John 9:17

17 Then spake they vnto the blynde agayne: What sayst thou of him because he hath openned thyne eyes? And he sayd: 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 Then agayne the pharises also axed him how he had receaved his syght. He sayde vnto the: He put claye apon myne eyes and I wasshed and do se.

16 Then sayde some of the pharises: this man is not of God because he kepeth not the saboth daye. Other sayde: how can a man yt is a synner do suche myracles? And ther was stryfe amonge the.

17 Then spake they vnto the blynde agayne: What sayst thou of him because he hath openned thyne eyes? And he sayd: He is a Prophet.

18 But the Iewes dyd not beleve of the felowe how that he was blynde and receaved his syght vntyll they had called the father and mother of him that had receaved his syght.

19 And they axed the saying: Is this youre sonne whome ye saye was borne blynde? How doth he now se then?