John 9:29

29 We know that God spoke to Moses; but [as to] this [man], we know not whence he is.

John 9:29 Meaning and Commentary

John 9:29

We know that God spoke to Moses
Out of the bush, and told him who he was, and sent him to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, and spoke the ten words, or law unto him, and by him delivered them to the children of Israel, and to whom he spake face to face, as a man does to his friend, and mouth to mouth, and not in dark sayings; they mean, they knew that Moses had his mission, commission, and credentials from God:

but as for this fellow;
so they contemptuously called the Lord Jesus Christ,

we know not from whence he is;
contradicting what others of them had said, ( John 7:27 ) . They imagined they knew the country from whence he came, which they supposed to be Galilee, and the place where he was born, which they concluded was Nazareth; though in both they were in the wrong; and they knew his parents, Joseph and Mary, and his brethren and sisters; but as to his divine filiation, they knew nothing of it; nor would they own his mission, commission, and credentials to be from heaven; and pretended they had no reason to conclude they were.

John 9:29 In-Context

27 He answered them, I told you already and ye did not hear: why do ye desire to hear again? do ye also wish to become his disciples?
28 They railed at him, and said, Thou art his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
29 We know that God spoke to Moses; but [as to] this [man], we know not whence he is.
30 The man answered and said to them, Now in this is a wonderful thing, that *ye* do not know whence he is, and he has opened mine eyes.
31 [But] we know that God does not hear sinners; but if any one be God-fearing and do his will, him he hears.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.