHAPTER 9. _ The healing of a man born blind and the discussions arising out of this miracle_.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 9. _ The healing of a man born blind and the discussions arising out of this miracle_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Καὶ παράγων. “And as He passed by,” possibly, as Meyer and Holtzmann suppose, on the occasion just mentioned (John 8:59), and as He passed the gate of the Temple where beggars congregated; but the definite mention that it was a Sabbath (John 9:14) rather indicates that it was not the same day. See o... [ Continue Reading ]
_The cure narrated_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Both alternatives are rejected by Jesus, Οὔτε … αὐτοῦ. And another solution is suggested, ἵνα … αυτῷ. Evil furthers the work of God in the world. It is in conquering and abolishing evil He is manifested. The question for us is not where suffering has come from, but what we are to do with it. John 9:... [ Continue Reading ]
ὅταν … κόσμου. We should have expected ἕως and not ὅταν, and the Vulgate renders “quamdiu”. But the “when” seems to be used to suggest a time when He should not be in the world: “when I am in the world, I am the Light of the World,” as He immediately illustrated by the cure of the blind man.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ταῦτα εἰπὼν, _i.e._, “in this connection,” ἔπτυσε χαμαί … “He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle,” “quia aqua ad manum non erat,” says Grotius; but that spittle was considered efficacious Lightfoot proves by an amusing anecdote and Wetstein by several citations. Tacitus (_Hist._, iv. 81... [ Continue Reading ]
The application of the clay was not enough. Jesus further said: Ὕπαγε … ἀπεσταλμένος. Elsner shows that “wash into,” νίψαι εἰς, is not an uncommon construction. But John 9:11, which gives the same command in a different form, shows that the man understood that εἰς followed ὕπαγε and not νίψαι, The p... [ Continue Reading ]
Οἱ οὖν γείτονες … προσαιτῶν; “The neighbours, then,” who might or might not be at that time near the man's home, “and those who formerly used to see him, that he was blind” [but προσαίτης is read instead of τυφλὸς by recent editors], “said, Is not this he that sits and begs?”... [ Continue Reading ]
_The people discuss the man's identity_.... [ Continue Reading ]
“Others” but evidently of the same description “said, This is he”. Besides those who were doubtful and those who were certain of his identity there was a third opinion uttered: “He is like him”. Naturally the opened eyes would alter his appearance. The doubts as to his identity were scattered by the... [ Continue Reading ]
This being ascertained the next question was, Πῶς ἀνεῴχθησάν σου οἱ ὀφθλμοί; In reply the cured man relates his experience. He had ascertained Jesus' name from some bystander; and it is noticeable that he speaks of Him as one not widely known: ἄνθρωπος λεγόενος Ἰησοῦς. ἀνέβλεψα. “I recovered sight”.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἄγουσιν … τυφλόν. “They,” some of the neighbours and others already mentioned, “bring him who had formerly been blind to the Pharisees,” not to the Sanhedrim, but to an informal but apparently authoritative (John 9:34) group of Pharisees, who were members of the court.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The man is examined by the Pharisees, who eventually excommunicate him_,... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason of this action was that the cure had been wrought on a Sabbath. [“Prohibitum erat sputum oculo illinere Sabbato, sub notione aliquâ medicinali,” Lightfoot.]... [ Continue Reading ]
πάλιν … ἀνέβλεψεν. πάλιν looks back to the same question put by the people, John 9:10; the καὶ serving the same purpose. Their first question admits the man's original blindness. The man's reply is simple and straightforward.... [ Continue Reading ]
And then the Pharisees introduce their charge and its implication, Οὗτος … τηρεῖ. The miracle is not denied, rather affirmed, but it cannot be a work of God, for it has been done on Sabbath. _Cf._ John 3:2 and John 5:16. Some of their party, however, inclined to a different conclusion, Πῶς … ποιεῖν;... [ Continue Reading ]
Differing among themselves, they refer the question to the man, Σὺ τί λέγεις … “You, what do you say about Him, on account of His opening your eyes?” The question is not one of fact, but of inference from the fact; the ὅτι means “in that,” “inasmuch as,” and the Vulgate simply renders “Tu quid dicis... [ Continue Reading ]
It now appears that their previous admission of the fact of the miracle was disingenuous and that they suspected fraudulent collusion between Jesus and the man; Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν, “they did not believe” his account (John 9:19), ἕως ὅτου … βλέπει; “until they summoned his parents”.... [ Continue Reading ]
To them they put virtually three questions: Is this your son? Was he born blind? (for though _you_ say this of him, ὑμεῖς emphatic, we do not believe it). How does he now see? The first two questions they unhesitatingly answer: This is our son who was born blind. This answer explodes the idea of col... [ Continue Reading ]
