What does John 9:22 mean?

This verse is often presented in parentheses. It reads like a footnote inserted by John into the story. After Jesus healed a man born blind (John 9:6–7), local religious leaders interrogate the healed man's parents. Their answers are brief, fact-based, and clearly show that they want no part of this controversy (John 9:18–21). In modern speech, they seem to be saying, "he is our son who was born blind—other than that, we have no comment."

"The Jews" is John's term for the religious leaders of Jerusalem and their followers. These men have asked repetitive questions about this miraculous incident. They ask "who" has done it, in part to see if people are going to identify Jesus as the Messiah. They also ask "how" the miracle was done. These scribes and Pharisees refuse to believe Jesus is the Promised One. They scrabble for any other explanation for what has occurred.

This verse explains one reason the once-blind man's parents appear so timid. Jerusalem's spiritual rulers have made up their minds. They promise to excommunicate anyone who thought Jesus was the Messiah. These parents are making a conscious effort to avoid that kind of trouble.