Translation by Qwen. The introductory summary was produced using NotebookLM
SUMMARY OF THE POST
This commentary by St. Albert the Great explores the healing of the man born blind as a physical manifestation of divine illumination
by the Incarnate Word. The text systematically examines the miracle's
purpose, asserting that the man's condition was not a punishment for sin
but an opportunity for God's power to be revealed through Christ. St. Albert provides a deep symbolic analysis of the healing process, linking the use of saliva and clay
to the original creation of humanity and the restoration of nature
through grace. The narrative follows the formerly blind man’s journey of obedience
as he faces interrogation and eventual excommunication by the
Pharisees, who remain spiritually blind despite their legal knowledge.
Ultimately, the source contrasts the perfect faith of the beggar, who recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, with the obstinate pride
of the religious leaders. Through this exposition, the commentary
illustrates that true sight is found in acknowledging one's need for the
Savior’s light.
COMMENTARY
"And Jesus passing by, saw a man blind from birth" (John 9:1)
Here begins that part [of the Gospel] which concerns the doctrine of illumination by the Incarnate Word, insofar as He is shown to be illuminating through a physical deed.
This section is divided into two parts:
In the first, the sign of illumination is fully described together with its related elements;
In the second, the doctrine of illumination signified by the sign is proposed (at verse 35: "Jesus heard that they had cast him out").
The first part is further divided into three sections:
In the first, the sign is accomplished;
In the second, the truth of the sign is confirmed (verse 8: "Therefore the neighbors and those who had seen him before");
In the third, the sign is made manifest (verse 13: "They lead him to the Pharisees").
In the first of these sections, three things are stated: namely, the opportunity for performing the miracle, the manner suitable for accomplishing it, and the obedience of the one illuminated in receiving the benefit of the miracle.
The Opportunity for Performing the Miracle
The opportunity for performing the miracle consists in four things: namely, in the misery of the blind man, in the necessary instruction of the disciples, in the temporal appropriateness for performing miracles, and in the Savior's benevolence.
The misery of the blind man is expressed by the phrase "And passing by," when He went out from the midst of sinners and did not stand in the way of sinners (Luke 4:30: "But He, passing through the midst of them, went His way"; Psalm 1:1: "He has not stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence").
Chrysostom notes: "He saw with a diligent eye, with gaze fixed upon the blind man, because 'I am afflicted'" (cf. Exodus 1:7; 2:25: "And God saw the children of Israel, and God knew them"; Exodus 3:7: "I have surely seen the affliction of My people"). He directed His gaze so that from this He might show Himself merciful to the wretched man, and might provoke the disciples to admiration and to inquiry.
Regarding the first point (Tobit 4:7): "Do not turn your face away from any poor person"; Lamentations 5:1: "Remember, O Lord, what has come upon us; look, and see our disgrace"; Lamentations 1:20: "See, O Lord, for I am in distress."
Regarding the second point (Psalm 31:8): "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." For this purpose He passed by, that He might show Himself to all (Acts 10:38: "He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil").
For just as in John 4:27 the disciples "marveled that He was talking with a woman"—that is, with a poor, sinful, foreign woman—so here they marvel that, despising many spectacles, He fixes the gaze of His dignified regard upon a poor, blind beggar, a man created in the image of God, having a face marred.
"Blind": lacking sight. "And what is a greater misery, from birth": who had never seen the light of this world (Job 3:16: "Or as a hidden untimely birth, they had not seen the light"). And this contributes to the glory of the miracle, because in a man blind from birth, the cause of blindness was more deeply rooted than in one who had once seen (Psalm 87:16: "I am poor and in labors from my youth").
The Disciples' Question and Christ's Response
"And His disciples asked Him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?'" (John 9:2)
"Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him'" (John 9:3).
Behold the instruction necessary for the disciples. This has two parts: a question expressing doubt, and a response of illumination.
Therefore He says: "And His disciples asked Him", stirred by the manner of sight directed toward the blind man (Deuteronomy 33:7: "Ask your father, and he will show you; your elders, and they will tell you").
"Rabbi": They acknowledge Him as Master, whose disciples they wish to be (John 3:2: "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher"; Joel 2:23: "He has given you the Teacher of righteousness, and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter").
"Who sinned, this man or his parents?" They supposed something false, namely, that no one is punished by God except for sin. But this is false, as is clear in the case of blessed Job. And so they inquire.
However, as Augustine says, it seems that such a question is foolish, because part of it is against the Law and the Prophets, and part of it is against reason:
Against the Law: that this man should be punished for the sins of his parents (Deuteronomy 24:16: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; but every one shall be put to death for his own sin").
Against the Prophets (Ezekiel 18:20): "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son."
Against reason: the other part, because before this man was born, he could not have sinned, since he did not possess a free life enabling him to breathe.
Therefore, this question was entirely foolish and founded upon a false supposition.
