Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 9:34
They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
34. Thou wast altogether born in sins ] ‘In sins (first for emphasis) every part of thy nature (comp. Joh 13:10) has been steeped from thy birth; thou wast born a reprobate.’ They hold the same belief as the disciples, that sin before birth is possible, and maliciously exclude not only the alternative stated by Christ ( Joh 9:3) but even the one stated by the disciples ( Joh 9:2), that his parents might have sinned. Their passion blinds them to their inconsistency. They had been contending that no miracle had been wrought; now they throw his calamity in his face as proof of his sin.
Dost thou teach us? ] ‘Dost thou, the born reprobate, teach us, the authorized teachers?’
they cast him out ] Or, they put him forth: see on Joh 10:4. This probably does not mean excommunication. (1) The expression is too vague. (2) There could not well have been time to get a sentence of excommunication passed. (3) The man had not incurred the threatened penalty; he had not ‘confessed that He was Christ’ ( Joh 9:22). Provoked by his impracticability and sturdy adherence to his own view they ignominiously dismiss him turn him out of doors, if (as the ‘out’ seems to imply) they were meeting within walls.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Wast born in sins – That is, thou wast born in a state of blindness a state which proved that either thou or thy parents had sinned, and that this was the punishment for it. See Joh 9:2. Thou wast cursed by God with blindness for crime, and yet thou dost set up for a religious teacher! When people have no arguments, they attempt to supply their place by revilings. When they are pressed by argument, they reproach their adversaries with crime, and especially with being blind, perverse, heretical, disposed to speculation, and regardless of the authority of God. And especially do they consider it great presumption that one of an inferior age or rank should presume to advance an argument in opposition to prevailing opinions.
They cast him out – Out of the synagogue. They excommunicated him. See the notes at Joh 9:22.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. Thou wast altogether born in sins] Thou hast not only been a vile wretch in some other pre-existent state, but thy parents also have been grossly iniquitous; therefore thou and they are punished by this blindness: Thou wast altogether born in sins-thou art no other than a sinful lump of deformity, and utterly unfit to have any connection with those who worship God.
And they cast him out.] They immediately excommunicated him, as the margin properly reads-drove him from their assembly with disdain, and forbade his farther appearing in the worship of God. Thus a simple man, guided by the Spirit of truth, and continuing steady in his testimony, utterly confounded the most eminent Jewish doctors. When they had no longer either reason or argument to oppose to him, as a proof of their discomfiture and a monument of their reproach and shame, they had recourse to the secular arm, and thus silenced by political power a person whom they had neither reason nor religion to withstand. They have had since many followers in their crimes. A false religion, supported by the state, has, by fire and sword silenced those whose truth in the end annihilated the system of their opponents.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Pharisees seeing that they could by no arts bring this poor blind man to their lure, either to deny, or speak any thing in abatement of the miracle which Christ had wrought upon him; nor yet to agree with them, that Christ was a great sinner; fall at last to a downright railing; they tell him, he was
altogether born in sins. So were all of them. David had taught them, that there was none righteous, no not one; and confessed concerning himself, Psa 51:5, that he was conceived in iniquity, and that in sin his mother had brought him forth. They had learned from Job, that none can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean; nothing can be clean that is born of a woman, Job 14:4. Their meaning therefore in this phrase must be something more; and possibly the adjective , which signifieth whole, (we translate it as if it were , altogether) doth import thus much. They do not only tell this man that he was born in sin, but that he was whole or altogether born in sin, that is, under the guilt of sin: nor do they mean only the common corruption and contagion of human nature, derived from the loss of Gods image in man upon the fall of Adam, but some notorious sin. If any say, How could they think that he was guilty of any such thing before he was born?
Answer. It was the opinion of Pythagoras, one of the heathen philosophers, that when men and women died their souls went into other bodies that were then born, and in those bodies often suffered punishment for those enormous acts which they had been guilty of in former bodies. It is apparent that the Jews were some of them tainted with this notion, from Herods saying, Mat 14:2; Mar 6:14, when, after the beheading of John the Baptist, he heard what great works Christ did, that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works did show forth themselves in him; by which the best interpreters think, that Herod meant no more than that John the Baptists soul was gone into another body, according to their notion borrowed from the heathens; for it had been easy for Herod by search to have found whether John the Baptists body was risen from the dead.
