Church Fathers Commentary John 9:8-17

"The neighbors therefore, and they that saw him aforetime, that he was a beggar, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Others said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am [he]. 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. And they said unto him, Where is he? He saith, I know not. They bring to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. Now it was the sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. And he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. Some therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was division among them. They say therefore unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, in that he opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet." — John 9:8-17 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: The suddenness of the miracle made people incredulous. Therefore, his neighbors and those who had previously seen that he was blind asked, “Is this not the one who used to sit and beg?”

What wonderful clemency and condescension from God! He heals even beggars with such great consideration, thus stopping the mouths of the Jews. He did this by making the poorest and most humble—not the great, illustrious, and noble—the objects of His providence, for indeed He had come for the salvation of all.

Some said, “This is he.” Since the man was clearly recognized during his long walk to the pool, especially as people’s attention was drawn to the strangeness of the event, they could no longer deny it. Others, however, said, “No, but he looks like him.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Having his eyes opened had altered his appearance. But he said, “I am he.” He spoke with gratitude; a denial would have convicted him of ingratitude.

St. John Chrysostom: He was not ashamed of his former blindness, nor afraid of the people’s fury, nor hesitant to show himself and proclaim his Benefactor. Therefore, they asked him, “How were your eyes opened?”

Neither he nor anyone else knew how they were opened; he only knew the fact of it and could not explain the process. He answered, “A man who is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes.” Mark his precision. He does not say how the clay was made, for he could not see that our Lord spat on the ground. He does not speak of what he does not know, but he could feel that Jesus anointed him.

The man continued, “And He said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’” This he could also declare from his own hearing, for he had heard our Lord speaking with His disciples and so recognized His voice. Finally, he shows how strictly he had obeyed, adding, “And I went and washed, and I received sight.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Behold, he has become a proclaimer of grace, an evangelist, testifying to the Jews. That formerly blind man testified, and the ungodly were vexed in their hearts because they did not have in their own hearts what was now visible on his face. Then they asked him, “Where is He?”

St. John Chrysostom: They asked this because they were plotting His death, having already begun to conspire against Him. Christ did not appear with those whom He cured, as He had no desire for glory or display. He always withdrew after healing someone so that no suspicion could be attached to the miracle. His withdrawal proved the lack of any collusion between Him and the one who was healed, and therefore showed that the man was not proclaiming a false cure out of favoritism for Him. The man answered, “I do not know.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Here he is like one who has been anointed but is still unable to truly see: he preaches, yet does not know the full meaning of what he preaches.

The Venerable Bede: In this way, he represents the state of the catechumen, who believes in Jesus but does not, strictly speaking, yet know Him, not having been washed. It was left to the Pharisees to confirm or deny the miracle.

St. John Chrysostom: The Jews who were asking, “Where is He?” wanted to find Him in order to bring Him to the Pharisees. But since they could not find Him, they brought the man who was formerly blind instead, so that they could examine him more closely.

The Evangelist adds that it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. This detail exposes their real design, which was to accuse Jesus of violating the law and thus discredit the miracle, as is clear from what follows: “Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.”

But notice the firmness of the man who was healed. Telling the truth to the crowd before, from whom he was in no danger, was not such a great matter. It is remarkable, however, that now, when the danger was so much greater, he disavowed nothing and did not contradict anything he had said before. He told them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

He is briefer this time, as his questioners were already informed of the matter, not mentioning the name of Jesus or His command to “Go and wash.” He simply states the facts, giving the exact opposite of the answer they wanted. They wanted a denial, but instead they received a confirmation of the story.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Some of the Pharisees said this, but not all, for some were already anointed. But those who neither saw nor were anointed said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath day.” Rather, He kept it, in that He was without sin, for to observe the Sabbath spiritually is to be without sin. God admonishes us of this when He commands the Sabbath, saying, In it you shall do no servile work. Our Lord tells us what servile work is when He says elsewhere, Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin. They observed the Sabbath carnally but transgressed it spiritually.

St. John Chrysostom: Passing over the miracle in silence, they give as much prominence as they can to the supposed transgression. They do not charge Him with healing on the Sabbath, but with not keeping the Sabbath. Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miracles?”

They were impressed by His miracles, but only in a weak and unsettled way. For while the miracles might have shown them that the Sabbath was not broken, they had no idea yet that He was God, and therefore did not realize it was the Lord of the Sabbath who had performed the miracle. None of them dared to state their opinions openly but spoke ambiguously—one because he thought the event itself was improbable, another out of a desire to protect his position. It follows, “And there was a division among them.” This means the people were divided first, and then the rulers.

St. Augustine of Hippo: It was Christ who divided the day into light and darkness.

St. John Chrysostom: Those who asked, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miracles?” wanted to silence the others. So they brought the recipient of our Lord’s goodness forward again, but without appearing to take His side themselves. They said to the man again, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?”

Theophylact of Ohrid: Notice the good intent with which they ask the question. They do not say, “What do you say about Him, who does not keep the Sabbath?” but instead mention the miracle: “...since He has opened your eyes.” They seem to intend to draw out the healed man himself, as if to say, “He has benefited you, and you ought to proclaim Him.”

St. Augustine of Hippo: Or perhaps they were looking for a way to discredit the man and cast him out of their synagogue. However, he openly declares what he thinks, saying, “He is a prophet.” Not yet being anointed in his heart, he could not confess the Son of God. Nevertheless, he is not wrong in what he says, for our Lord Himself says of Himself, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country.