John 9:17

17 They asked the man again, "What do you say about him since it was your eyes he opened?" The man answered, "He is a prophet."

John 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

John 9:17

They say unto the blind man again
After they had discoursed among themselves, and could not agree about the author of the miracle, they turn to him that had been blind, who is called the blind man, because he had been so, and ask him his sentiments of him:

what sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes?
the question seems, at first sight, as if it was, whether Jesus had opened his eyes or not; but by the answer it appears, that it required his thoughts of him, "who hath opened thine eyes", as the Vulgate Latin and Persic versions read; or "seeing", or "because he hath opened thine eyes", as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions:

he said, he is a prophet;
the Syriac and Persic versions read, "I say he is a prophet"; or, "he is certainly a prophet", as the Arabic version. The Jews were wont to conclude a man's being a prophet from miracles wrought by him; see ( John 6:14 ) ( 7:31 ) ; though it does not appear that he believed him, as yet, to be that prophet, or the Messiah, that was to come; see ( John 9:36 ) .

John 9:17 In-Context

15 So now the Pharisees asked the man, "How did you get your sight?" He answered, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see."

16 So some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man does not keep the Sabbath day, so he is not from God." But others said, "A man who is a sinner can't do miracles like these." So they could not agree with each other.

17 They asked the man again, "What do you say about him since it was your eyes he opened?" The man answered, "He is a prophet."

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and could now see again. So they sent for the man's parents

19 and asked them, "Is this your son who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?"