John 9:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then he exalts the event, saying: "Since the world began, it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind." Therefore, if you acknowledge that God does not listen to sinners. And He performed a miracle, and such a miracle as no man has ever performed, then it is evident that He has surpassed all in power, and His might is more than human.

You boast, he says, in the teaching of Moses. Yet he does not mention Moses, so as not to provoke them, but says: "Since the world began, it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind." That is, who, what other prophet, opened them? No one surpassed Him. No one equaled Him.

Then, knowing that they wished to obscure the miracle, he preaches the benefit with full understanding. If He were not from God, He would not have performed such a miracle, one which no one had ever performed from the beginning of the age.

Perhaps the eyes of blind men had been opened before, but not eyes ruined from birth, only eyes harmed by some illness. But what has happened now is unheard of. Therefore it is evident that He who performed such a miracle is more than man.

Somewhat irritated, it seems, and deeply grieved, being saddened by reproaches for Christ, since they said as a reproach, "You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses" (Jn 9:28), he tries to defend his Instructor.

He in some way sets the glorious works of our Savior over against the deeds of Moses. He shows Him to be higher than Moses to the same degree that He is greater in wonderworking. Indeed, must not the Doer of the greater work also be higher in glory? This is certainly beyond dispute.

At the same time, it seems, he points to the fulfillment, with the coming of Christ, of the ancient prophecy's predictions: "Then," it is said, "the eyes of the blind shall be opened" (Is 35:5). For no one before had ever done anything of this kind or been glorified for it.

It was said openly, firmly, and truly. Indeed, by whom were the works performed by the Lord accomplished, if not by God? Or when such things are done by the disciples, was not the Lord abiding in them?

From the creation of the world, he says, it has not been heard that a man opened the eyes of one who was born blind from his mother’s womb.

And truly no one, neither among the righteous before the law, nor among the holy prophets under the law, nor anyone under grace among the apostles and disciples of Christ, performed such a glorious miracle.

If Christ, the blind man continues, were not a man sent from God, then He could do nothing, that is, no deed so glorious. The blind man’s proof is unanswerable. But see what the Pharisees answer him.

“This is what is strange,” the healed man continued in the same tone, “that you do not know where He is from, though He healed me. Without God such a miracle could not have been done.”

Thus the blind man saw more than those with sight, though he still knew nothing about Jesus except His name.

The great miracle of healing the man blind from birth caused all the stronger excitement in Jerusalem because the healed man was very well known in the city as a beggar blind from birth. Therefore, when this miracle was brought to the Pharisees' attention, they began a most careful investigation of the event.

All their efforts in this case were directed toward casting doubt on the reality of the miracle. For this purpose they questioned, about what had happened, now the former blind man and now his parents.

But the parents of the healed man, out of fear of being excommunicated from the synagogue, refused, under the pretense of ignorance, to give testimony about how their son had received sight.

The healed man reproaches them precisely for this lie, saying, “It is astonishing that you do not know where He is from (Jn 9:30). He opened my eyes and performed a miracle unheard of from the beginning of the age.

Yet we know that God does not hear sinners. He hears only the one who honors Him and does His will. If He were not from God, He could not have performed such a miracle.”

“This is what is astonishing,” he answered, “that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. But we know that God does not hear sinners.

“He hears the one who honors God and does His will. From the beginning of the age it has not been heard that anyone, even great Moses himself, opened the eyes of one born blind.

“If He were not from God, He could do nothing.” Rarely, perhaps, has any learned commission ever found itself in a more difficult and pitiable position.

“From the beginning of the age it has not been heard,” and so forth. Neither Moses himself nor the other prophets performed such a striking miracle as the one Jesus performed upon the man born blind.

From this the man born blind concludes that this wonderworker is certainly a messenger of God. If He were not such, He could not work miracles, and such striking ones at that. Compare Theophylact.

The convictions of the man who received sight had been fully formed. With relentless logic he proves to his teachers that they are either false or dull of understanding.

In his gratitude toward the One who healed him, whom he had not yet seen with his eyes, since after receiving sight he had not seen the Lord, he nevertheless thought deeply about every question touching his sight and the One who had authority to grant it.

This preparation of his soul by his own good will for the reception of grace was rewarded by the Lord's merciful appearance to him. The Lord was pleased to seek him out and reveal Himself to him, probably as to a chosen vessel.