Response: We must say that the question was indeed simple, but not entirely foolish. And therefore the Lord wished to provoke them to inquiry. For although eternally a son is not punished for the father, nor even temporally is a son punished for the father, nevertheless an evil father is sometimes punished temporally in his son, so that he is tormented by seeing his son—just as in Genesis 9:23, Ham, the son of Noah, was punished in his son Canaan, in that he was condemned to servitude and a curse, and was not fit for the free actions of his father. And thus it is said in Exodus 20:5: "I am the Lord your God, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." For through the third and fourth generations, fathers frequently see their children and grandchildren.
And so indeed this question was simple and not foolish on the part of the parents. And what the Law says and the Prophets report refers to eternal punishment.
But as for the second part, the question was good, because it is understood concerning original sin, which is drawn from the first parents, as it is said in Psalm 50:7: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." And the sense is: "Who sinned, etc.?"—that is, "Whether actual sin in the parents, or only original sin, was the cause of this blindness?" (Ephesians 2:3: "We were by nature children of wrath, just as the others"). And a child of wrath is punished deservedly (2 Samuel 19:28: "For there was no house of my father except those deserving death before my lord the king").
But if someone objects that thus everyone ought to be punished, since everyone is conceived and formed in the mother's womb in original sin, it must be said that it belongs to divine mercy that someone is spared, but to justice when someone is punished (Lamentations 3:22: "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not").
Moreover, concerning their supposition that no one is punished except for sin, they had authority for themselves: Ecclesiastes 7:21: "There is no just man on earth who does good and does not sin"; 1 Kings 8:46: "There is no man who does not sin"; Job 15:14: "What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?"; 1 John 1:8: "If we say that we have no sin..." And therefore Jerome says: "Whatever we suffer, our sins have deserved." Gregory: "No adversity will harm if no iniquity dominates" (Lamentations 5:16: "Woe to us, for we have sinned!").
To these and similar objections, it must be said that for certain, sin is the first cause of punishment, though not the proximate cause; and this cause is accustomed to be called by the Saints the "cause without which not," and a remote cause—because if there were no fault, there would be no punishment. But this is not the proximate meritorious cause of punishment in the same person who is punished. Because even Christ was punished on account of sins—not those which He Himself committed, but those which the first parents and their posterity committed (Isaiah 53:12: "Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors"—namely, that they might not perish).
And thus all the authorities adduced are understood. And so it is clear that the question was indeed simple, but not foolish, nor is the supposition entirely false. For Damascene says that someone is punished for many reasons:
First, punishment is inflicted on someone on account of the guilt of fault—just as Mary, the sister of Moses, was struck with leprosy on account of the sin of murmuring; and Gehazi on account of simony.
Second, for the proof and manifestation of virtue—just as Job and Tobias (Tobit 12:13: "Because you were pleasing to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove you").
Third, for the preservation of virtue—just as to Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7: "And lest I should be exalted by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me").
Fourth, on account of the dispensation of divine counsel—as in Christ (Luke 24:26: "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?").
Fifth, for the manifestation of divine power latent in Christ, so that the operation of divine power, manifested to many, might become an occasion of salvation—as here in this blind man.
Sixth, so that in others the glory of unwearying passion might be made (Hebrews 12:3: "Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls").
Seventh, so that the death of eternal judgment might already anticipate him—just as in Acts 12:23: "Herod was eaten by worms and died."
Eighth, so that it might be shown how bitter [punishment] will be for sinners (2 Peter 2:4: "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment"; Luke 23:31: "For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?").
Thus, therefore, it is clear that the disciples' supposition was not entirely false. And therefore the question had its place. And this is what they say: "Rabbi, who sinned?" (Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God").
Moreover, the Lord had given occasion for this question, because to the paralytic He had said (John 5:14): "Behold, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you"—where He intimated that he had been punished on account of sin (Baruch 1:10ff.: "What is Israel, that you are in the land of your enemies? You have grown old in a foreign land; you are defiled with the dead; you are counted among those who go down to Hades. You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom. For if you had walked in the way of God, you would have dwelt in peace forever").
"Or his parents": Supply thus: that sin was avenged by this blindness. And therefore Tobit 2:3 says: "And now, O Lord, remember me and do not take vengeance on my sins, nor remember the offenses of my parents." And this is what follows: "that he was born blind" as vengeance for such sin of his or of his parents—because God does not punish without sin, as has been said.
"Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned...'" (John 9:3). Jesus responded, offering His illuminations to those desiring them (Isaiah 60:1: "Arise, shine; for your light has come!").
"Neither this man sinned" (Job 17:2: "I have not sinned, and my eye remains in purity"; Job 16:18: "I have suffered these things without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God"; Job 6:2: "Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, and my calamity laid with it on the scales!").
"Nor his parents": But this is objected from Isaiah 43:27: "Your first father sinned, and your mediators have transgressed against Me." But this is solved by what has been said: because sin is the cause of punishment unless merely as a "cause without which not," it was not necessary that sin be the meritorious cause of sin.
"But that the works of God should be revealed in him": As if to say: he was not born blind for the punishment of sin, but rather this is dispensative, so that with the work of the miracle manifested, divine power might appear, and thus believers might be built up in faith.
