John 9:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

NIV: Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."

NASB: So they *said again to the man who was blind, 'What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?' And he said, 'He is a prophet.'

CSB: Again they asked the blind man, "What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?" "He’s a prophet," he said.

NLT: Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, 'What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?' The man replied, 'I think he must be a prophet.'

KJV: They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

NKJV: They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

The Pharisees are interrogating a beggar born blind (John 9:1–2) but now able to see thanks to a miraculous intervention by Jesus (John 9:6–7). These supernatural actions are intended to prove that Jesus is divine. He is the Promised One predicted by Scripture. The Old Testament specifically refers to restoring the sight of the blind as part of the Messiah's ability (Isaiah 29:18; 35:5; 42:7). Unfortunately, the Pharisees are more concerned with their own traditions and interpretations than obvious evidence. Among their most sacred beliefs is a strict approach to the Sabbath. Jesus' miracle not only occurred on this day (John 9:14), but it also involved making clay. Oral traditions specifically forbade this on the Sabbath, classifying it as a form of work. Despite the miracle, many Pharisees refuse to believe a man who does not accept their traditions can be from God (John 9:16).

Interrogators continue to press the formerly blind man for answers. Throughout this story, the once-blind man is consistent, sincere, and honest. He does not pretend to know anything other than what he perceives. His conclusion is common sense. Jesus has done something profoundly good and supernaturally powerful. Therefore, the man believes Jesus is "a prophet." Since he hasn't seen or spoken to Jesus since being told to wash mud off of his still-blind eyes (John 9:11–12), this is as much as he can assume.

What happens next proves how hard-headed and stubborn committed religious skeptics can be. People in the crowd realize this is a man who was born blind (John 9:8–9). Even those who doubt admit he certainly looks like the same person—suggesting some explanation other than a miracle. The Pharisees, on the other hand, are so cynical that they want to interview the man's parents, just to confirm that this is the same beggar everyone recognizes!

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.

Jesus has begun to actively confront the false teachings of local religious leaders. His most recent debate included a heated exchange with the Pharisees. There, Jesus claimed to have existed before Abraham. This resulted in an attempted stoning for blasphemy (John 8). Here, Jesus continues to antagonize religious hypocrites by healing a man who was born blind. The ensuing ruckus further exposes Jerusalem's religious leaders as shallow, prejudiced, and false. This event launches Jesus into another lengthy discussion of His ministry. That, recorded in chapter 10, includes several crucial teachings on His role as Shepherd.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.