Joh 9:16, 24-25, 31 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 16. This man is not of God ] He can neither be the Messiah , nor a prophet , for he has broken the Sabbath. The Jews always argued falsely on this principle. The law relative to the observation of the Sabbath never forbade any work but what was of the servile and unnecessary kind. Works of necessity and mercy never could be forbidden on that day by him whose name is mercy , and whose nature is love ; for the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; were it otherwise , the Sabbath would be rather a curse than a blessing . How can a man that is a sinner , &c.] They knew very well that though magicians and impostors might do things apparently miraculous, yet nothing really good could be performed by them. We might have safely defied all the magicians in Egypt, who are said to have been so successful in imitating some of the miracles of Moses, to have opened the eyes of one blind man, or to have done any essential good either to the body or to the soul. And there was a division among them. ] σχισμα, a schism , a decided difference of opinion, which caused a separation of the assembly.

‏ John 9:16

Verse 16. This man is not of God] He can neither be the Messiah, nor a prophet, for he has broken the Sabbath. The Jews always argued falsely on this principle. The law relative to the observation of the Sabbath never forbade any work but what was of the servile and unnecessary kind. Works of necessity and mercy never could be forbidden on that day by him whose name is mercy, and whose nature is love; for the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; were it otherwise, the Sabbath would be rather a curse than a blessing.

How can a man that is a sinner, &c.] They knew very well that though magicians and impostors might do things apparently miraculous, yet nothing really good could be performed by them. We might have safely defied all the magicians in Egypt, who are said to have been so successful in imitating some of the miracles of Moses, to have opened the eyes of one blind man, or to have done any essential good either to the body or to the soul.

And there was a division among them.] σχισμα, a schism, a decided difference of opinion, which caused a separation of the assembly.

‏ John 9:24-25

Verse 24. Give God the praise] Having called the man a second time, they proceeded to deal with him in the most solemn manner; and therefore they put him to his oath; for the words above were the form of an oath, proposed by the chief magistrate to those who were to give evidence to any particular fact, or to attest any thing, as produced by or belonging to the Lord. See Jos 7:19; 1Sa 6:5, and Lu 17:18. But, while they solemnly put him to his oath, they endeavoured to put their own words in his mouth, viz. he is a sinner-a pretender to the prophetic character, and a transgressor of the law of God:-assert this, or you will not please us.

Verse 25. Whereas I was blind, now I see.] He pays no attention to their cavils, nor to their perversion of justice; but, in the simplicity of his heart, speaks to the fact, of the reality of which he was ready to give them the most substantial evidence.

‏ John 9:31

Verse 31. God heareth not sinners] I believe the word αμαρτωλων signifies heathens, or persons not proselyted to the Jewish religion; and therefore it is put in opposition to θεοσεβης, a worshipper of the true God. See the note on Lu 7:37. But in what sense may it be said, following our common version, that God heareth not sinners? When they regard iniquity in their heart-when they wish to be saved, and yet abide in their sins-when they will not separate themselves from the workers and works of iniquity. In all these cases, God heareth not sinners.