Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 9:10-11

"They said therefore unto him, How then were thine eyes opened? He answered, The man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to Siloam, and wash: so I went away and washed, and I received sight." — John 9:10-11 (ASV)

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

Very straightforward, very concise, very accurate. When we give an answer about our conversion, it is always good to take this as a model—not too many flourishes, no coloring.

He even leaves out the spittle, but he gives all that he can recollect. So when you are talking about the Lord's love to you, and his way of converting you, it is remarkable enough without any embellishment. Let it be given just as it is.

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

He answered and said, a man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

It was only a short story, but it was very sweet to him, and he told it with no excess of detail, but with all its salient points. He was a sharp, shrewd man of few words, but those few words were weighty.

Friend, when you tell the story of Christ and his love to you, do not embellish it with flowers of speech. There is enough in what Christ has done to make it shine without any fine words of yours. The beauty of Christ's work is such that it is most adorned when unadorned.

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash; and I went and washed, and I received sight.

I admire the brevity of his statement, the boldness of it, and the simple naiveté of it. The way in which he told the story did not embellish it in the least degree; in fact, it could not have been embellished without spoiling it.

And when you, dear friends, are giving an account of your own conversion, describing the way in which salvation became yours, tell it as simply and plainly as ever you can. It will never be so well adorned as when it appears in its own naked simplicity and beauty. I commend this man's example to all of you who have to give your testimony before you are admitted as members of the church; when speaking of your conversion, put the narrative in as plain and simple a form as this man adopted.

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

He answered and said,—

In his own quick, clear, intelligent way, for he was a man who evidently had twice as many eyes in his brain as other people had, even while he had none with which he could see: He answered and said,—