So it is thought that the Pharisees here saying,
Thou wast altogether born in sins, meant that his soul was a sordid, filthy soul, which in another body had committed vile and abominable things; and for those sins God set a mark upon him, even in his birth, and he was horn blind. Or perhaps this phrase signified no more than a term of reviling; of which no great account can be given, as passionate men in the madness of their passions oft throw out words of reproach, of which neither themselves nor others can give any just and reasonable account.
And dost thou teach us? Thou that art such a marked villain from thy mothers womb, or that art such an ignorant idiot, dost thou think thyself fit to instruct us about true and false prophets, who are of God, and who are not? Surely we are to be thy teachers, and not thou ours.
And they cast him out: some think that casting out here signifieth no more than a turning him out of the place where they were; as the word signifieth, Act 7:58; 13:50. Others think its here to be understood of a judicial excommunication, or casting him out of communion with the Jewish church; which latter seemeth more probable, because of the notice or it brought to our Saviour, and the notice which he took of this poor man, upon this occasion. If it had been only a turning him out of the place where they were met, it is not probable that it would have made such a noise.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
They answered and said unto him,…. Being nettled, and stung at what he said, and not able to confute his reasoning; and it is amazing that a man that could never read the Scriptures, who had had no education, was not only blind, but a beggar from his youth, should be able to reason in so strong and nervous a manner, and should have that boldness and presence of mind, and freedom of speech before the whole sanhedrim. Certainly it was God that gave him a mouth and wisdom which these learned doctors could not resist, and therefore they reply in the following manner,
thou wast altogether born in sins; meaning not in original sin, as all mankind are, for this might have been retorted on themselves; but having imbibed the Pythagorean notion of a transmigration of souls into other bodies, and of sinning in a pre-existent state, or a notion of infants sinning actually in the womb, and so punished with blindness, lameness, or some deformity or another for it, they reproach this man, calling him vile miscreant, saying, thou vile, sinful creature, who came into the world covered with sin, with the visible marks of having sinned, either in another body, or in the womb before birth, and therefore wast born blind:
and dost thou teach us, holy, wise, and learned men! which breathes out the true pharisaical spirit they were possessed of, and which appeared in their ancestors before them; see Isa 65:5.
And they cast him out; not merely out of the place where the sanhedrim sat, or out of the temple; this would have been no great matter, nor have made any great noise in the city, or have been taken notice of by Christ, or moved his compassion towards him; nor merely out of any particular synagogue, or was the excommunication called “Niddui”, which was a separation for thirty days, and for the space of four cubits only; but was what they call “Cherem”, which was a cutting him off from the whole congregation of Israel;
[See comments on Joh 9:22]; an anathematizing him, and a devoting him to ruin and destruction: and now in part was fulfilled, Isa 66:5, for this was done in pretence of zeal, for the honour and glory of God; and Christ appeared to the joy and comfort of this man, and to the shame and confusion of those that cast him out, as the following verses show.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Thou wast altogether born in sin ( ). First aorist passive indicative of . “In sins thou wast begotten (or born) all of thee.” H is predicate nominative and teaches total depravity in this case beyond controversy, the Pharisees being judges.
And dost thou teach us? ( ;). The audacity of it all. Note emphasis on (thou). It was insufferable. He had not only taught the rabbis, but had utterly routed them in argument.
And they cast him out ( ). Effective second aorist active indicative of intensified by the addition of . Probably not yet expulsion from the synagogue (9:22) which required a formal meeting of the Sanhedrin, but certainly forcible driving of the gifted upstart from their presence. See 6:37 for another use of besides 9:35.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Altogether [] . Literally, all of thee.
In sins. Standing first in the Greek order, and emphatic, as is also su thou, in both instances. “In sins wast thou born, all of thee; and dost thou teach us?” Teach. Emphatic. Dost thou, thus born in sins, assume the office of teacher ?
Cast him out. From the place where they were conversing. Not excommunicated, which this miscellaneous gathering could not do.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “They answered and said unto him,” (apekrithesan kai eipan auto) “They replied (in derision) and said directly to him,” much as they had already reviled him, Joh 9:28, or abused him.
2) “Thou wast altogether born in sins,” (en hamartiais su egennethes holos) “You were born wholly in sins,” in a lawless state or condition, insinuating that his blind state or condition of birth was a result of immoral and unethical sex sins of his parents, whose sins fell on him, Joh 9:2; Exo 20:5.