But if it is objected that God does not need our evils in order to benefit us—much less does He need our evils to show His power for the edification of our faith, because He can show it in many other ways for our salvation—to this it must be said that indeed He could have shown it otherwise, but no manner was so familiar and suitable for us. And therefore He permitted what we deserved to fall upon us, so that we might desire salvation, and that offered salvation might make the grace of the Savior pleasing to us. And in this way God dispensed this blindness. And this is what He says in John 11:4: "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (Ecclesiasticus 43:26-27: "Hearing, we shall wonder; there are glorious works and wonders...").
The Temporal Appropriateness for Miracles
"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work" (John 9:4).
Here the temporal appropriateness for performing miracles is touched upon. And two things are said: namely, suitability and necessity.
Suitability is touched upon when He says: "I must"—that is, "it is opportune" (although not necessary, but voluntary)—"to work the works of Him who sent Me," namely, the Father (John 6:29: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent"). And therefore works that build up faith are works enjoined by the Father upon the Son, and fulfilled and perfected by the Son (John 5:17: "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working"; Isaiah 26:12: "Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works for us"; Luke 2:49: "I must be about My Father's business").
"While it is day": "Day" here is the presence of light upon us, in two ways: namely, through bodily presence and through faith, while we live—because after life, the operation of the sun is of no value to us (Psalm 103:23: "Man goes out to his work and to his labor until evening"; Ecclesiastes 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going"; Galatians 6:10: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith").
For the presence of light both shows us what we should work, and aids us in working, and works in us—just as the presence of the sun in the world (Malachi 4:2: "But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings"). Therefore it is said in Ecclesiasticus 43:2 that the sun is "an admirable vessel, the work of the Most High." If, therefore, the sun sets from us, the very operation of the sun will not avail us.
"The night is coming when no one can work": "Night," which is so called from "harming" (nocendo), which night is nothing other than the absence of light aiding us in working—when it will no longer profit (Matthew 20:8: "When evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages...'"). Then it is not the time for working, but for divine reward (Revelation 14:13: "For their works follow them"; Wisdom 16:16-17: "If a farmer or a shepherd or a worker in the fields was overtaken, he endured necessity; for all were bound by one chain of darkness. These are the exterior darknesses into which the desperate are cast" [Matthew 25:30: "Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth"]).
And this is what He says: "When no one can work", because then the light of the Sun of Righteousness does not aid in operation (Job 3:6: "As for that night, let darkness seize it; let it not rejoice in the light"; for that is the night of eternal damnation; Wisdom 17:5: "Indeed, no power of fire could give them light, nor could the bright flames of the stars illuminate that horrible night").
The Savior's Benevolence
"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:5).
Behold the benevolence of the Savior, which benevolence alone always flows forth in benefits of light. Therefore He says: "As long as I am in the world", either by bodily presence or by the presence of faith—which time is constituted for meriting, and is the day of man (Romans 13:12: "Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day").
"I am the light of the world": And just as light always emits rays, so I emit spiritual rays of benefits (John 12:36: "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light"; Esther 8:16: "To the Jews there was light and gladness"; and again Esther 10:6: "And it was turned to light and to the sun"). Thus, therefore, I scatter the benefits of light.
The Manner of the Miracle
"When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which is translated, 'Sent'). So he went and washed, and came back seeing" (John 9:6-7).
Here the manner most suitable for the miracle is touched upon. For just as wisdom emitted from the head of the Lord first made clay in the creation of the first man, so now, with saliva descending from the head of Christ—which is a salty humor, inasmuch as salt signifies wisdom—the clay being again tempered, He makes clay for the tempering of man, so that He might show Himself to be the same Savior and Creator.
Thus, therefore, and for such a cause and in such a manner, He made clay from saliva (Job 10:9: "Remember, I pray, that You have made me as clay"). But know that clay signifies the matter of our substance (Romans 9:21: "Does not the potter have power over the clay?"; Jeremiah 18:6: "As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel"; Job 33:6: "I also was formed out of clay").
But the virtue of the soul, and reason, and intellect are from the humor descending from the head; and the savor of grace is from the salt of saliva. This was signified in 1 Samuel 21:13, where saliva flowed onto David's beard—where he changed his behavior—so the Son of God, changing His countenance of majesty to the infirmity of man and to the foolishness of the Cross, sent forth into us such saliva of illumination. This is the "collyrium" (eye-salve) of which it is said in Revelation 3:18: "Anoint your eyes with collyrium, that you may see." This is the ointment of which it is said in Psalm 132:2: "It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron"—that is, upon all who adhere to Christ the Head.
Thus, therefore, Christ, mingling the wisdom of the Word with the clay of our nature, illuminated the blind man. And this is what He says: "He spat on the ground," associating Deity with human nature; "and made clay," tempering earth with divine wisdom (Job 38:14: "It is turned as clay to the seal, and they stand as a garment"—because the seal of the image of the Father, as clay, has been restored from its ancient fall, and in the Word assuming it, it will stand as the garment of the assumed [nature]; Philippians 2:7: "He was made in the likeness of men, and was found in appearance as a man").
