Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

John 9

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  The man that was born blind restored to sight.
8  He is brought to the Pharisees.
13  They are offended at it, and excommunicate him;
35  but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him.
39  Who they are whom Christ enlightens.
Verse 1

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
he saw
Verse 2

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
who
34, Matthew 16:14
Verse 3

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Neither
Job 1:8-12, 2:3-6, 21:27, 22:5-30, 32:3, 42:7, Ecclesiastes 9:1,2, Luke 13:2-5, Acts 28:4
but
11:4,40, 14:11-13, Matthew 11:5, Acts 4:21
Verse 4

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
must
4:34, 5:19,36, 10:32,37, 17:4, Luke 13:32-34, Acts 4:20
while
11:9,10, 12:35, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 38:18,19, Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5
Verse 5

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
long
1:4-9, 3:19-21, 8:12, 12:35,36,46, Isaiah 42:6,7, 49:6, 60:1-3, Malachi 4:2, Matthew 4:16, Luke 2:32, Acts 13:47, 26:18,23, Ephesians 5:14, Revelation 21:23
I am
Our Lord here claims one of the titles given by the Jews to the Divine Being. So in Bammidbar Rabba,  15, fol. 229.1, "The Israelites said to God, O Lord of the universe, thou commandest us to light lamps to thee, yet thou art the light of the world." It was also a title of the Messiah (see Isa 49:6; 60:1;) and in a remarkable passage of Yalkut Rubeni, fol. 6, it is said on Ge 1:4, "From this we learn that the holy and blessed God saw the light of the Messiah, and his works, before the world was created; and reserved it for the Messiah, and his generation, under the throne of his glory. Satan said to the holy and blessed God, For whom dost thou reserve that light which is under the throne of thy glory? God answered, For him who shall subdue thee, and overwhelm thee with confusion. Satan rejoined, Lord of the universe, shew that person to me. God said, Come, and see him. When he saw him, he was greatly agitated, and fell upon his face, saying, Truly this is the Messiah, who shall cast me and idolaters into hell."
Verse 6

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
he spat
Mark 7:33, 8:23, Revelation 3:18
anointed the eyes of the blind with the clay
or, spread the clay upon the eyes of the blind man.
Verse 7

And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Go
2 Kings 5:10-14
the pool
11, Nehemiah 3:15
Siloah
Isaiah 8:6
Shiloah
Sent
10:36, Romans 8:3, Galatians 4:4
and came
39, 11:37, Exodus 4:11, Psalms 146:8, Isaiah 29:18,19, 32:3, 35:5, 42:7,16-18, Isaiah 43:8, Luke 2:32, Acts 26:18
Verse 8

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
Is not
Ruth 1:19, 1 Samuel 21:11
sat
1 Samuel 2:8, Mark 10:46, Luke 16:20-22, 18:35, Acts 3:2-11
Verse 10

Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
15,21,26, 3:9, Ecclesiastes 11:5, Mark 4:27, 1 Corinthians 15:35
Verse 11

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
A man
6,7,27, Jeremiah 36:17
Verse 12

Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
Where
5:11-13, 7:11, Exodus 2:18-20
Verse 13

They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
8:3-8, 11:46,47,57, 12:19,42
Verse 14

And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
5:9,16, 7:21-23, Matthew 12:1-14, Mark 2:23-28, 3:1-6, Luke 6:1-11, 13:10-17, Luke 14:1
Verse 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.
the Pharisees
10,11,26,27
Verse 16

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
This man
24,30-33, 3:2, 5:36, 14:11, 15:24
And there
7:12,43, 10:19, Luke 13:31-33, Acts 14:4
Verse 17

They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
He is
4:19, 6:14, Luke 24:19, Acts 2:22, 3:22-26, 10:38
Verse 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 that had received his sight.
5:44, 12:37-40, Genesis 19:14, Isaiah 26:11, 53:1, Luke 16:31, Hebrews 3:15-19, Hebrews 4:11
Verse 19

And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
Is this
8,9, Acts 3:10, 4:14
Verse 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.
because
7:13, 12:42,43, 19:38, 20:19, Psalms 27:1,2, Proverbs 29:25, Isaiah 51:7,12, 57:11, Luke 12:4-9, 22:56-61, Acts 5:13, Galatians 2:11-13, Revelation 21:8
he should
34, 12:42, 16:2, Luke 6:22, Acts 4:18, 5:40
Verse 23

Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
He is
Verse 24

Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
Give
5:23, 8:49, 16:2, Joshua 7:19, 1 Samuel 6:5-9, Psalms 50:14,15, Isaiah 66:5, Romans 10:2-4
we know
16, 8:46, 14:30, 18:30, 19:6, Mark 15:28, Romans 8:3, 2 Corinthians 5:21
a sinner
Luke 7:39, 15:2, 19:7
Verse 25

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
one
30, 5:11, 1 John 5:10
Verse 27

He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
I have
10-15, Luke 22:67
Verse 28

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
they
34, 7:47-52, Isaiah 51:7, Matthew 5:11, 27:39, 1 Corinthians 4:12, 6:10, 1 Peter 2:23
but
5:45-47, 7:19, Acts 6:11-14, Romans 2:17
Verse 29

We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
know
1:17, Numbers 12:2-7, 16:28, Deuteronomy 34:10, Psalms 103:7, 105:26, 106:16, Malachi 4:4, Acts 7:35, 26:22, Hebrews 3:2-5
as for
16,24, 1 Kings 22:27, 2 Kings 9:11, Matthew 12:24, 26:61, Luke 23:2, Acts 22:22
we know not
7:27,41,42, 8:14, Psalms 22:6, Isaiah 53:2,3
Verse 30

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
herein
3:10, 12:37, Isaiah 29:14, Mark 6:6
and yet
Psalms 119:18, Isaiah 29:18, 35:5, Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22, 2 Corinthians 4:6
Verse 31

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
we know
Job 27:8,9, 35:12, 42:8, Psalms 18:41, 34:15, 66:18-20, Proverbs 1:28,29, 15:29, Proverbs 21:13, 28:9, Isaiah 1:15, 58:9, Jeremiah 11:11, 14:12, Ezekiel 8:18, Micah 3:4, Zechariah 7:13
if any
Psalms 34:15, Proverbs 15:29
and doeth
4:34, 7:17, 15:16, Psalms 40:8, 143:10, Hebrews 10:7, 1 John 3:21,22
him
11:41,42, Genesis 18:23-33, 19:29, 20:7, 1 Kings 17:20-22, 18:36-38, 2 Chronicles 32:20,21, Psalms 99:6, 106:23, Jeremiah 15:1, James 5:15-18
Verse 32

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
Since
It is worthy of remark, that, from the foundation of the world, no person born blind had been restored to sight, even by surgical operation, till about the year 1728; when the celebrated Dr. Cheselden, by couching the eyes of a young man fourteen years of age, restored them to perfect vision. This was the effect of well-directed surgery; that performed by Christ was wholly a miracle, effected by the power of God. The simple means employed could have had no effect in this case, and were merely employed as symbols.
the world
Job 20:4, Isaiah 64:4, Luke 1:70, Revelation 16:18
Verse 33

If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
were
16, 3:2, Acts 5:38,39
Verse 34

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
wast
2, 8:41, Job 14:4, 15:14-16, 25:4, Psalms 51:5, Galatians 2:15, Ephesians 2:3
and dost
40, 7:48,49, Genesis 19:9, Exodus 2:14, 2 Chronicles 25:16, Proverbs 9:7,8, 26:12, 29:1, Isaiah 65:5, Luke 11:45, 14:11, 18:10-14,17, 1 Peter 5:5
And they
22, 6:37, Proverbs 22:10, Isaiah 66:5, Luke 6:22, 3 John 1:9, Revelation 13:17
cast him out
or, excommunicated him.
Matthew 18:17,18, 1 Corinthians 5:4,5,13
Verse 35

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
and when
5:14, Psalms 27:10, Romans 10:20
Dost
1:49,50, 3:15-18,36, 6:69, 11:27, 20:28,31, Acts 8:37, 9:20, 1 John 4:15, 1 John 5:5,10,13,20
the Son
1:18,34, 10:36, Psalms 2:7,12, Matthew 14:33, 16:16, Mark 1:1, Romans 1:4, Hebrews 1:2-9, 1 John 5:13
Verse 36

He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
Who
1:38, Proverbs 30:3,4, Song of Solomon 5:9, Matthew 11:3
Verse 37

And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Thou
4:26, 7:17, 14:21-23, Psalms 25:8,9,14, Matthew 11:25, 13:11,12, Acts 10:31-33
Verse 38

And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Lord
20:28, Psalms 2:12, 45:11, Matthew 14:33, 28:9,17, Luke 24:52, Revelation 5:9-14
Verse 39

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
For
3:17, 5:22-27, 8:15, Jeremiah 1:9,10, Luke 2:34, 13:30, 2 Corinthians 2:16
that they
25,36-38, 8:12, 12:46, Matthew 11:5, Luke 1:79, 4:18, 7:21, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, Ephesians 5:14, 1 Peter 2:9
might be
3:19, 12:40,41, Isaiah 6:9, 29:10, 42:18-20, 44:18, Matthew 6:23, 13:13-15, Luke 11:34,35, Romans 11:7-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 John 2:11
Verse 40

And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Are
34, 7:47-52, Matthew 15:12-14, 23:16-28, Luke 11:39-54, Romans 2:19-22, Revelation 3:17
Verse 41

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
If
15:22-24, Proverbs 26:12, Isaiah 5:21, Jeremiah 2:35, Luke 12:47, 18:14, Hebrews 10:26, 1 John 1:8-10

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