3) “And dost thou teach us?” (kai su didaskeis hemas) “And do you think (think you can) teach us?” No, they were blind, and blind to the fact that they were blind, ignorant and ignorant to the fact that they were ignorant, alienated from God, Eph 4:18; 2Co 4:3-4.
4) “And they cast him out.” (kai eksebalon auton ekso) “And they cast him out, outside,” of the synagogue, and out of its membership and religious and teaching privileges. They excommunicated him as a reprobate, a thing his parents feared for themselves, Joh 9:22; Joh 16:2.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
34. Thou wast altogether born in sins They alluded, I doubt not, to his blindness; as proud men are wont to teaze those who have any distress or calamity; and, therefore, they continually insult him, as if he had come out of his mother’s womb, bearing the mark of his sins For all the scribes were convinced in their hearts, that souls, after having finished one life, entered into new bodies, and there suffered the punishment of their former crimes. Hence they conclude that he who was born blind was, at that very time, covered and polluted by his sins.
This undeserved censure ought to instruct us to be exceedingly cautious, not always to estimate the sins of any person by the chastisements of God; for, as we have already seen, God has various ends to accomplish, by inflicting calamities on men. But not only do those hypocrites insult the wretched man; they likewise reject disdainfully his warnings, though they are holy and good; as indeed it very frequently happens that one cannot endure to be taught by him whom he despises. Now, since we ought always to hear God, by whomsoever he may talk to us, let us learn not to despise any man, that God may find us always mild and submissive, even though he employ a person altogether mean and despicable to instruct us. For there is not a more dangerous plague than when pride stops our ears, so that we do not deign to hear those who warn us for our profit; and it frequently happens that God purposely selects vile and worthless persons to instruct and warn us, in order to subdue our pride.
And they cast him out. Though it is possible that those haughty Rabbis (273) cast him, with violence, out of the temple, yet I think that the Evangelist has a different meaning, that they excommunicated him; and thus the casting of him out would have the semblance of law. This agrees better also with what follows; for if they had only cast him out in a disdainful and furious manner, it would not have been of so great importance as to make it probable that the report of it would reach Christ.
(273) “ Ces Rabbins orgueilleux.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(34) Thou wast altogether born in sins.Their reproach now takes the most malignant form, and shrinks not from casting in his teeth the calamity of his birth as the mark of special sin. Thou didst come into the world, these words mean, bearing the curse of God upon thy face. Thou hast said that God heareth not sinners. Thy life in its first moments bore the marks of some fearful crime.
And dost thou teach us?i.e., Dost thou, marked more than is the common lot of man by sin, teach us, who are the authorised teachers and expositors of the truth? For any one to have doubted their authority would have seemed out of question; but here was one who had been a beggar, one of the people of the earth, untrained in the Law, and therefore cursed (comp. Note on Joh. 7:49), and, more than this, altogether born in sin, who was actually teaching them!
And they cast him out.These words are generally taken to mean excommunication, as in the margin, and it is certain that they may have this sense. (Comp. 3Jn. 1:10.) Having this meaning before them, our translators did not, however, think it the better one, and their view seems to be borne out by the general impression which we get from the narrative. The man with all his boldness has not technically fallen under the ban they had threatened, for he has not confessed that He was Christ (Joh. 9:22). A decree of the Sanhedrin would have been necessary, and this must have been formally pronounced. Now, we feel that in a detailed narrative such as we have here, all this would hardly be told in a single short sentence. It seems to be rather that their anger has now passed all bounds. They cannot refute the truth which, in his honest, homely way, he has put before them. They can only heap reproaches upon him, and thrust him by force out of their presence.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
34. Altogether In body and in soul; in body, as thy birth of blindness shows; in soul, as thy sustaining this Jesus shows. By this they do not assert that he had sinned before birth or in a previous body. In the spirit of Hindoo caste, they pronounce him of more base and depraved nature than their own. He is of a vile, unholy flesh and blood.
Cast him out Excommunicated him. Not only thrust him bodily from the court-room, but from the synagogue and temple, and from all worship therein. A second grade of excommunication additionally confiscated his property. A third, by cutting him off from Israel, gave him over to heathenism and hell. Persecuted and outcast, the man is firm. Perhaps his very life of deprivation and mendicancy enabled him, while the more luxurious sacrificed their conscience rather than their prosperity, to bear his outcast condition with firmness. But thus cast out for Christ, he is soon received by Christ. And happier therein is he than the court that condemned, or the moral cowards who, frightened by his lot, renounce the truth of Jesus.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘They answered and said to him, “You were totally born in sins, and will you try to teach us?” And they threw him out.’