"From the spittle descending from His head," in whom all the virtue of the head is (Colossians 2:3: "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God"). "And He anointed his eyes with the clay"—from the nature of earth. Indeed, this man, even seeing, ought to have been blinded on account of the obscurity of earth. But from the nature of saliva, the healing virtue was in the clay; and therefore He anointed—because the clay made for the magnitude of the miracle, but the saliva perfected the virtue.
Whence Bede: "He spat on the ground and made clay, because the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."
"And He said to him, 'Go, wash...'": Why was it necessary to wash if the ointment was already upon the eyes? But to this it must be said: the cause of washing was not the saliva, but the earth—because the cause of blindness was sin (Psalm 6:7: "I wash my bed every night; I water my couch with my tears"; Isaiah 1:16: "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes").
"In the pool of Siloam": Now Siloam is a little spring at the roots of Mount Zion, not flowing with continual waters, but at certain hours; and therefore it needs a receptacle which receives and preserves the water trickling down occasionally. And this is called a "pool" in the plural, because with many pools a little water flows for the utility of men. And therefore it is said in Isaiah 8:6 that "the waters of Shiloah go softly"—because they do not have the sound of waves.
And the Evangelist adds: "Which is translated, 'Sent'"—because they are rather waters "sent" from the rains of heaven than bursting forth from their own treasures of waters. Moreover, these waters signify the drops of divine eloquence, as it were, which are entirely "sent" from heaven and do not descend with the swelling of syllogisms or the coloring of rhetoricians, but in the silence of humility and peace and quiet of heart (Isaiah 55:10-11: "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it"; Ezekiel 36:25-26: "Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness... I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you").
The Obedience of the One Illuminated
"So he went and washed, and came back seeing": Behold the obedience of the illuminated man, which consists in three things:
"He went": because he departed from the causes and places of blindness (Psalm 44:11: "Forget your own people also, and your father's house").
"And washed": because he cleansed from himself the stains of earthly contagion (2 Kings 5:14: "So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean").
"And came back seeing": on account of the secret of the mystery and the merit of obedience (1 Samuel 15:22: "To obey is better than sacrifice"). He came through the devotion of faith, and saw through the understanding of credible things nearby (Psalm 45:9: "Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has set wonders on the earth").
The Certification of the Miracle (Verses 8-12)
"Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, 'Is not this he who sat and begged?' Some said, 'This is he.' Others said, 'He is like him.' He himself said, 'I am he'" (John 9:8-9).
Here begins the part concerning the certification of the miracle. And it is divided into two parts:
In the first, the certification of him in whom the miracle was performed is set forth;
In the second, the certification of Him who performed the miracle (verse 10: "Therefore they said to him, 'How were your eyes opened?'").
The first of these is still divided into three parts:
The first sets forth doubt concerning him in whom the miracle was done;
The second, disputation;
The third, certification.
"Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was a beggar": These, who were known to him on account of God, on account of the sudden change appearing in his face, said—doubting out of piety rather than ignorance: "Is not this he who sat and begged?" For the blind sit because they do not see footprints; and they beg because they cannot learn the arts of works by which they might earn (Acts 3:10: "And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him").
"Some said, 'This is he'": Behold the disputation. Those who, congratulating him, said: "This is he" who truly receives the benefit from the Savior (John 6:14: "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world").
"Others said, 'No, but he is like him'": Others, wishing to obscure the miracle, said: "No"—supply: "he is not that one, but similar to him" (Isaiah 5:20: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness"; Acts 13:41: "Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you").
"He himself said, 'I am he'": Certifying the miracle in himself. For it was not so certain to anyone else as to himself (2 Maccabees 3:36: "He testified to all concerning the great works of God which he had seen with his own eyes"; Tobit 12:6: "Confess before all the living that He has shown His mercy toward you").
The Certification of the Miracle-Worker (Verses 10-12)
"Therefore they said to him, 'How were your eyes opened?'" (John 9:10).
Here begins the certification of Him who performed the miracle. And two things are touched upon here: namely, inquiry into the manner, and the certification of Him who performed the miracle.
Therefore He says: "Therefore they said to him" (Chrysostom: "disputing about the miracle"): "How were your eyes opened?" It is the question of those marveling and ignorant of the manner of operation of divine virtue, because human reason cannot attain to that (Luke 1:34: "How can this be?"; Ecclesiastes 1:8: "All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it"). And therefore there is no question [that can be fully answered], because that manner of divine wisdom operating cannot be fathomed (Job 36:24: "Remember that you magnify His work, of which men have sung"). For we ought to praise and admire the works of God, but we cannot investigate the manner (Psalm 138:6: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it").
Moreover, from the manner of speaking, it seems that this man had closed pupils which were opened, because they ask thus: "How were your eyes opened?" and they do not say "How were eyes given to you?" (Isaiah 35:5: "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped").
"That man called Jesus answered..." (John 9:11).
Behold the certification of Him who performed the miracle. Moreover, three things are touched upon here: the revelation of the doer by name, the manner of His operation, and His concealment by absence according to place.
Therefore He says: "That man": Who is of preeminent dignity among men, who is in the form of men, healing men (Philippians 2:7: "He was made in the likeness of men, and was found in appearance as a man").
