What does John 9:20 mean?
These parents have been called before a council of Jerusalem's religious leaders. In the gospel of John, the cadre of scribes and Pharisees and those who follow them are referred to as "the Jews." The reason for their summons is a miracle Jesus has performed: giving sight to a man who had been blind from birth (John 9:1–7). To investigate Jesus—and hopefully to discredit Him—the religious leaders interrogate the man's parents to see if the person claiming to have been healed really is their son, and if he really was blind his entire life.The parents' response is timid and short for a reason. The religious leaders of Jerusalem have already declared a punishment for anyone who follows Jesus: excommunication (John 9:22). In that era, this was more than just a once-a-week church relationship. It meant being cut off from the core identity of the entire community. The formerly blind man's parents seek to tell the truth. Yet they are clearly reluctant to say anything beyond the bare facts which they know. Their testimony will continue (John 9:21), including their plea for the interrogation to focus on their son.
John 9:13–34 describes the Pharisees' reaction to Jesus' healing of a man born blind. Rather than being swayed by an obvious sign of divine power, they look for excuses and criticisms to discredit the miracle. They interrogate the man's parents, who timidly defer back to their son. The healed man knows nothing more than this: ''though I was blind, now I see.'' His matter-of-fact responses to the Pharisees highlights their obvious prejudice. As a result, they excommunicate the healed man from the synagogue. Jesus will meet with the man in the next passage to give more context for the miracle.
Jesus encounters a man who has been blind his entire life. Consistent with notions of that era, the disciples assume the disability is due to some specific sin: either the man's or his parents'. Jesus challenges this idea and heals the man. His restoration leads to interrogation. The Pharisees try to discredit Jesus' miraculous work. The healed man's simple, straightforward perspective embarrasses the religious leaders, who excommunicate him in frustration. Jesus meets with the healed man, explaining more about His identity and the purpose of His ministry. Jesus also reminds the Pharisees that those who ought to know better, spiritually, will be held more accountable as a result.