They had no answer to his logic, and so, as such men will when they will not admit that they are wrong, they attacked the man and took action against him. They threw him out. This may simply mean that they forcibly ejected him, or, more likely, that they officially excluded him from synagogue worship.
‘Born in sins’. This reflects their general view, a view which Jesus had combated earlier, that his blindness was due to someone’s sin, probably his own. An interesting example of later Rabbinic thinking on this is found in Midrash Rabbah on Song of Songs 1:41 which states that when a pregnant woman worships in a heathen temple the seed within her also commits idolatry. Their prejudice convinced them that this man too was unworthy for some similar reason. He has borne the mark of sinfulness upon him, how dare he criticise them?
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jesus reveals Himself:
v. 34. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in Sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
v. 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?
v. 36. He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?
v. 37. And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.
v. 38. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him. The former blind man’s frankness enraged the Pharisees beyond measure. They now cast the popular belief into his face, telling him that his blindness was due to sin, and reproaching him with his calamity. That is the manner of unbelievers. When they are no longer able to contradict plain facts, they have recourse to vile insinuations and malicious blasphemies. And the Pharisees, in addition to their other insult, cast him out of the room where they had their sessions and took the first steps to put him out of the congregation as well. They willfully, deliberately closed their eyes against the plain facts that were before their eyes; they denied their reality; they throttled their own conscience. All their actions were a product of hypocrisy of the rankest kind, blasphemy without parallel. Jesus, who had carefully watched the case of the former blind man, soon found out that the Jewish rulers had begun the process of excommunication against him. He therefore took occasion to look him up and reassure him in a most wonderful way. The question of Jesus, whether he believed in the Son of God, was intended to work this faith in the man’s heart, for such is the nature of the Word of God at all times. The healed man was a believing Israelite; his faith was placed in the coming Messiah, of whom he knew that He was the Son of God. When he was therefore assured of the identity of the Son of God with the great Healer who was speaking to him, he gladly confessed his faith and showed it by his outward act of devotion, by bending his knee in worshipful prayer; he worshiped Jesus as God. Note: Jesus never loses sight of those in whom He has taken a personal interest. The solicitude of His saving mercy ever attends those that have received His benefits.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Joh 9:34 . Thou wert born with thy whole nature laden with sin, so that nothing in thee is pure from sins; but thou art entirely , through and through, a born reprobate. [50] They entertain the same prejudice regarding sinfulness before birth (not of the parents) to which the disciples had previously given expression (Joh 9:2 ), and make here a spiteful application thereof. Comp. on , Joh 13:10 . The notion of “ heightened original sin ” (Hengstenberg, after Psa 51:7 ) is not appropriate to the connection, as the inference from being born blind implies committed before birth.
Note the contemptuous emphasis of the .
. .] The emphasis rests here, not on ., but on : dost thou comport thyself as our teacher?
. . ] not a designation of excommunication (Olshausen, De Wette, Tholuck, Baeumlein, and many older commentators), as no sitting of the Sanhedrim had taken place; and, besides, how indefinite a mode of designating the matter would it be! although is frequently used by Thucydides, Xenophon, and others to denote exile . Comp. also 3 John, Joh 9:10 . As the context suggests nothing else, and as there is not a hint of a sentence of excommunication, which might perhaps have been pronounced a few days later in the synagogue (Ewald), we must simply explain: they cast him out . Significant enough as the final result of the hostile and passionate discussion. Comp. Chrysostom, Nonnus, and Theophylact, who, however, transfers the scene to the temple . The remark of Maldonatus is correct: “ex loco, in quo erant.” Comp. Bengel, Dem . 1366. 11; Act 7:58 .
[50] Nonnus: .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
Ver. 24. Thou wast altogether born in sins ] Because born blind: so they upbraid him with his misery, as if therefore a notorious offender. This is harsh and rash judgment.
And dost thou teach us? ] Oh, take heed of that. But a mortified man will yield to learn of anybody: “a little child shall lead him,” Isa 11:6 . Learned Apollos was better instructed by a couple of poor tentmakers, Act 18:26 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
34. ] See on Joh 9:2 .
