Multiple commentators, especially Charles Spurgeon, note that the healed man gives a much shorter account to the Pharisees than he did to his neighbors. When facing a hostile, critical audience, he provides only the essential facts: "He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed, and I see." This serves as a model for believers: when dealing with those who only want to argue and find fault, a concise, direct testimony to what God has done is often the wisest approach.