The man who was born blind has his sight restored, 1-7. He is brought to the Pharisees, 8-12. They are offended by it and excommunicate him, 13-34; but he is received by Jesus and confesses him, 35-38. Who they are whom Christ enlightens, 39-41.
1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, "Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, so that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents, but this is so that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night comes when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When he had thus spoken, he spit on the ground, made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam," (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went therefore and washed and came seeing. 8 Therefore, the neighbors and those who before had seen that he was blind, said, "Is this not he who sat and begged?" 9 Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." But he said, "I am he." 10 Therefore, they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered and said, "A man who is called Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' And I went and washed and I received sight." 12 Then they said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13 They brought him who before was blind to the Pharisees. 14 And it was the sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay upon my eyes, I washed, and now I see." 16 Therefore, some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God because he does not keep the sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such miracles?" And there was a division among them. 17 They say to the blind man again, "What do you say of him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But by what means he now sees, we do not know, or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents spoke these words because they feared the Jews. For the Jews had agreed already, that if any man confessed that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore, his parents said, "He is of age. Ask him."
24 Then again they called the man who was blind and said to him, "Give God the praise. We know that this man is a sinner." 25 He answered and said, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." 26 Then they said to him again, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I have told you already and you did not hear. Why would you hear it again? Will you also be his disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him, and said, "You are his disciple, but we are the disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses. As for this man, we do not know where he is from." 30 The man answered and said to them, "Why, herein is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he has opened my eyes. 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners. But if any man is a worshiper of God and does his will, he hears him. 32 Since the world began it has not been heard that any man opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 They answered and said to him, "You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?" And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?" 36 He answered and said, "Who is he, Lord, so that I may believe in him?" 37 And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen him and it is he who talks with you." 38 And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. 39 And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world so that those who do not see may see, and that those who do see may be made blind." 40 And some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words and said to him, "Are we also blind?" 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, 'We see.' Therefore, your sin remains."
Matthew Henry Commentary - John, Chapter 9[➚]