John 9:27Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He showed the high dignity of Him for whom he spoke so boldly, and declared that they were insulting a Man worthy of wonder. He himself was not offended, but regarded as an honor what they cast at him as reproach.

At last, inflamed with zeal for God, he disregards their question and leaves it unanswered. What does he say to them? "I have already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Or do you also want to become His disciples?"

Though he had never been a hearer of Christ's preaching, he imitates Christ's teaching. At the feast of the dedication of the temple, the Jews surrounded the Savior in Solomon's porch and said to Him: "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe" (Jn 10:24-25).

Notice the piety of this defender. He observed the malice of the Jews. They were ready for anything and spared no threats, in order to force him through fear not to confess Christ as his teacher. Yet he says to them: "I have already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Or do you also want to become His disciples?"

By saying "do you also," he showed that, with regard to himself, the matter was already beyond dispute. These are the words that ought to be on every Christian's lips when encountering paganism.

If a pagan, clinging to the old error, should meet you and say, "Are you a Christian?" answer him, "Yes. Do you not want to become a Christian?" This is exactly what this man did, who had received sight both bodily and spiritually.

"I have already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Or do you also want to become His disciples?" That is: you are so far from convincing me that I rather expect you to change and confess Him as Christ.

Do you see the boldness of the beggar before the scribes and Pharisees? So powerful is truth, and so powerless is falsehood. Truth, even when found in simple people, makes them glorious. Falsehood, even when on the side of the powerful, shows them weak.

The beggar's words mean this: you do not heed my words, so I will speak no more. I will not answer your frequent and empty questions. You ask not in order to learn, but to mock my words.

This indeed was their aim. The transgression of the law was quite indifferent to them and meant nothing. Therefore, leaving righteous judgment aside, they turned only to what pleased themselves.

Yet they forgot the words of God: "The lips of the priest shall preserve judgment, and they shall seek the law from his mouth" (Mal 2:7).

"Do you also wish to become His disciples?"

He has already confessed clearly and without any pretense that he was taught not by word alone, but also by the miracle, and that he has now believed. He received his wondrous sight as instruction.

For in saying to them, "Do you also wish to become His disciples?" he in some way revealed his own disposition. He had already desired this and had become His disciple.

Even before complete faith, he was somehow concerned to fulfill the commandment: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Mt 10:8). He shows himself wholly ready, without envy, to teach them what is profitable.

He affirms that he will speak often and diligently about the miracle, provided they truly make his account a lesson for themselves.

Thus he fulfilled, and most beautifully, the words of Proverbs: "Speak into the ears of those who listen" (Sir 25:12).

But it seems that something mystical and hidden is also being indicated here in a veiled way. What this is, I shall say briefly.

Among the rulers there were some who acknowledged that Christ was truly a wonderworker. Yet they still concealed from many this knowledge about Him, as though it were an embryo.

The wise Evangelist himself testifies to this for us. The rulers knew that He was the Christ, "yet because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him" (Jn 12:42).

Nicodemus also confirms these words. He says clearly and openly to our Lord Jesus Christ: "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, and that no one can do these signs which You do unless God is with him" (Jn 3:2).

Thus certain rulers knew, and the report of this spread through almost all Jerusalem. The Jewish people supposed that the rulers knew Him, but did not wish to acknowledge Him openly because of envy and hatred.

That this also is true we can prove from the Gospel writings themselves. Blessed John says in one place that Jesus stood in the temple itself, teaching and explaining what seemed to be a violation of the law to His hearers.

Yet the leaders of the Jews were not stirred by this at all. They did not dare to say, "Stop teaching what is contrary to the ancient laws."

Thus their conduct agreed with the opinion of the people about them which we have just stated.

For it is written: "Some of the people of Jerusalem said, Is this not He whom they seek to kill? And behold, He speaks openly, and they say nothing to Him. Can it be that the rulers have truly known that He is the Christ?" (Jn 7:25-26).

They speak as though saying: those who have received authority know that He is truly the Christ. Though they are plotting His murder, they do not attack Him even with simple words, though He speaks with such great boldness.

Since such an opinion had spread through all Jerusalem, the man once blind also knew it and had heard of it.

Therefore, with a certain reverent rebuke, he says: Do you make me repeat the same words and glorify the miracle in vain? Or do you take pleasure in this account and now desire to receive instruction from Him?

Yet you are ashamed before one another. You prefer an ungrateful shame before each other to such wondrous knowledge.

The healed man himself, however, despite the Pharisees' efforts to draw him to their side in judging Jesus, never for a moment ceased to bear firm and courageous witness to the truth.

At last he did not fear to expose the malicious blindness of the Pharisees, who said that they did not know "where He is from." "This is a marvel," the firm confessor of Christ observed, "that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. This is surely a work of God."

The judges could not endure such a bold and sharp rebuke, and they cast the former blind man out of the assembly.

The malice of the Pharisees toward the Lord was no secret to anyone in Jerusalem. The whole people already knew, above in Jn 7:1, 25; 8:40, 59, that their rulers wanted to kill the Lord. Therefore the question of the man who received sight is the sharpest irony, even mockery of the Jews, cast in their face.

At the same time, in this question, "Do you also?" one hears the man's own intention to attach himself to the Lord Jesus and become a disciple of his Benefactor. In all probability he did become one, when the Lord in mercy sought him out Himself, below in verse 35.