John 9:16

16 Some Pharisees said, "This man isn't from God, because he breaks the Sabbath law." Others said, "How can a sinner do miraculous signs like these?" So they were divided.

John 9:16 Meaning and Commentary

John 9:16

Wherefore said some of the Pharisees
Or sanhedrim, for they were not all of one mind, as appears by what follows:

this man is not of God;
meaning not the blind man, but Jesus; and their sense is, he is not sent of God, he does not come from him to do his will and work, nor does he seek his glory, nor is he on his side, or for his interest;

because he keepeth not the sabbath day:
this they concluded from his making clay of spittle, and spreading it on the blind man's eyes, which was contrary to the traditions of their elders: one of whose rules and canons is ^F14, that

``it is forbidden to put fasting spittle even on the eyelid on a sabbath day.''

An eye salve, or a plaster for the eye, if it was put on for pleasure, was lawful, but not for healing ^F15: but if it was put on, on the evening of the sabbath, it might continue on the sabbath day {p}.

Others said, how can a man that is a sinner,
or a sabbath breaker,

do such miracles?
as curing a man born blind, the like of which was never heard: those that reasoned after this manner may be supposed to be Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.

And there was a division among them;
even in the sanhedrim, they could not agree about the character of the person that had done this miracle.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 14. 4. & Avoda Zara, fol. 40. 4. & T. Bab. Sabbat, fol 108. 2. & Maimon. Hilchot Sabbat, c. 21. sect. 25.
F15 Piske Tosephot Sabbat, art. 67.
F16 T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 3, 4. Maimon. ib.

John 9:16 In-Context

14 Now Jesus made the mud and smeared it on the man's eyes on a Sabbath day.

15 So Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. The man told them, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see."

16 Some Pharisees said, "This man isn't from God, because he breaks the Sabbath law." Others said, "How can a sinner do miraculous signs like these?" So they were divided.

17 Some of the Pharisees questioned the man who had been born blind again: "What do you have to say about him, since he healed your eyes?" He replied, "He's a prophet."

18 The Jewish leaders didn't believe the man had been blind and received his sight until they called for his parents.