"Called Jesus": He is not called by an empty name "Savior," because, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 46:1-2: "He was great according to his name, the greatest in the salvation of God's elect" (Philippians 2:20: "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body"). For whatever sin deformed, the Savior reformed. And this is signified in Jeremiah 18:4, where it is said concerning the potter: "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make."
Therefore He who is truly called Jesus:
"Made clay from the spittle of His head": which is grace descending from formed deity, with the salt of His wisdom—which grace, mixed into the clay from which I was made, restored to me the beauty of nature and removed deformity, just as a potter adds a broken part in a work of clay (Psalm 32:15: "He fashions their hearts individually; He understands all their works"; Genesis 2:7: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground").
For from the same natural principle and efficient cause comes both the first formation and the reformation of each thing, if it has been depraved. And therefore it is certain that this One is the Creator of man.
"And anointed my eyes with the clay thus mixed": signifying that the grace of the light of His deity descended into my eyes and illuminated me, repelling the cause of my blindness (Acts 9:18: "Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight"—Ananias, namely, is interpreted "the gift of the grace of God").
"And He said to me, commanding": "Go": for the progress of grace and divine praise (Psalm 83:8: "They go from strength to strength").
"To the pool of Siloam": where the dripping of divine wisdom is gathered in a basin, as in Christ the man (Colossians 2:3: "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of God"; John 1:16: "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace"). For that little spring of Siloam is humble, because He was sent to this our clay which He Himself, as Creator, mixed (Psalm 50:9: "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow").
"And wash": Joel 3:18: "A fountain shall go forth from the house of the Lord and water the valley of thorns"—that is, of the bristling and deformed sinners. Whence a little later it follows (verse 21): "I will cleanse their blood that I had not cleansed."
"And I went": through obedience—that is, I departed from my own will and drew near to His (Isaiah 58:13-14: "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day... then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth").
"And washed": with continual expiation I purified the uncleanness of the clay (Psalm 6:7: "I wash my bed every night; I water my couch with my tears"—that is, the delight of sin in which, lying shamefully, I had rested).
"And I see": that is, I received sight (Acts 9:17: "The Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit").
But it is asked: Why did He cure this man with clay, and why did He send him to Siloam? To this, according to Chrysostom, it must be said that He placed clay—which even by its blindness, opacity, and earthliness is contrary to the light of the eyes—so that the magnitude of the miracle might appear, and it might be shown that the power of divine virtue which was in Him produces its effect even in those things which operate contrary to His will (Genesis 18:14: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?").
Moreover, He sent the clay to a public place, both on account of the throne of the kingdom and on account of the refreshment of the water, so that the miracle of such great power might become known to all.
The Pharisees' Investigation (Verses 13-17)
"They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees" (John 9:13).
Now the determination and the deceitful investigation by the Pharisees concerning the manner of the miracle is set forth. Therefore the Evangelist says: "The neighbors and those who had known him before brought him, blind and now illuminated, to the Pharisees", by whose judgment the miracle might be proved or disproved—that he who had been blind [was now seeing] (Psalm 67:31: "Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, the herd of the bulls with the calves of the people, till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war").
For these were bulls who, with the horns of power and judgment, winnowed all things. But others, inferior, are compared to calves on account of the lust of the flesh, who agree with them. And God permits this, that they might "exclude"—that is, just as by the work of those excluded, they might cause to shine forth and gleam those who are proved and acceptable to God with silver—that is, with ringing and sonorous examination through disputation. For "excluders" are called money-changers and goldsmiths, who produce the appearance of embossed work in silver and gold. Thus these men, while they are solicited to examine how the deeds of Christ might be criticized, rather cause them to shine forth and gleam to praise, while they solicitously seek to criticize and do not find.
"Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes" (John 9:14).
Because this seemed to be manual and servile work, and He opened his eyes by the application of clay (Luke 6:7: "But the scribes and Pharisees watched Him closely, whether He would heal on the Sabbath"). For they had greater care for the Sabbath than for murder or adultery (Matthew 23:24: "Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!").
"Then the Pharisees also asked him again..." (John 9:15).
To whom he had been brought, acting deceitfully (Ecclesiasticus 13:14: "From much talk he will test you, and smiling he will question you about hidden things").
"How he had seen": Because they could not calumniate the fact, they inquire into the manner, so that they might criticize Him—because from the manner they wished to show that He was a magician and not divine (John 8:48: "Are we not right in saying that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"; Matthew 12:24: "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons").
"But he said to them without fear, confessing simply": "He put clay on my eyes": Although, according to Plato, eyes are made from fire, but according to Aristotle, from watery limpidity. And indeed, the brightness of fire is dimmed by clay, and the limpidity of water is troubled—so that it might be understood that he was healed by divine virtue contrary to nature. "And I washed": with the grace of God and the limpidity of the wisdom of Scriptures, I purified the clay-like substance (Isaiah 1:16: "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean"). "And I see": with the darkness of blindness removed (Micah 7:8: "When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me"; Matthew 20:34: "He touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him").
Division Among the Pharisees (Verses 16-17)
"Therefore some of the Pharisees said..." (John 9:16).
