Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 9:29
We know that God spake unto Moses: [as for] this [fellow,] we know not from whence he is.
29. that God spake ] Literally, that God hath spoken, i.e. that Moses received a revelation which still remains. This is a frequent meaning of the perfect tense to express the permanent result of a past action. Thus the frequent formula ‘it is written’ is strictly ‘it has been written,’ or ‘it stands written:’ i.e. it once was written, and the writing still remains. But this is perhaps one of those cases where the Greek perfect is best represented by the English aorist (see on Joh 8:29; Joh 8:10 for the converse).
we know not from whence he is ] We know not what commission He has received, nor who has sent Him. Comp. Joh 8:14 and contrast Joh 7:27. Once more He is compared with Moses, as in the synagogue at Capernaum (Joh 6:31-32).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
We know … – We know that God commanded Moses to deliver the law. In that they were correct; but they assumed their interpretation of the law to be infallible, and, hence, condemned Jesus.
As for this fellow – The word fellow is not in the original. It is simply this. The word fellow implies contempt, which it cannot be proved they intended to express.
Whence he is – We know not his origin, his family, or his home. The contrast with the preceding member of the sentence shows that they intended to express their belief that he was not from God. They knew not whether he was mad, whether he was instigated by the devil, or whether he spoke of himself. See Joh 7:27; Joh 8:48-52.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 29. We know not from whence he is.] As if they had said: We have the fullest assurance that the commission of Moses was Divine; but we have no proof that this man has such a commission: and should we leave Moses, and attach ourselves to this stranger? No.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Concerning Moses indeed they speak honourably, and say, they knew God spake to him; yet did they know it no otherwise than by tradition, and the revelation of the will of God in the law and the prophets. For Christ, they call him ,
this fellow; and say, they know not whence he was; that is, they know of no Divine authority that he had. They were blinded through malice and prejudice. Indeed they did know whence he was as to his human nature, for they often made that the cause of their stumbling at him; that he was of Galilee, that his father was a carpenter, and his mother called Mary: but they knew of no Divine mission or authority that he had: this they might have known also, for he did those things which no man ever did, nor could be effected by any thing less than a Divine power; but their eyes were blinded, and their hearts were judicially hardened; they studied to shut out the light by which they should have seen, and would not know whence he was.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
We know that God spoke to Moses,…. Out of the bush, and told him who he was, and sent him to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and spoke the ten words, or law unto him, and by him delivered them to the children of Israel, and to whom he spake face to face, as a man does to his friend, and mouth to mouth, and not in dark sayings; they mean, they knew that Moses had his mission, commission, and credentials from God:
but as for this fellow; so they contemptuously called the Lord Jesus Christ,
we know not from whence he is; contradicting what others of them had said, Joh 7:27. They imagined they knew the country from whence he came, which they supposed to be Galilee, and the place where he was born, which they concluded was Nazareth; though in both they were in the wrong; and they knew his parents, Joseph and Mary, and his brethren and sisters; but as to his divine filiation, they knew nothing of it; nor would they own his mission, commission, and credentials to be from heaven; and pretended they had no reason to conclude they were.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
We know that God hath spoken unto Moses ( ). Perfect active indicative of , so still on record. See Ex 33:11. For used of God speaking see Heb 1:1. They are proud to be disciples of Moses.
But as for this man, we do not know whence he is ( ). “This fellow” they mean by “” in emphatic position, we do not even know whence he is. Some of the people did (7:27), but in the higher sense none of the Jews knew (8:14). These Pharisees neither knew nor cared.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Spake [] . Perfect tense, hath spoken, and the authority of Moses ‘ words therefore continues to the present. So Rev., Lalew is to talk, familiarly. See Exo 33:11.
Whence he is. Compare Joh 7:27; Joh 8:14.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “We know that God spoke unto Moses:” (hemeis oidamen hoti Mousei lelaleken ho theos) ”We perceive that God has spoken by Moses:- How could they know except by Moses’ words and deeds, as attested by the law? Psa 103:7; Heb 3:5.
2) “As for this fellow, we know not,” (touton de ouk oidamen) ”Yet we do not know or recognize this one,” this Jesus whose name they would not even speak or pronounce, Joh 8:16.
