Church Fathers Commentary John 9:18-23

"The Jews therefore 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, and asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see? His parents answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself. These things said his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man should confess him [to be] Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him." — John 9:18-23 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Unable to deter the blind man from publicly proclaiming his Benefactor through intimidation, the Pharisees tried to nullify the miracle through his parents. The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight.

St. Augustine of Hippo: That is, he had been blind and now could see.

St. John Chrysostom: It is the nature of truth to be strengthened by the very snares laid against it. A lie is its own antagonist; by attempting to injure the truth, it only makes the truth stand out more, as happened in this case.

The argument that might otherwise have been made—that the neighbors were not certain and spoke only from a resemblance—is refuted by the introduction of the parents, who could of course testify about their own son.

Bringing the parents before the assembly, they interrogated them sharply. They asked, Is this your son? They do not say, "who was born blind," but rather, who you say was born blind? For what father would say such things about his son if they were not true? They tried two ways to make them deny the miracle: by asking, who you say was born blind, and by adding, How then does he now see?

Theophylact of Ohrid: They were implying, "Either it is not true that he now sees, or it is untrue that he was blind before. But it is evident that he now sees; therefore, it is not true that he was born blind."

St. John Chrysostom: When asked three things—whether he was their son, whether he had been blind, and how he now saw—the parents acknowledged the first two, answering, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind. But they refused to answer the third question: But by what means he now sees, we know not. The inquiry thus confirms the miracle, making it rest on the undeniable testimony of the healed man himself. As his parents said, He is of age, ask him; he can speak for himself.

St. Augustine of Hippo: It was as if they were saying, "We could justly be compelled to speak for an infant who cannot speak for himself, but he, though blind from birth, has always been able to speak."

St. John Chrysostom: What kind of gratitude is this from the parents, to conceal what they knew out of fear of the Jews? As we are next told, These words spoke his parents, because they feared the Jews. Then the Evangelist again mentions the intentions and mindset of the Jews: For the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

St. Augustine of Hippo: It was no disadvantage to be put out of the synagogue; whom they cast out, Christ took in.

Alcuin of York: The Evangelist shows that they gave this answer not from ignorance, but from fear.

Theophylact of Ohrid: For they were fainthearted, unlike their son, that intrepid witness to the truth, the eyes of whose understanding had been enlightened by God.