Behold the dissension of these men: because some, compelled by the truth itself, now seemed to turn to devotion; but others, obstinate in malice, persisted in pertinacity. And this is: "This Man is not from God": for they do not wish to confess Him as God, because He seems to act against the precept of God—who does not keep the Sabbath, because the Sabbath is sanctified both by work and by precept:
By work: because God rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
By precept (Exodus 20:8-11): "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy."
"But others said...": Others, inclined to devotion, said: "How can a man who is a sinner... do such signs?" Against this is what is said in Matthew 7:22-23: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
The response to this: As we have often said, these men did not attend so much to the fact as to the manner of doing—because He did these things as one having power, not with the key of supplications or exorcisms, as we have often said. Whence Matthew 7:29: "For He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."
"And there was a division among them" (John 9:16).
And the Lord willed this, because the concord of evil men is evil (Isaiah 19:14: "The Lord has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst; and they have caused Egypt to err in all her work, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit"; Acts 14:4: "Now the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles").
"They said to the blind man again..." (John 9:17).
"What do you say about Him who opened your eyes?": "He said, 'He is a prophet.'" A great and faithful prophet in the sight of the Lord (Luke 7:16: "A great prophet has risen up among us," and "God has visited His people").
The Pharisees Summon the Parents (Verses 18-23)
"But the Jews did not believe concerning him..." (John 9:18).
Here the denial of Him who performed the miracle is touched upon. And as in the preceding, so also here, from this it is made more public. Moreover, four things are touched upon here: namely, the cunning of the Pharisees in inquiring, their hardness in believing, their diligence in investigating, and the timidity of the blind man's parents in testifying to the truth.
"They said therefore...": For they cunningly inquired of a simple man: "What do you say about Him who opened your eyes?" As if they said: "You know Him secretly, and nothing evil escapes you; say this" (Jeremiah 9:8: "Their tongue is an arrow shot out; it speaks deceitfully"; Chrysostom: "Observe in how many ways they attempt to obscure the miracle"). But this is the nature of truth, that it becomes stronger through those things by which it is intended to be obscured (1 Esdras 3:12: "Truth is mightiest, and prevails over all things"; and 4:38: "Truth remains and is strong forever, and lives and conquers for ever and ever").
"But he said...": Constant athlete of truth (Ecclesiasticus 4:33: "Fight for your soul..."). "He is a prophet": A great prophet.
"But the Jews did not believe...": Behold their hardness in believing. For although they saw him seeing, and the testimony of all was that he had previously been blind, nevertheless they did not believe concerning him that he had been blind. And this was gross unbelief (Isaiah 53:1: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"; Exodus 4:1: "But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice; but they will say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you'").
"Until they called the parents of him who had seen": That is, who had been illuminated—because parents do not willingly confess shameful things concerning their children. But it is shameful to have begotten a child born blind (Job 24:13: "They are rebels against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths"). Chrysostom: "They thought to make the miracle abortive, and therefore they always strove to rebel."
"And they asked them, saying...": Behold how great diligence in inquiring! For it did not suffice to ask the blind man, unless parents and acquaintances were also called. Moreover, they pose here two questions, implying a third before the two which they pose. And therefore the parents respond to two, and to the third they do not respond on account of fear.
The first question which they imply is this: "Is this your son?"—that is, "Is this your son?" For they saw the manifest fact in the man, and his constancy in confessing; and therefore they cannot inquire anything of their own proposal concerning him (Acts 4:14: "And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it").
"Whom you say was born blind?": The second question (Chrysostom: "O men defiled by all crimes! Who would choose a father to speak such things about his son?"). Therefore they say: "Whom you say...": As if to say: "Even if you say it, your saying is not considered stable" (Isaiah 32:7: "The weapons of the schemer are evil; he devises wicked plans to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice").
"How then does he now see?": The third question. The deceitful men composed questions thus, so that whatever was said would be considered inconvenient (Job 6:26: "Do you intend to rebuke my words, and the speeches of a desperate man, which are as wind?").
"His parents answered them and said..." (John 9:20).
Behold the timidity of the parents, not daring to confess the truth of the miracle.
"We know that this is our son": This is the response to the first question which they proposed implicitly (Isaiah 58:7: "Do not hide yourself from your own flesh"; Isaiah 49:15: "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?"; Proverbs 31:2: "What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows?"). Moreover, nature does not permit this question to be denied.
"And that he was born blind": Which it is not shameful to confess; nevertheless, truth compels one to confess this (Romans 9:1: "I tell the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit"; Ephesians 4:25: "Therefore, putting away lying, 'Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of one another").
"But by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself" (John 9:21).
"These words his parents spoke..." (John 9:22).
Behold here that through fear of confusion they turn aside from the truth. Therefore two things are said here: namely, that they turn aside from the truth, and for what cause they turned aside. They speak two things concerning the manner of the miracle and concerning its author.
Concerning the manner of the miracle they say: "But by what means he now sees we do not know": This was not true—because from the time when the blind man had proclaimed the manner to those who were neighbors and to those who had known him before, much more had he proclaimed it to his parents, congratulating him concerning the sight received. Thus Peter denied the Lord and the truth (Luke 22:34: "The rooster shall not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me"). Thus a son denies a father, and a father a son (Matthew 10:34-35: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother...'").