3) “From whence he is.” (pothen estin) “From what source he is or exists,” as a person. The they were confronted with one of His works, the kind by which Nicodemus affirmed they knew Jesus was a man come from God, Joh 3:2. He was speaking to them just as supernaturally as He ever spoke to men in times past, through Moses and the prophets, but they were the more obstinate, Heb 1:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
29. As for this man, we know not whence he is. When they say so, they refer not to his country or the place of his birth, but to the prophetical office. For they allege that they have no knowledge of his calling, so as to receive him as having proceeded from God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(29) We know that God spake unto Moses.Better, We know that God hath spoken unto Moses. He was commissioned, they would say, by God, and received a revelation from God which remains to us. They would press here, as before, the authority of the great Lawgiver, which to every Israelite was final. They will not, therefore, accept this Man as a prophet. Their words have tacit reference also to the fact that His works were in their eyes a transgression of the Mosaic law. There is an opposition between them. Both cannot be right, and they will themselves continue to be disciples of Moses. He, it is implied, by confessing Jesus to be a prophet, was practically denying the authority of Moses.
As for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.In our English version the words in italics are added, but they do not express more than the single Greek word, which is used with contempt. Before they had said, Howbeit we know this Man whence He is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence He is (Joh. 7:27; see Notes on this and the next verse). They here oppose the divine authority of the mission of Moses, which was acknowledged by all, to the absence, as they would say, of any such authority for the work of Jesus. Their words are meant to convey more than they express, coming as they do in sharp contrast with God spake unto Moses. They would say again, This Man is not of God (Joh. 9:16), we know that this Man is a sinner (Joh. 9:24). For the expression, whence He is, i.e., what authority He has, comp. Joh. 19:9, and Mat. 21:25.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. Whence he is Moses was sent from God; but whence Jesus is sent we know not.
29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow , we know not from whence he is.
Ver. 29. We know not whence he is ] i.e. Whence he had his mission and commission to act the part of a prophet. His parents they knew, but doubted about his authority, as Papists and officials do of ours. To whom we answer, that we received our ministry immediately from Jesus Christ, whose ambassadors we are: and that his inward call is the main, whether it be that of approbation, as of godly ministers, or the other of Providence as of evil, such as were Judas, Demas, Nicolas, those that preached Christ of envy,Phi 1:15Phi 1:15 , &c.
29. ] , not , is important: it betokens the abiding finality of God’s revelation to Moses, in their estimation: q. d. ‘ We stand by God’s revelation to Moses.’
‘whether from God or not.’ But see ch. Joh 7:27-28 , where a very different reason is given for disbelieving Him to be the Christ.
Joh 9:29 . We know that Moses was a prophet, commissioned by God to speak for Him (for see Heb 1:1 ); and if this man is commissioned He must show proof of His being sent from God, and not leave us in ignorance of His origin.
spake = hath spoken.
from whence = whence. Compare Joh 7:27; Joh 8:14.
29.] , not , is important: it betokens the abiding finality of Gods revelation to Moses, in their estimation: q. d. We stand by Gods revelation to Moses.
-whether from God or not. But see ch. Joh 7:27-28, where a very different reason is given for disbelieving Him to be the Christ.
Joh 9:29. , we know) They knew it by such testimonies, as at the present clay also are irrefragable.- , whence He is) as well as His doctrine.
Joh 9:29
Joh 9:29
We know that God hath spoken unto Moses: but as for this man, we know not whence he is.-They believed Moses was sent from God, but the origin of this man they did not know. [They felt that they were on safe ground in clinging to Moses, but refused to be disciples of this man on the ground that we know not whence he is.]
know: Joh 1:17, Num 12:2-7, Num 16:28, Deu 34:10, Psa 103:7, Psa 105:26, Psa 106:16, Mal 4:4, Act 7:35, Act 26:22, Heb 3:2-5
as for: Joh 9:16, Joh 9:24, 1Ki 22:27, 2Ki 9:11, Mat 12:24, Mat 26:61, Luk 23:2, Act 22:22
we know not: Joh 7:27, Joh 7:41, Joh 7:42, Joh 8:14, Psa 22:6, Isa 53:2, Isa 53:3
Reciprocal: 1Sa 25:11 – whom Isa 29:14 – I will Mat 13:55 – the carpenter’s Luk 2:34 – set Joh 5:45 – in Joh 7:19 – not Joh 10:20 – why Joh 19:9 – Whence Act 6:11 – against Moses Rom 2:17 – restest Rom 2:23 – that makest 1Co 10:2 – General
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Jesus had shown fully as much evidence of having been inspired of God as did Moses. Therefore the statements made by these Jews were unfair and amounted to a false accusation against the doer of this good deed to the blind man.
Joh 9:29. We know that God hath spoken unto Moses; but as for this man we know not from whence he is. In holding by the law of Moses, then, they are safe and are assured that they are doing the will of God. If they do not know the origin of this man, he can be worthy of no regard,certainly he cannot be from God!
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament