The man born blind CHAPTER IX. JOHN IX. A. D. 32. Sight restored to the man born blind; he is brought to the Pha hath his sight restored. The neighbours, therefore, and those who had 8 seen him before, (for he had been a beggar") risees, who are offended and excommunicate him; Christ receiveth him, said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?” and he confesseth him to be Messiah. 1 AND as Jesus passed on, he saw a man who 2 was blind from his birth. And his disciples disciples asked him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man, nor his 1 parents sinned: but this hath occurred that the 4 works of God might be manifested in him. I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can 5 work. While I am in the world, I am the 6 light of the world." When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind 7 man with the clay. And said to him, "Go, And said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam," (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He departed therefore, and washed, and came seeing. Some said, "This is he:" others said, "He 9 is like him:" but he said, "I am he." They 10 therefore said to him, "How were thine eyes opened?" He answered and said, "A man, l·l called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash:' and I went and washed, and I received sight." Then they said to him, "Where 12 ved sight." is he?" He said, "I know not." They brought him who before had been blind 13 to the Pharisees. Now it was the sabbath when 14 Jesus made the clay, Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him how he had 15 received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and now see." Wherefore some of the Pharisees said, 16 "This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath." Others said, "How can a CHAP. IX. awakened the consciences of these Pharisees, that they departed from the temple, being self-condemned for their own crimes, and probably for that very crime of which they accused the woman. The language of Christ to her, while it indicates tenderness, was calculated to impress and reform her. "Go and sin no more." Let this admonition sink deep into our hearts; for it implies that the only way to escape condemnation is to repent and reform. 2. While we receive and rejoice in Christ as the light of the world, let us approve ourselves his sincere disciples, by continuing in his word, and being faithful even unto death. Without this, external privileges will be of no avail. The children of Abraham may be the children of satan; and they are so if they imitate the works of that apostate spirit, rather than those of the holy patriarch. The devil from the beginning was a liar and murderer; and all falsehood and malice are of him and agreeable to him. We ought to pray that we 8. Griesbach. may be freed from them, and from every other sin to which we may have been enslaved; that Christ the Son may make us free of his Father's family, and of his heavenly kingdom! Then shall we be free indeed! 3. With what meekness did our Lord endure the contradiction of sinners, and how important the promise which he has made to all believers. "If any one keep my word, he shall never see death." Sense seems to plead against it; but he is the resurrection and the life, and hath assured us he will make it good. Let us therefore be strong in faith, giving glory to God. Though not only Abraham and the prophets, but Peter and Paul and other apostles, are dead as to the flesh, yet they live unto God as to the spirit; and soon will the day come when mortality shall be swallowed up of life. Let us like Abraham, who rejoiced to see the day of Christ, rejoice in the prospect of that more glorious day, when he will come to destroy the last enemy. vant; nor could the Jews have been offended with this, as they admitted Messiah to be promised from the beginning. I consider then that the version given is the true one; and that Jesus meant that before Abraham was born, he existed; and consequently that this is one proof of his divinity. 'I am,' denotes continued existence, as Campbell and others admit. See Heb. xiii. 8. 59. Withdrew, &c. With Griesbach, I have omitted the clause, "going through the midst of them, and so passed by." See the authorities for this omission. CHAP. IX. 1. And as Jesus, &c. This appears to have occurred a very little time after what is related in the foregoing chapter. The miracle was wrought in Jerusalem. 2. Who sinned, this man, &c. Pearce contends that this question can have no reference to the opinion of the Pharisees, who held something like the Pythagorean doctrine of transmigration, as it respected the good only, but supposed the wicked did not enjoy this privilege. Matt. xvi. 14, &c. He explaius, 'Who sinned? This man that he hath become blind; or if he were born so, was it for the sin of his parents?' 3. Neither this man, &c. Our Lord's answer shows that afflictions of this nature are not judicial for some particular crime; but permitted to occur in righteous sovereignty, and in this case to display the power of God. 6. He spat on the ground, &c. See note, Mark vii. 33. 7. Go, wash in the, &c. This was enjoined as a trial of his faith and submission; and our Lord might have in view the cure of Naaman, 2 Kings v. 10. 8. Been a beggar, &c. This reading is supported by the best mss. and many of the versions; and it is more suitable to what follows. sinner do such miracles?" And there was a 17 division among them. They say to the blind man again, "What sayest thou of him, since he hath opened thine eyes?" He said, "He 18 is a prophet." But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they had called the || 19 parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, of whom ye say that he was born blind? how 20 then doth he now see?" His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, 21 and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of 22 age; ask him: he will speak for himself." His parents spoke these words, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed, that if any man should confess that Jesus was 23 the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, "He is of 24 age; ask him." A second time they called the man that had been blind, and said to him, "Give glory to God: we know that this man is 25 a