"Or who opened his eyes we do not know": They do not ask this, but these men knew that immediately if they had responded concerning the manner of seeing, they would be asked concerning the author of so great a miracle; and therefore they anticipate, responding that they do not know.
Against this is what is said in Ecclesiasticus 4:24-25: "Do not be ashamed to speak the truth for your soul's sake; for there is a shame that leads to sin, and there is a shame that brings glory and grace."
"He is of age; ask him": They place the response concerning their son upon the son himself. "He is of age": that is, he has sufficient understanding for the governance of life, and therefore he is absolved from our guardianship (Acts 26:1: "Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You are permitted to speak for yourself'").
"These words his parents spoke because they feared the Jews..." (John 9:22).
The Evangelist gives the cause for which the parents turned aside from the truth: namely, "because they feared the Jews"—which nevertheless they ought not to have done (Isaiah 51:12: "Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die?"; Luke 12:4: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do").
"For the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue": Conspiracy is an obligation in evil (Jeremiah 11:9-10: "A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers..."). "That if anyone confessed that He was Christ": that is, the Messiah promised in the Law, and anointed by God with the unction of divinity—"he would be put out of the synagogue": he would be cast out as an anathema, expelled by all (Jeremiah 11:19: "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more"; John 16:2: "The hour is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service").
"Therefore his parents said..." (John 9:23).
Therefore his parents said, turning their accusation upon their son: "He is of age; ask him" (Galatians 4:1-2: "Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father"). As if to say: "He is absolved from the yoke of our obedience and from our care" (1 Corinthians 13:11: "When I became a man, I put away childish things").
Thus, therefore, striving to induce these men to deny, they could not, but rather the truth shone forth.
The Final Confrontation (Verses 24-27)
"So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him..." (John 9:24).
Here it is noted that they strive to obscure the miracle—because they cannot deny it—so that at least it might not be attributed to the name of Christ. And to this end they employ:
And this is: "So they again called the man who was blind": to soften him by flattering, so that he might attribute to another the miracle which could not be denied, and not to Christ (Jeremiah 20:10: "For I heard the mocking of many, 'Fear on every side!'" "Persecute and let us persecute him! Let us see if we can find some charge against him, so that we may prevail against him and take our revenge on him"; Daniel 6:4: "Then the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful").
"And they said to the man born blind, flattering him": "Give glory to God!" concerning yourself now healed. And attribute this to God, and not to Christ. And this is foolish, because to give glory to God is to confess the truth (Joshua 7:19: "My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me").
"We know that this Man is a sinner": Not God, because He does not keep the Sabbath (Isaiah 53:4: "We esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted"; Matthew 11:19: they say that He is "a glutton and a wine-drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners").
"He therefore answered them..." (John 9:25).
That man said, not enticed by blandishments: "Whether He is a sinner I do not know": that is, "I do not approve." Or: "Whether He is a sinner", simply, "I do not know this; and I would certainly know in myself if He were, because then I would not have been cured. And therefore, because I do not know [that] He is a sinner, He is certainly not a sinner."
"Whether He is a sinner I do not know" (Chrysostom): that is, "I do not now declare this." Or let it be said just as the letter stands: "I do not know that He is a sinner." And this has two causes of truth: namely, "if He is a sinner in your sight, I do not know this"—that is, "I do not approve"; or "if He is a sinner simply, I do not know this, and I would certainly know in myself if He were, because then I would not have been cured. And therefore, because I do not know [that] He is a sinner, He is certainly not a sinner" (John 8:46: "Which of you convicts Me of sin?"; 1 Peter 2:22: "Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth").
"One thing I know": by experience—"that though I was blind, now I see": formerly, now by the benefit of His grace I see (Tobit 11:17: "I bless You, O Lord God of Israel, because You have chastised me, and You have saved me; and behold, I see my son Tobit!"; Isaiah 49:9: "That You may say to those who are bound, 'Go forth,' and to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves'").
The Pharisees' Frustration (Verses 26-27)
"Then they said to him..." (John 9:26).
Here they strive to deceive him with cunning and tricks.
"What did He do to you?": Behold one question in which they ask what He did—whether the deed was against the Law. And thus they would show that Christ was deservedly a sinner on account of that deed, and that the blind man was not cured by the merit of that deed (Ecclesiasticus 8:14: "Do not stand in the way of a slanderer, lest he sit as an ambusher against your mouth"; Proverbs 1:11: "If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause'").
"How did He open your eyes?": They ask this because if He had applied some plaster or ointment, then they would not have ascribed [the healing] to Him (Proverbs 12:5: "The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful; the words of the wicked lie in wait for blood"; likewise Proverbs 24:15: "Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not plunder his resting place").
"He answered them..." (John 9:27).
That immovable confessor of truth responded to them (Psalm 38:2: "I said, 'I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me'").
"I told you already, and you heard": that is, "you understood my word, explained in simple words" (Job 6:27: "Yes, you overwhelm the fatherless, and you undermine your friend").
