John 9:17

17 They said to the blind man again, `Thou -- what dost thou say of him -- that he opened thine eyes?'

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 Again, therefore, the Pharisees also were asking him how he received sight, and he said to them, `Clay he did put upon my eyes, and I did wash -- and I see.'

16 Of the Pharisees, therefore, certain said, `This man is not from God, because the sabbath he doth not keep;' others said, `How is a man -- a sinful one -- able to do such signs?' and there was a division among them.

17 They said to the blind man again, `Thou -- what dost thou say of him -- that he opened thine eyes?'

18 and he said -- `He is a prophet.' The Jews, therefore, did not believe concerning him that he was blind and did receive sight, till that they called the parents of him who received sight,

19 and they asked them, saying, `Is your son, of whom ye say that he was born blind? how then now doth he see?'