_And as Jesus passed by_ The word Jesus is not in the Greek, which is
παραγων ειδεν ανθρωπον τυφλον, _and passing
on; he found a man blind from his birth_ This chapter, therefore,
seems to be a continuation of the preceding. As Jesus and his
disciples (having left the temple, where the Jews were goi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I must work the works of him that sent me_ Called in the preceding
verse the works of God; that is, I must not cease doing this, however
the malice of the Jews may be irritated thereby; I must not desist
from doing the will of my heavenly Father, in order to please them;
_while it is day_ While I h... [ Continue Reading ]
_As long as I am in the world_ These words show what our Lord meant by
_the day_ mentioned in the preceding verse, namely, the time he should
be in the world. So long, says he, _I am the light of the world_
Teaching men inwardly by my Spirit, and outwardly by my preaching,
what is the will of God; a... [ Continue Reading ]
_When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground_, &c. He did the
things here mentioned, that he might exercise the faith and obedience
of the patient, and show that he could command efficacy from whatever
means he should please to use; could work without means, or even by
such as seemed evidently ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_The neighbours, therefore_ Those who lived in the beggar's
neighbourhood, and those who had frequently passed by where he used to
beg, being well acquainted with his form and visage, were astonished
at the alteration which they observed in his countenance, by reason of
the new faculty that was best... [ Continue Reading ]
John 9:10 ; JOHN 9:12. _How were thine eyes opened?_ The fact being
ascertained that a man, born blind, had received his sight, they are
disposed to inquire how so extraordinary an event was brought about.
Observe, reader, the works of the Lord, being great, ought to be
sought out: and they will app... [ Continue Reading ]
_They brought to the Pharisees him that was blind_ They brought him to
the sanhedrim, which consisted chiefly of Pharisees, at least the
Pharisees in the sanhedrim were most active against Christ. Some think
they who brought this man to the Pharisees did it with a good design,
to show them that this... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then again the Pharisees asked him_, &c. They hoped to find something
in the manner of the cure, which would show it to be no miracle, or,
at least, which would prove Jesus to be a bad man. _He said unto them,
He put clay upon mine eyes_, &c. He honestly and plainly told them the
whole matter, as h... [ Continue Reading ]
_They say unto the blind man, What sayest thou of him_ What inference
dost thou draw from what thou sayest he hath done for thee? _He said,
He is a prophet_ For surely otherwise he would have been unable to
perform so great a miracle. _But the Jews did not believe that he had
been blind_ The Jews, h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then again called they the man_ The court, finding that nothing could
be learned from the man's parents, by which the miracle could be
disproved, called the man himself a second time, and tried, by fair
words, to extort from him a confession to the disparagement of Jesus.
They said, _Give God the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_The man answered_ Utterly illiterate as he was: and with what
strength and clearness of reason! So had God opened the eyes of his
understanding, as well as his bodily eyes! _Why, herein is a
marvellous thing, that ye_ The teachers and guides of the people;
_know not whence he is_ From whence he com... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus heard that they had cast him out_ Had excommunicated the poor
man for his sake; _and when he had found him_ Which it appears he did
soon after; _he said unto him_, privately, _Dost thou believe on the
Son of God_ The great expected Messiah? Dost thou give credit to the
promises of the Messiah... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus said_ While he stood talking with the blind man who had
received his sight, several people, it seems, being gathered about
them; _For judgment_, as well as mercy, _I am come into this world,
that they which see not might see_ That the ignorant, who are willing
and desirous to be instructe... [ Continue Reading ]