"Why do you want to hear it again?": For if you wished to hear again out of faith and devotion, I would be prepared to speak; but because you inquire temptingly and deceitfully, I do not wish to speak (Matthew 7:6: "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine"; Proverbs 17:2: "A wise servant will have rule over a son who causes shame, and will share an inheritance among the brothers"—but the fool does not receive words of prudence unless you speak those things which are turned in his heart).
"Do you also want to become His disciples?": "Do you, who have persecuted Him up to this day, now, with malice laid aside, wish to become His disciples, because you inquire so diligently concerning His deeds?" For then it would be necessary to be humbled toward Him (Deuteronomy 33:3: "Indeed He loves the people; all His saints are in Your hand; they sit down at Your feet; everyone receives Your words"). It would also be necessary to follow Him by imitating and observing His precepts—which none of you wish to do (Isaiah 8:16: "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples").
The Pharisees' Blasphemy and the Blind Man's Wisdom (Verses 28-34)
"Then they reviled him..." (John 9:28).
Behold here they turn to reproaches. And two things are said: namely, the reproach of the Pharisees, and the most wise response of the illuminated man.
In the reproach, two things are [present]: the cursing of the illuminated man, and how they prefer Moses to Christ—these men most wickedly blinded.
Therefore He says: "Then they reviled him": namely, the blind man, "and said". But this malediction is turned into blessing (Zechariah 8:13: "And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing"; Genesis 27:29: "Let those curse you be cursed, and let those bless you be blessed").
"And they said: 'You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples'": Whom they prefer to Christ. And this is blasphemy; and nevertheless in this they speak falsely. Because if they were disciples of Moses, through Moses they would come to Christ (John 5:46: "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me"; Luke 16:29: "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them").
"We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from" (John 9:29).
"The man answered..." (John 9:30).
Behold here the marvelous wisdom of the simple man, by which he refutes their ignorance and their injustice. For he says: "Why, this is a marvelous thing": that you do not know where He is from, who has done such great signs. And this is marvelous in two ways:
Because you do not know Him, who has opened the eyes of one born blind.
Because you, who profess knowledge of the Law and the Prophets, do not recognize Him whom the Law and the Prophets foretold.
"And we know that God does not hear sinners" (John 9:31).
This is to be understood of those who persist in sin and do not repent. For God hears sinners when they convert and repent (Psalm 50:17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise").
"If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing" (John 9:33).
This is a most certain argument: because no one can do such signs unless God is with him.
"They answered and said to him..." (John 9:34).
Behold here the extreme malice of these men: because they cannot refute the truth by reason, they have recourse to insults and excommunication.
"You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?": They object to him his former blindness, as if it were a sign of sin. But the Lord had already answered this at the beginning: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned."
"And they cast him out": They excommunicated him from the synagogue. But this casting out was for him an introduction into the true synagogue, that is, into the Church of Christ.
Christ Finds the Healed Man (Verses 35-38)
"Jesus heard that they had cast him out..." (John 9:35).
Here begins the second principal part, in which the doctrine of illumination signified by the sign is proposed.
"And when He had found him...": Christ seeks the one cast out by men. Thus He always does: when men reject someone for the truth's sake, then Christ receives him.
"Do you believe in the Son of God?" (John 9:35).
He asks concerning faith, because the miracle was performed for this end: that he might believe.
"He answered and said, 'Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?'" (John 9:36).
He does not yet know that it is Jesus who speaks with him; but he is ready to believe, if he may know who He is.
"And Jesus said to him..." (John 9:37).
"You have both seen Him...": That is, you see Him now with bodily eyes; and "it is He who is talking with you": you hear Him with bodily ears. But faith requires that you also see Him with the eyes of the heart.
"Then he said, 'Lord, I believe!'" (John 9:38).
Behold the perfect obedience of faith. He does not seek further signs; he does not demand proofs; but immediately, at the word of Christ, he believes.
"And he worshiped Him": He showed the devotion of faith by the act of worship.
Christ's Judgment on the Pharisees (Verses 39-41)
"And Jesus said..." (John 9:39).
"For judgment I have come into this world...": Not that Christ came to condemn, but that by His coming, judgment is manifested: that those who see their blindness may be healed, but those who think they see may be shown to be blind.
"That those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind" (John 9:39).
This is to be understood spiritually: that the humble, who acknowledge their ignorance, may receive illumination; but the proud, who think they have knowledge, may be left in their blindness.
"And some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words..." (John 9:40).
"And they said to Him..." (John 9:40).
They ask in mockery, as if to say: "Surely we are not blind?"—thinking that they see perfectly.
"Jesus said to them..." (John 9:41).
"If you were blind...": That is, if you acknowledged your blindness and ignorance, you would not have sin—because ignorance that is acknowledged can be healed by grace.
"But now you say, 'We see'": You boast in your knowledge; you think you need no teacher.
"Therefore your sin remains": Because you do not seek pardon, nor are you converted to faith (John 3:36: "He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him").
And thus ends the ninth chapter.
CONTINUE
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