Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The Pharisees asked him how … - The proper question to have been asked in the case was whether he had in fact done it, and not in what way. The question, also, about a sinner‘s conversion is whether in fact it has been done, and not about the mode or manner in which it is effected; yet it is remarkable that no small part of the disputes and inquiries among men are about the mode in which the Spirit renews the heart, and not about the evidence that it is done.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Then again the Pharisees asked him,.... Not that they had put any question of this kind to him before; but they also, as well as the neighbours, inquired of him,

how he had received his sight; from whom, and by what means:

he said unto them, he put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed and do see. This account agrees with the matter of fact, and with that he gave to his neighbours: he did not vary as to the truth of the relation, but this is somewhat more concise and short; and it is reasonable to suppose, that the Pharisees had talked much with him before, which made it less necessary to be more particular; for he makes no mention of the name of Jesus, nor of his making the clay, and the manner of it, nor of the Pool of Siloam, or his orders to go there and wash; See Gill on John 9:6; see Gill on John 9:7.

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament

Again (παλιν — palin). Besides the questioning of the neighbours (John 9:8, John 9:9).

Therefore (ουν — oun). Since he has been brought to the Pharisees who must make a show of wisdom.

Also asked him (ηρωτων αυτον και — ērōtōn auton kai). Inchoative imperfect active of ερωταω — erōtaō “began also to question him.”

How he received his sight (πως ανεβλεπσεν — pōs aneblepsen). No denial as yet of the fact, only interest in the “how.”

He put (επετηκεν — epethēken). Genuine here, but see John 9:6.

And lo see (και βλεπω — kai blepō). That is the overwhelming fact.

The Fourfold Gospel

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 see¹.

1. He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and I see. The Pharisees ascertained no more than the neighbors had learned (John 9:11).

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Спросили его также и фарисеи. Это признание народ уже прежде слышал из уст слепого. Теперь же его свидетелями стали и фарисеи. Они могли возразить, сказав, что слух, раздутый без причины, простой народ столь же необдуманно принял на веру. Во-первых, не спросив его о самом деле, они рассуждают лишь о правах. Они не отрицают, что Христос вернул зрение слепому, но отрицают, что нарушение субботы могло быть божественным делом. Что же мешает им увидеть здесь дело Божие, кроме превратного чувства и собственной злобы: Ослепленные ими фарисеи не увидели ничего. Добавь к этому, что Христос уже достаточно научил их: благодеяния, даруемые людям от Бога, не больше нарушают субботу, чем обрезание. И закон велит людям воздерживаться лишь от своих, а не от божественных дел (Исх.20:8). Итак, то, что фарисеи считают за данное уже опровергнутое заблуждение, следует относить к их неуемной злобе. По крайней мере, они заблуждаются лишь потому, что сами хотят заблуждаться. Так и паписты не перестают с несгибаемой твердолобостью изобретать глупую и гнилую клевету, на которую уже много раз было отвечено. Что же нам делать? Когда представляется возможность, и насколько в наших силах, надо опровергать их вымысел, завистливо винящий и бесславящий Евангелие. Если же их уста не заграждают никакие справедливые доводы, нам следует не унывать, но великодушно и бестрепетно попирать их проклятия, коими они пытаются нас задавить. Они приводят аксиомы, на которые мы охотно соглашаемся. Не следует слушать тех, кто отступает от Церкви и разрывает единство веры. Однако, то, что в особенности было предметом спора, и что мы ясно изложили в тысяче мест, они притворно пропускают мимо ушей. А именно, что папа со своей оравой меньше всего является Церковью. Что стряпня, составленная из ложных измышлений и зараженная столькими суевериями, далеко отстоит от веры. Однако паписты со своим бешеным превозношением не могут помешать победить той истине, которая столько раз и столь надежно нами провозглашалась. Таким же образом и фарисеи выдвигали против Христа вполне справедливый постулат: не от Бога тот, кто не соблюдает субботы. Однако они превратно и ложно считали дело Божие нарушением субботы.

 

 

 

John Trapp Complete Commentary

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

Ver. 15. How he had received his sight] Gr. how he had recovered his sight. It may be that (to lessen the miracle) they would have had it, that the man had not been born blind, but only recovered that sight that once he had enjoyed. αναβλεπειν proprie est eorum qui videndi facultatem aliquando habuerunt. Malevolence ever strives to deteriorate and deprave that good which it cannot for shame absolutely deny. "An ungodly man diggeth up evil," Proverbs 16:27, and a froward fellow forgeth strife, Proverbs 16:28; he digs, and then sows the seed of sedition in every furrow where he can find footing.

Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary

15.] πάλιν refers to John 9:10. The enquiry was official, as addressed to the chief witness in the matter. We cannot hence infer with Lücke that no one else was present at the healing but Jesus and His disciples.

Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament

John 9:15. καὶ οἱ) και, also.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

The Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight; they had before heard it from others, but they now desire to hear it from himself; not (as appears) out of any good design, that they might be convinced of the truth of the thing, or that he who had wrought this miracle was the Son of God; but that they might have something to object against Christ, and to quarrel with him for, upon their traditions, with reference to the observation of the sabbath; of which we are told this was one. That it was unlawful for any to anoint their eyes with spittle on the sabbath day; they having a conceit that it was a medicinal application. The blind man is not ashamed to own the goodness of God to him to the Pharisees, but relates the same story which he before had related to the people.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15.Again—In addition to the previous questioning by the neighbours. The man doggedly reiterates the methods which formed the body, and the supernatural affect which formed the soul, of the miracle. He evidently sees that there is a demand for firmness, and he braces himself for the trial. Nothing shall induce him to deny his benefactor’s mercy. Thus there may be a heroic and martyr-like spirit of faith before the object of faith is clearly discovered and made known.

 

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He put clay on my eyes and I washed and do see”.’

They asked the man the details of how he had received his sight, not in order to praise God and fairly assess Jesus, but in order to be able to convict Him as being a lawbreaker. Who was more blind than those who, in the face of a miracle of such wonderful proportions, asked how it happened, not in order to wonder at God’s goodness, but in order to check that the healer had not broken any religious rules? So the man explained clearly what had happened

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable

When the Pharisees asked the man how he had received his sight, he explained the method that Jesus had used.

Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament

John 9:15. Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight; and he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. To his neighbours and acquaintances his answer had been fuller and more circumstantial: to the Pharisees, whom He knew to be the enemies of Jesus, he says as little as he may, and does not even mention his benefactor’s name.

The Expositor's Greek Testament

John 9:15_{. ’ . looks back to the same question put by the people,} John 9:10_{; the serving the same purpose. Their first question admits the man’s original blindness. The man’s reply is simple and straightforward.}

 

 

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

upon. Greek. epi. App-104.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

No JFB commentary on this verse.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) Then again the Pharisees also asked.—As the neighbours and acquaintances had done before (John 9:10).

He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes.—The answer is the same as before, but briefer. It is that of a man who is answering against his will (comp. John 9:27) and does not care to say more than he is obliged to.

And do see.—This differs from “I received sight” (John 9:11). He now speaks as in conscious possession of the power to see. (Comp. John 9:25.)

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

the Pharisees

10,11,26,27

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 36:17 - Tell;  John 5:15 - which

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

15.The Pharisees also asked him. The people had already heard this confession from the mouth of the blind man; and now the Pharisees also are made witnesses of it, who might have objected that a report had been groundlessly circulated by the common people, and had been as groundlessly believed. And, first, leaving out of view the question as to the fact, they dispute only about the law of the case; for they do not deny that Christ restored sight to the blind man, but they find a crime in the circumstance of the time when it was done, and assert that it is not a work of God, because it violated the Sabbath. But we ought first to inquire if a work of God was a violation of the Sabbath. And what hinders them from seeing this, but that, in consequence of having been blinded by sinful motives and by malice, they see nothing? Besides, they had already been abundantly instructed by Christ, that the benefits which God bestows on men are not more inconsistent with the Sabbath than circumcision; and the words of the Law enjoin men to abstain from their own works only, and not from the works of God, (Exodus 20:8.) When they take for granted an error which has been so frequently refuted, it must be imputed to obstinate malice; or at least there is no other reason why they go wrong but because they choose to go wrong.

Thus the Palmists do not cease to bring forward, with hardened effrontery, their idle and foolish slanders, which have been answered a hundred times. What, then, must we do with them? When an opportunity occurs, we must endeavor, as far as lies in our power, to oppose the wicked attempts of those who, actuated by false zeal, reproach and slander the gospel. If no defense, however just, shut their mouth, we have no reason to be discouraged, but ought to trample under foot, with boldness and magnanimity, that eagerness to slander by which they wish to oppress us. They take up maxims which we readily grant to them, that we ought not to listen to those who revolt from the Church, and break up the unity of the faith. But they pass by, and pretend not to have observed — that which ought to form the principal subject of inquiry, and which we have explained clearly in many passages — that nothing can be farther removed from the Church than the Pope with all his band; that a medley composed of lies and impositions, and stained by so many superstitious inventions, is widely distant from the purity of faith. But with all their furious arrogance, they will never hinder the truth, which has been so frequently and so firmly maintained by us, from being at length successful. In like manner, the Pharisees brought against Christ a plausible maxim, That he who does not keep the Sabbath is not from God; but they unjustly and falsely asserted that the work of God is a violation of the Sabbath.