, altogether, deeply and entirely, as thy infirmity proved. “They forget that the two charges, one that he had never been born blind, and so was an impostor, the other, that he bore the mark of God’s anger in a blindness that reached back to his birth, will not agree together.” (Trench, Mirr. 305, edn. 2, note.)
. ] They excommunicated him: see on Joh 9:22 . It cannot merely mean, ‘ they cast him out of the court ’ (Chrys., Mald., Grot., Fritzsche, Tholuck, Meyer); see next verse, where it would hardly be stated that Jesus heard of it, unless it had been some public formal act.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 9:34 . . “In sins thou wast wholly born, and dost thou teach us?” They refer his blindness to sin, and reproach him with his calamity. Sin, they say, was branded on the whole man; he was manifestly a reprobate. Yet we, the pure and godly, are to be taught by such a man! , “they cast him out,” not merely from the chamber, but from communion. This is implied both in Joh 9:35 and all that Jesus says of the shepherds in the following paragraph.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
altogether = wholly.
sins. App-128.
thou. Note the emphasis.
cast him out. Nqt the same word as in Joh 9:22.
out = outside.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
34.] See on Joh 9:2.
, altogether,-deeply and entirely, as thy infirmity proved. They forget that the two charges,-one that he had never been born blind, and so was an impostor,-the other, that he bore the mark of Gods anger in a blindness that reached back to his birth,-will not agree together. (Trench, Mirr. 305, edn. 2, note.)
.] They excommunicated him: see on Joh 9:22. It cannot merely mean, they cast him out of the court (Chrys., Mald., Grot., Fritzsche, Tholuck, Meyer); see next verse, where it would hardly be stated that Jesus heard of it, unless it had been some public formal act.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 9:34. , in sins) They upbraid him with his former blindness: Joh 9:2, Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?- ) and yet dost thou.-, teach) Indeed his words, from Joh 9:30-33, form an excellent sermon.- , they cast him out) as being a Christian: Joh 9:22, The Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that He was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. That act of theirs tended to his great good: but they themselves betray thereby the hatred of the truth, with which they are actuated.-, out) from that place in which they were met together.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 9:34
Joh 9:34
They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?-Chagrined and provoked that this man withstood them, they taunt him with the idea that he was born blind in consequence of his own or his parents sins and now you presume to teach us regarding the teachers of God.
And they cast him out.-They ordered him out of the synagogue. [It may mean that they cast him out not only from their presence, but also from their sympathy and intercourse with them and their people. Note, that the avowed enemies of Jesus investigate a miracle of Jesus in repeated hearings and that they could find no flaw. Also observe that the people refer the case to a great religious order composed of enemies of Christ; that members of this order first examine the facts; then the case is referred to a higher tribunal, the official representatives of the nation, who cross-examine the parents, as well as the subject of the miracle. This judicial investigation shows by the testimony of both that the man was born blind, that he now saw, and his own testimony was given that he was healed by Jesus. The attempt to disprove the miracle was an utter failure and the court sought to discredit it by excommunicating the chief witness.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
wast: Joh 9:2, Joh 8:41, Job 14:4, Job 15:14-16, Job 25:4, Psa 51:5, Gal 2:15, Eph 2:3
and dost: Joh 9:40, Joh 7:48, Joh 7:49, Gen 19:9, Exo 2:14, 2Ch 25:16, Pro 9:7, Pro 9:8, Pro 26:12, Pro 29:1, Isa 65:5, Luk 11:45, Luk 14:11, Luk 18:10-14, Luk 18:17, 1Pe 5:5
And they: Joh 9:22, Joh 6:37, Pro 22:10, Isa 66:5, Luk 6:22, 3Jo 1:9, Rev 13:17
cast him out: or, excommunicated him, Mat 18:17, Mat 18:18, 1Co 5:4, 1Co 5:5, 1Co 5:13
Reciprocal: Ezr 10:8 – himself separated Job 19:5 – plead Mat 23:13 – for ye shut Mar 2:17 – They that are whole Luk 18:9 – which Joh 5:15 – which Joh 7:13 – spake Joh 7:52 – Art Joh 9:28 – they Joh 12:42 – lest Joh 16:2 – shall Rom 2:19 – art confident Gal 5:12 – cut 1Pe 4:14 – reproached 3Jo 1:10 – and casteth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
The truth of history agreed with the statements of this man, or the Pharisees would have confronted him with some case of healing that had been done. They knew they could not do that, so they tried to dodge the issue and call in question his right even to reason on the truth. Born in sins was a phrase that the Jews used to show their contempt for a truth which they could not otherwise meet. Referring to the theory of “Transmigration of souls” (see at verse 2), they wanted to weaken the force of the man’s teaching by implying he was of a low origin among men. On the pretense that such a person was unworthy of their fellowship, they cast him, out. This phrase means they excommunicated him as explained in the comments at verse 22.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