The third question they have not the means of answering, or as John 9:22 indicates, they shammed ignorance to save themselves; and refer the examiners to the man himself. ἡλικίαν ἔχει, his parents are no longer responsible for him. Examples of the Greek phrase are given by Kypke and Wetstein from Pl... [ Continue Reading ]
Ταῦτα … ἐρωτήσατε. The reluctance of the parents to answer brings out the circumstance that already the members of the Sanhedrim had come to an understanding with one another that any one who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah should be excommunicated, ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται. Of excommunication there w... [ Continue Reading ]
Baffled by the parents the Pharisees turn again, ἐκ δευτέρου, a second time to the man and say: Δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ … ἐστιν. They no longer deny the miracle, but bid the man ascribe the glory of it to the right quarter; to God: not to Jesus, because they can assure him knowledge of their own, ἡμεῖς οἴδ... [ Continue Reading ]
But they find in the man a kind of independence and obstinacy they are not used to. Εἰ ἁμαρτωλός … βλέπω. He does not question their knowledge, and he draws no express inferences from what has happened, but of one thing he is sure, that he was blind and that now he sees.... [ Continue Reading ]
Thwarted by the man's boldness and perceiving that it was hopeless to deny the fact, they return to the question of the means used. Τί ἐποίησέ σοι; At this the man loses patience. Their crafty and silly attempt to lead him into some inconsistent statement seems to him despicable, and he breaks out ... [ Continue Reading ]
It serves its purpose of exasperating them and bringing them to the direct expression of their feelings. Ἐλοιδόρησαν … ἐστίν. “They reviled him.” On ἐκείνου Bengel has: “Hoc vocabulo _removent_ Jesum a sese”.... [ Continue Reading ]
We know that Moses was a prophet, commissioned by God to speak for Him (for λελάληκεν see Hebrews 1:1); and if this man is commissioned He must show proof of His being sent from God, and not leave us in ignorance of His origin.... [ Continue Reading ]
This, in the face of the miracle, seems to the man a surprising statement: Ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ, “why, herein is that which is marvellous”. τὸ θαυμαστόν is the true reading. For the use of γάρ in rejoinders see Winer, p. 559, and Klotz, p. 242. It seems to imply an entire repudiation of what has just been s... [ Continue Reading ]
This is elaborated in John 9:31 : οἴδαμεν … ἀκούει. They themselves had owned it a work of God, John 9:24; but God is not persuaded or induced to give such power to sinners, but only to those who do His will. This man therefore, were He a sinner, would have been unable to do anything, not to speak o... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος, rather “from of old” than “since the world began”. _Cf._ Luke 1:70, τῶν ἀπʼ αἰῶνος προφητῶν, and Acts 3:21; Acts 15:18. To this there is no reply but abuse and dismissal.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἐν ἁμαρτίαις … ἔξω. “In sins thou wast wholly born, and dost thou teach us?” They refer his blindness to sin, and reproach him with his calamity. Sin, they say, was branded on the whole man; he was manifestly a reprobate. Yet we, the pure and godly, are to be taught by such a man! ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἤκουσεν … The action of the Pharisees threw the man on the compassion of Jesus: “He heard that they had cast him out,” and He knew the reason; therefore, εὑρὼν αὐτὸν, “when He found him,” as He wished and sought to do, His first question was: Σὺ … Θεοῦ; Perhaps a slight emphasis lies in the Σὺ. “Dos... [ Continue Reading ]
to John 10:21. _The good and the hireling shepherds_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The man's answer shows that he was willing to believe in the Messiah if he could identify Him; and having already declared Jesus to be a prophet, he believed that He could tell him who the Messiah was. It may be taken for granted that although he had not seen Jesus since recovering his sight, he kne... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁδὲ … αὐτῷ. He promptly uttered his belief and “worshipped” Jesus. In this Gospel προσκυνεῖν is used of the worship of God: the word is, however, susceptible of a somewhat lower degree of adoration (Matthew 18:26); but it includes the acknowledgment of supremacy and a complete submission.... [ Continue Reading ]
Summing up the spiritual significance of the miracle Jesus said: Εἰς κρίμα … γένωνται. “For judgment,” for bringing to light and exhibiting in its consequences the actual inward state of men; “that those who see not may see,” that is, that those who are conscious of their blindness and grieved on ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Some of the Pharisees overheard His words, and unconsciously proved their truth by saying with indignant contempt: μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τυφλοί ἐσμεν; To which Jesus, taking them on their own ground, replies: Εἰ τυφλοὶ ἦτε, οὐκ ἂν εἴχετε ἁμαρτίαν. If ye were ignorant, as this blind man was, aware of your dar... [ Continue Reading ]