sinner." He answered and said, "Whether he be a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, 26 that, whereas I was blind, I now see." Then said they to him again, "What did he to thee? "What did he to thee? 27 how opened he thine eyes?" He answered them, I have told you already, and did ye not hear? wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?" Then they reviled 28 REFLECTIONS UPON CHAPTER IX. 1. We here learn the compassion of Jesus, who, as it should seen, performed this extraor Pharisees are irritated. him, and said, "Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God 29 spoke to Moses: but we know not whence this man is." The man answered and said to them, 30 "This is a wonderful thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not 31 sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth. Since the 32 world began world began hath it not been heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do 33 nothing." They answered and said to him, 34 "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" And they cast him out of their synagogues. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and 35 when he met him, he said to him, "Dost thou believe in the Son of God?" He answered 36 and said, "Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?" And Jesus said to him, "Thou hast 37 both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee." And he said, "Master, I believe:" 38 And he did obeysance to him. Then Jesus 39 said, "For judgment 1 am come into this world, that they who see not may see: and that they who see may be made blind." And some of 40 the Pharisees who were with him heard these words, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" Jesus said to them, "If ye were blind, ye 41 would not have sin: but now ye say, We see ; your sin therefore remaineth." dinary cure unasked, and even unknown by the person the subject of it. The manner in which he did it deserves particular regard. He anoint 11. The pool of Siloam. This was without the walls of the city, at the bottom of Mount Moriah. See Reeland. 16. Keepeth not the sabbath. Such a remark, on such an occasion, is very singular, and what our Lord had often refuted. What others said is far more pertinent. How could it be expected that God would enable a sinner to do such miracles. 17. He is a prophet. He thought he could be no less; and the miracle might remind him of what other prophets had done. 18-23. Did not believe, &c. Their unbelief happily led to a minute examination respecting the miracle; and this ended in a manner most satisfactory. -Be put out, &c. - Be treated as an excommunicated person. How inveterate the malice of this sect. 24. Give glory to God. By confessing the truth. They believed, or affected to believe, that he had told them lies; and they address him as Joshua did Achar, Josh. vii. 18, 19, and hoped to have made a similar discovery. 28. His disciple, &c. They reproach him with this, and gloried that they were the disciples of Moses. 29. Whence this man is. Who hath sent him, whether he is not some imposter who is gaining disciples in order to realize his ambitious views. 30-33. This is a wonderful, &c. The answer to their insinuation is just, and must have been galling to these proud Pharisees. When unable to refute his simple reasoning, they adopted the mode most suitable to their depravity; they persecute the man for speaking the truth. 35. Dost thou believe, &c. How kind was Jesus to notice this injured man, to make himself known to him, and lead him to place his confidence in him. 39. For judgment I am, &c. On some for their wilful blindness and obduracy, and in mercy to others, to give them both the power of seeing naturally and spiritually. 41. If ye were blind, &c. If ye laboured under unavoidable ignorance, ye would have comparatively no sin; but since you pretend to know more 1 and the good shepherd. and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. Then Jesus addressed the Pharisees, "Verily, verily, I say to you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, is a thief and a robber; "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd 11 2 But the shepherd of the sheep entereth in by layeth down his life for the sheep, But the 12 3 the door. To him the porter openeth; and hireling, who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep hearken to his voice: and he calleth the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf 4 And when he bringeth forth his own sheep, he seizeth them, and scattereth the sheep. The 13 goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, hireling fleeth because he is a hireling, and 5 because they know his voice. A stranger they careth not for the sheep. I am the good shep- 14 will not follow, but will flee from him; for they || herd, and know my sheep, and am known by 6 know not the voice of strangers." This parable This parable mine; Even as the Father knoweth me, and I 15 Jesus spoke to them; but they understood not know the Father; and I lay down my life for what things they were which he spoke to them. the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are 16 Jesus therefore said to them again, "Verily, not of this fold: them also I must bring, and verily, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep- they shall hear my voice; and there shall be 8 fold. All that have come [before me] are thieves one fold, and one shepherd. For this my Fa- 17 7 ed his eyes with clay, and then commanded him to wash. Clay laid on the eyes seemed more likely to blind a man who had sight, than to be the means of restoring sight to one blind. This shows us that God can work with or without means, and accomplish what he purposes. The blind man believed, and received the benefit of it. Had he reasoned, like Naaman, on the impropriety of the means, he would have been justly left in darkness. Lord, may our proud hearts be subdued to the methods of thy recovering grace! 