John 9:26-30

 

John 9:26 (KJB)

Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

　

It seems that the investigation by the Pharisees has now been raised to the level of an interrogation. This man had answered the question about what procedure Jesus had used to open his eyes. The man only knew the fact that Jesus had placed clay on his eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam and then after he obeyed, he was able to see. Beyond that he was unable to give more details. They were probably interrogating this man to intimidate him into denouncing what Jesus did so Jesus would get no recognition for the miracle.

 

John 9:27 (KJB)

He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

 

Now the anger of the healed man was beginning to show because he tells them that he already told them the answer and then he chides them back by asking if they wanted to hear it again for the purpose of being His disciple? This must have been a heated argument as they went back and forth but the healed man definitely knew what question to ask of the Pharisees to get them irate.

 

John 9:28 (KJB)

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

 

Reviled - Abuse, reproach, or rail at

 

Since they could not acquire the answers they wanted, they now sink to the level of verbally abusing this man. They begin to rail on him that he is a disciple of Jesus but they try to make themselves superior and state that they are the disciples of Moses. They had brought this argument up because they had considered themselves Sabbath keepers in the tradition of Moses but they placed this man in the category of Sabbath breakers because they deemed Jesus a sabbath breaker by healing this man on the Sabbath.

 

John 9:29 (KJB)

We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

 

Whence - Where or what place

 

God had spoken directly to Moses on more than one occasion during the wilderness wandering and it was well recorded in the Pentateuch that God and Moses had spoken. This is what these Pharisees held on to as their association with Moses. They figured that since God spoke to Moses and they were the disciples of Moses, then they would be in the same position as Moses. They believed that their positions had validated the title of disciples of Moses. Then they state that they do not know from where Jesus came and they could not verify His theological standing. They had all the information they needed right in the Hebrew Scriptures, but their hatred for Jesus had caused them to completely ignore and reject the facts. In this manner, they would never come to a true conclusion about Jesus.

 

John 9:30 (KJB)

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

 

The Pharisees had prided themselves on being very learned and this man really chides them for not knowing where this man comes from yet He has the power to open they eyes of the blind. Surely if such a man walked through Israel, the Pharisees would definitely know about him especially with all their book learning and abilities in the Scriptures and the traditions. If there is one thing that makes a PhD angry it is telling them that there is something they don’t know. It ruffles their pride and this is exactly what this man was doing. He was right, since when do the learned establish truth, it is God who establishes truth, they word is truth. (John 17:17 KJV) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

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