John 9:22

These words spake his parents, because they feared 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. THESE WORDS SPAKE HIS PARENTS, BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE JEWS: FOR THE JEWS AGREED ALREADY, THAT IF ANY MAN DID CONFESS THAT HE WAS CHRIST, [ auton (G846 ) homologeesee (G3670 ) Christon (G5547 ), OR 'OWN HIM AS CHRIST,'] HE SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE, [ aposunagoogos (G656) geneetai ...

22._The Jews had determined. _This passage shows that the custom of excommunication is ancient, and has been observed in all ages; for excommunication was not then for the first time invented, but it was a custom which had been anciently used against apostates and despisers of the Law, and was turned against the disciples of Christ. We learn, therefore, that the practice of excommunication arose out of the most ancient discipline of the Church. We learn also that it is a crime which has not been of recent origin, and has not been peculiar to a single age, that wicked and unbelieving (264) men should corrupt the holy ordinances of God by their deeds of sacrilege. God determined, from the beginning of the world, (265) that there should be some form of correction, by which rebels should be restrained. The priests and scribes not only abused this power in a tyrannical manner to

18-23 The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus should be he, because his precepts were all contrary to their traditions, and because they expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendour. The fear of man brings a snare, Proverbs 29:25, and often makes people deny and disown Christ and his truths and ways, and act against their consciences. The unlearned and poor, who are simple-hearted, readily draw proper inferences from the evidences of the light of the gospel; but those whose desires are another way, though ever learning, never come to the knowledge of the truth....

Verse 22. _PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE._] That is, _excommunicated _- separated from all religious connection with those who worshipped God. This was the _lesser_ kind of excommunication among the Jews and was termed _nidui_. The _cherem_, or _anathema_, was not used against the followers of Christ till after the resurrection....

HIS PARENTS ANSWERED ... - To the first two questions they answered without hesitation. They knew that he was their son, and that he was born blind. The third question they could not positively answer, as they had not witnessed the means of the cure, and were afraid to express their belief. It appears that they had themselves no doubt, but they were not eye-witnesses, and could not be therefore legal evidence. HE IS OF AGE - He is of sufficient age to give testimony. Among the Jews this age was fixed at thirteen years. IF ANY MAN DID CONFESS THAT HE WAS CHRIST - Did acknowledge that he was the Messiah. They had prejudged the case, and were determined to put down all free inquiry, and not to be convinced by any means. PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE - This took place in the temple, or near the temple. It does not refer, ther

EXPOSITION These chapters (9. and 10.) bring the conflict with the Jews to a climax before the commencement of the Peraean ministry. They are doubtless closely connected with what has preceded; but the note of time (John 10:22) implies an interval of some months of intense activity elsewhere—to have carried on the ministry of Christ from the Feast of Tabernacles to the winter. If John 10:22 points back, as Westcott argues by alteration of the Received Text and by special translation, to the preceding discourse, we are compelled to dissociate the cure of the blind man from the teaching of John 8:1., and to regard the opening verse of John 9:1. a

THESE WORDS SPAKE HIS PARENTS,.... these were the answers they returned to the three questions put to them: and the reason why they answered in the manner they did to the third, was, BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE JEWS; the Jewish sanhedrim, otherwise they were Jews themselves: FOR THE JEWS HAD AGREED ALREADY; the sanhedrim had made a decree, either at this time, upon this account, or some time before, THAT IF ANY MAN DID CONFESS THAT HE WAS CHRIST; that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, HE SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE; which was not that sort of excommunication which they called נדוי, "Niddui", a separation from civil society for the space of four cubits, and which held but thirty days, if the person repented; if he did not, it was continued to sixty days; and after that, in case of non-repentance, to ninety days; and if no amendment, then they proceeded to another excommunication c...

John 9:1. _And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind_ Christ's disciples were often inquisitive even when their Master was bent upon giving proofs of his practical benevolence. Fools may sometimes ask questions which wise men may not think it proper to answer; but on this occasion, our Saviour gave an answer to the enquiry which his disciples had put to him. John 9:3. _Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents : but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work._ Think of our Lord being under the necessity of working: «I mus

CHAPTER 9 _ 1. The Man Born Blind, Healed. (John 9:1 .)_ 2. The Healed Man Questioned. (John 9:8 .) 3. Reviled and Cast Out. (John 9:27 .) 4. Jesus Reveals Himself to Him. (John 9:35 .) The healing of the man born blind is a type and an illustration of how Christ, the Light, communicates light and how he who follows the Light walks no more in darkness, but has the light of life. (John 8:12 .) And before He healed the man He testified that His day of activity on earth as Man was rapidly drawing to its close. ...

THE INCOMPETENCE AND ANGER OF THE AUTHORITIES. In what follows the actors are described first as Pharisees, then as Jews, the larger party of whom the Pharisees are one section. In John 9:13 the attempt is made to get evidence out of the man to disprove the fact of the healing, which they refuse to believe, on the ground that a Sabbath-breaker could not do so great a work. They only elicit the man's view that Jesus is a prophet. Interest in the matter spreads. The Jews now question the man's parents, in the hopes of being able to deny his identity. They assert that it is undoubtedly their son, and for the rest they are cautious, knowing the hostility of the authorities to the claims of Jesus. So the man himself is called again, in the hope that his admissions may be made to point to demoniac agency, as the fact of the healing can no longer be denied. He is solemnly adjured to confess the...