2. The unbelief of the Pharisees occasioned a minute investigation of this miracle; and the result was the most decisive proof of its truth and reality. The testimony of the man himself, and that of his parents, to his having been born blind, and the clear evidence that he now saw, one would think sufficient to confound the most incredulous. In the conduct of his parents, we see how the fear of man bringeth a snare; for while they owned him as their son, and that he was born than others, your sin of unbelief abides upon you with greater aggravation. CHAP. X. 1. Then Jesus addressed, &c. I have added these words, as explanatory. The Pharisees considered themselves as shepherds, and they admitted into the fold, or excluded from it, whom they would; and hence our Lord addressed the following parable unto them.-Sheep-fold. These were made difficult of access, to prevent robbery. 2-5. But the shepherd, &c. This is his constant practice; and the porter, or person set to watch, openeth the gate to him. Calleth by name. This shows that many shepherds were accustomed then to give names to their sheep, and to go before them when they brought them out of the fold. Some suppose that they played on some musical instrument. A stranger they would not follow, &c. The meaning of the whole I take to be, that persons discharging the office of shepherds, must be called to it, and properly qualified, and blind, they feared to acknowledge the favour conferred on him, or the glorious person who had conferred it. Let all those, the eyes of whose understandings have been opened, nobly bear their testimony to Christ, in defiance of all the censure which men can pass, or of all the penalties by which they can enforce them. 3. While we wonder at the obstinacy of the Pharisees, we see how a poor, illiterate man, with the advantage of truth on his side, baffles all the sophistry of his opponents. Great is the truth, and will prevail. Great is this truth, and fundamental to the gospel, that "Christ is the Son of God;" as well as this "that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth." Let us cultivate sincerity and a devotional spirit, and the eyes of the Lord will be upon us, and his ears open to our cry; and though men cast us out, Christ will receive us, and reveal himself more clearly and fully to us. diligently employed, caring for the flock. Through Christ they could only be true teachers; and the sheep of Christ, or his people, will only regard such teachers as he commissions. 8-10. Have come before me, &c. Pretending to be the Christ, such as Theudas, Acts v.26.— -By me if any, &c. Either as a shepherd or teacher, or as a sheep or disciple, he shall be safe, and shall enjoy true spiritual food. Campbell rejects "before me," as an early interpolation or gloss; but see Griesbach.May have life, &c. And the means of supporting it in a much more abundant manner than they have had at any former period. 11-13. I am the good, &c. What follows justly entitles him to this character. When a person has no interest in the flock, and careth not for them, he will not expose himself to any danger on this account; but he whose the sheep are, will do any thing to secure them. 22 * Now the feast of the dedication was kept 23 at Jerusalem; and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said to him, "How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." 25 Jesus answered them, "I said to you, and ye believed not: the works which I do in my Fa26 ther's name, testify of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. As I said to 27 you, 'My sheep hear my voice;' and I know 28 them, and they follow me: And I give unto them everlasting life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any one wrest them out of 29 my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, REFLECTIONS UPON CHAPTER X. 1. The character of Christ, as "the good shepherd," ought to inspire confidence, and induce us to commit ourselves to his guidance and care. We know his kind regard to his sheep, in exposing and laying down his life for them. They were his own, given to him by the Father; and to save them he 16. Other sheep, &c. He refers to the Gentiles, whom he designed should be called and brought to his fold. 18. None taketh it, &c. That is, none can without my own consent.This commission. To become the good shepherd, and to give his life for the sheep. 19-21. A division, &c. Some with malice and hatred said, "he hath a demon, and is mad;" but others appealing to his recent miracles, justified his discourse. 22. Feast of the dedication, &c. This feast was instituted to commemorate the cleansing of the temple by Judas Maccabeus, after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes. It was kept in the 9th month, our December. 24. Be the Christ, &c. Whether this was said with a friendly design or not, Jesus thought proper to answer in a satisfactory manner. 25. The works which, &c. He had often appealed to his works, in testimony of who he was. Ch. v. 36, &c. 26, 27. As I said to you. With Beza, and many others, I join these words to what follows, because Jesus had said these words: See ver.4, 15, 16. 30. I and my Father, &c. The promise contained in the two former He asserts his divinity. is greater than all; and none are able to wrest them out of my Father's hand. I and my Fa- 30 ther are one." Then the Jews again took up 31 stones to stone him. Jesus said to them, "Many 32 good works I have shown you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" The Jews answered him, saying, "For a good 33. work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy, because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written 34 in your law, 'I said, Ye are Gods?' If those 35 be called gods, to whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be made void; Say 36 ye of him, whom the Father hath set apart, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest," because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do 37 not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe 38 the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." Again 39 therefore they sought to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, And departed again 40 beyond the Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And 41 many resorted to him, and said, "John did no miracle: but all things that John spoke of this. man were true." And many believed in him there. was ready to die for them. But as he voluntarily laid down his life for their redemption, so he took it again, and employs it in heaven for their security and happiness. He is still bringing to his fold those "other sheep" he had in view in his sufferings; and let us remember that we were not originally of his fold, but through his grace have verses of life and security to all his sheep, is established and supported by what he here says, I and my Father are one; one in counsel and power. Unless we admit this, the inference would not be just, that none can wrest them out of his hand,' because none can wrest them out of his Father's hand. The union of believers is very different from this. Ch. xvii. 21. 