[And they cast him out.] I shall note something of this kind of phrase at Joh 16:2. Thus doth this man commence the first confessor in the Christian church, as John the Baptist had been the first martyr in it. He suffered excommunication, and that from the whole congregation of Israel, for the name of Christ. It seems something strange that they did not excommunicate Jesus himself: but they were contriving more bloody things against him.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Joh 9:34. They answered and said unto him, thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they put him out. The original is very graphic: In sins wast thou born, all of thee, and thou, dost thou teach us? There is probably a distinct reference to the belief which is expressed in Joh 9:2 : the fact that in their passion they are thus acknowledging the reality of the miracle is no argument against such a reference: the mans whole condition, as evinced by his spirit and his words, bears yet stronger testimony than his blindness, and shows that he was altogether born in sins. The meaning of the last clause is not quite clear. It probably refers to ejection from the place in which the inquiry was held; but the next verse seems to prove that excommunication followed this. Cast out by the rulers from their place of meeting, he was cast out from all intercourse with them, and (so far as their influence extended) from the community over which they ruled. Such was the only reasoning which could be opposed to the triumphant argument of the man born blind!
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. A special instance of Pharisaical pride; they account this poor man a vile person, whom heaven had marked by his native blindness for some extraordinary wickedness. How prone are we to judge them the greatest sinners, whom we observe to be the greatest sufferers!
Observe, 2. From reviling they proceed to excommunicating; They cast him out; that is, out of the communion of the Jewish church. O happy man! who having lost a synagogue, has found heaven! Behold this blind man, and admire him for a resolute confessor, stoutly defending the gracious author of his cure, against the cavils of the Pharisees, and maintaining the innocence and honour of so blessed a benefactor.
Observe, 3. Our Saviour’s regard to this blind man, whom the Pharisees had set at nought and excommunicated: He finds him out, reveals himself more fully to him, and directs him to believe in him.
Where observe, That the miracle which Christ had wrought upon the blind man, did not convert him, and work faith in him, till Christ revealed himself unto him, and enabled him to discern the truth of what he revealed.
Learn hence, That miracles confirm faith, but miracles alone can work faith. The blind man had experienced a miracle wrought upon him, yet remains an unbeliever, till Christ said, I am he.
Observe, 4. How readily the man receives the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, upon the fore-mentioned revelation of himself unto him: he instantly said, Lord, I believe; and in testimony thereof, worships him; that is, as God incarnate, as God manifested in the flesh.
Thence learn, That true knowledge of the Son of God will beget faith in him: and true faith in him will be productive of homage and adoration, of obedience and subjection to him. He that knows Christ aright, will believe, and he that believes, will worship and obey: He said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 34
Born in sins; born marked with visible tokens, as they supposed, of the divine displeasure.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
9:34 They answered and said unto him, {f} Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
(f) You are wicked even from your cradle, and as we used to say, there is nothing in you but sin.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Scorn has often served as a final resort when evidence fails, and it served the Pharisees this way here. They implied that this man’s congenital blindness was the result of a sinful condition that rendered him incapable of intellectual insight (cf. Joh 9:2). By saying this they unintentionally admitted that Jesus had cured a man blind from birth.
"How could anybody be steeped in sin at birth? Everybody is born with a sinful nature (Psa 51:5; Rom 5:12), but a baby can hardly commit numerous acts of sin moments after it is born!" [Note: Blum, p. 308.]
The Pharisees did not argue the exceptions to the rule that the man cited nor did they offer any other possible explanations. No one seems to have remembered that when Messiah would appear He would open the eyes of the blind (Isa 29:18; Isa 35:5; Isa 42:7).
This poor man lost his privilege of participating in synagogue worship for taking his stand supporting Jesus (cf. Joh 9:22). Many other Jewish believers followed him in this fate in the years that have unfolded since this incident happened. This is the first persecution of Jesus’ followers that John recorded.
"The Rabbinists enumerate twenty-four grounds for excommunication, of which more than one might serve the purpose of the Pharisees." [Note: Edersheim, 2:184.]