31-33. Then the Jews again, &c. See Ch. viii. 59. It is not said that they threw them at him; but it is rather probable that they were prevented from doing this, he being surrounded by many who were friendly to him. For blasphemy, &c. This is explained in the next words, calling God his father, and claiming an equality in divine power; being a man, and yet making himself God. See note, Ch. v. 18, &c. 34-38. In your law, &c. Ps. lxxxii. 6. Thus the term law is applied to the whole scriptures. If the scriptures style magistrates Gods, because appointed and established in that office; and if its language be correct, how can ye accuse me of blaspheming, because I call God my father?—The Father in me, &c. Our Lord claims such a union with the Father as must imply a participation of the same nature, perfections, and attributes; and the Jews understood him to do so. Lazarus sick and dies. CHAPTER XI. JOHN XI. Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and of her sister 2 Martha. (It was the same Mary who afterwards anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus 3 was sick.) Therefore his Sisters sent to Jesus, saying, "Master, behold, he whom thou lovest 4 is sick." When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified 5 by it. (Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, 6 and Lazarus.) When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he still abode two days in the same 7 place where he was. Then afterwards he saith to his disciples, "Let us go into Judea again." 8 His disciples say to him, "Rabbi, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither 9 again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light 10 of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in it." 11 He spoke these things; and afterwards he saith to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I 12 go, that I may awake him." awake him." Then said his dis been brought in. O that the time may come when the number of his elect shall be accomplished. 2. We are encouraged to adhere to Christ who has such rich and various blessings to bestow. Those who are brought to his fold, go in and out, and find pasture. In the present state he gives them the blessings of his grace, and assures them of eternal life hereafter. "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, nor shall any pluck them out of my hands." O that we may be found among the Jesus cometh to Bethany. ciples, "Master, if he sleep, he will recover." But Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought 13 that he spoke of rest in sleep. Then Jesus 14 said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And 15 I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that ye may believe; but let us go unto him.' Then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to 16 his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." When Jesus therefore 17 came, he found that Lazarus had already lain in the grave four days. (Now Bethany was 18 nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and 19 Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.) ther.) Then Martha, as soon as she heard that 20 Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat in the house. Then said Martha to Jesus, 21 "Master, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, 22 whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give it thee." Jesus saith to her, "Thy brother 23 shall rise again." Martha saith to him, "I know 24 that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resur- 25 rection, and the life: he who believeth in me, though he die, yet shall he live: And whoso- 26 ever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" She saith to him, "Yea, 27 Master, I believe that thou art the Christ, the number of those, who hear the voice of the good shepherd, and follow him in all the paths of humble, constant obedience. Then may we look on our eternal life and happiness as secure. While in the noblest sense, "he and the Father are one," the enemies of our salvation must triumph over omnipotence itself, before they can wrest the sheep of Christ out of his hands; nor will his fidelity to the Father, or love to them, suffer them to be seduced by fraud, any more than destroyed by violence. In him they are ever safe. 39-42. Sought to take him, &c. They were enraged, and had not Jesus -departed, they would have cut him off. He resorted to a place where he would be more safe, as his hour to suffer was not yet come. CHAP. XI. 2. Who afterwards, &c. See Ch. xii. 1, 3, &c. Matt. xxvi. 7, and see note, Luke vii. 37, &c. John omits what the other Evangelists had related; and gives us this interesting account of his raising Lazarus, not mentioned by the rest. 4. Not unto death. From what follows, we must understand our Lord to mean, not at this time to a continuance in the state of death.' 9, 10. Are there not, &c. See Ch ix. 4.No light in it. He hath no light. Matt, vi. 23. Knatchbull refers & avrw to the world, no light in it; and to prevent mistake, Campbell simply renders, because he hath no light. 16. Didymus. This has the same meaning in Greek that Thomas has in Hebrew, denoting a twin. -That we may die, &c. Some expected that Jesus would be stoned, and Thomas supposed that they might be treated in the same manner. See verse 8. 21, 22. Master, if thou, &c. Martha owns our Lord's power to raise Lazarus, but knowing that in many cases he had not exerted it, she does not ask or expect such a miracle. 23-26. Thy brother shall, &c. Thus did Jesus, unsolicited, declare what he intended to do; but Martha misunderstood him, supposing that he referred to the general resurrection.——I am the resurrection, &c. That is, I am the author of the resurrection and the life; a very common trope, of the effect for the efficient cause. God is called our salvation,' for our Saviour |