Questions.
41. Question I. But the first inquiry here concerns what the blind man said: Whether he is a sinner, I do not know.
It seems that he lied, because below he shows that he was not a sinner.
The response is twofold: first, from Chrysostom, that I do not know means: I do not pronounce on this now; or I do not know, because I am ignorant of his life — inasmuch as I was a blind man who had never seen him nor followed him.
42. Question II. Likewise there is an inquiry concerning what he says: We know that God does not hear sinners.
On the contrary: Did he not hear the publican?
The response is twofold, from the Gloss: in the first way, so that emphasis falls on what he says: he does not hear sinners, because he does not hear those persisting in sin — unto salvation, that is. The Gloss responds in another way, that the blind man had not yet been anointed nor inwardly illuminated, and therefore he spoke falsely, although he believed he was speaking the truth.
43. Question III. Likewise there is an inquiry concerning what he says: Unless this man were from God, he could do nothing. On the contrary: Many wicked men perform numerous miracles, as the Lord himself says, Matthew seven: Lord, did we not cast out demons in your name and perform many mighty works in your name?
The response is that the blind man understood that he acted by his own authority; or it can be answered as with the preceding question.
44. Question IV. But then the question arises: since the Lord healed inwardly at the same time everyone whom he healed outwardly, why was this blind man not inwardly illuminated?
A twofold response can be given: either that this blind man was a believer, but did not yet have explicit faith, like catechumens, and therefore he is instructed below; or that it was not necessary for him to be healed inwardly at the same time, because his outward infirmity was not due to his own fault, as the Lord attests.
45. Question V. Likewise there is an inquiry as to why the Pharisees say to him: You were wholly born in sins.
The response can be that they speak not from reason but from indignation. Or because he had not withdrawn from the sins in which he had been born through religious observance, as the Pharisees had; or on account of his blindness, which was a punishment for sin, they called him born in sins.
In the third part, the spiritual illumination of the blind man is described.
46. Jesus heard. This is the third part of the chapter in which, now that the wondrous illumination of the blind man and the disputation of the Jews have been described, there is introduced thirdly his spiritual illumination. The Evangelist describes this in the following order: for first is noted the benign calling of the despised blind man: second, the internal illumination of the one consenting: and third is intimated the just blinding of the proud Jews themselves.
(Verse 35.). First, therefore, the benign calling of the rejected blind man is conveyed. For the Pharisees cast him out, and the Lord received him: on account of which he says: Jesus heard that they had cast him out: He knew of Himself, but nonetheless it was reported to Him. And when Jesus had found him, not by chance, but with the purpose of receiving him: Luke 15: "She lights a lamp and searches diligently until she finds it"; He said to him: Do you believe in the Son of God? By seeking He arouses and by arousing He calls, so that He might receive the rejected one, according to that verse of the Psalm: "My father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me up"; Jeremiah 49: "Leave your orphans, and I will make you live".
47. (Verse 36.). He answered and said. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the instruction or internal illumination of the one consenting. For the blind man consented to faith: whence he said: Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him? As if to say: I am ready to believe: whence Chrysostom: "This is the word of one who inquires and desires"; therefore he is instructed. For this reason:
48. (Verse 37.). Jesus said to him: You have both seen Him, and it is He who speaks with you. You have seen Him, through the miraculous work: He speaks with you, through wondrous instruction: above in chapter eight, "I am the Beginning, who also speak to you." In a similar manner the Lord instructed the Samaritan woman above in chapter four: "I am He, who speaks with you." And because "with the heart one believes unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"; therefore there follows the true confession of the enlightened blind man: and he confessed his faith in word, saying:
49. (Verse 38.). I believe, Lord; and by the service of devotion, whence: And falling down he adored Him, as God, who alone is to be adored with latria: whence the Lord answered the devil in Matthew 4: "You shall adore the Lord your God and Him alone shall you serve"; Deuteronomy 6: "You shall fear the Lord your God and Him alone shall you serve".
50. (Verse 39.). And Jesus said to him. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the just blinding of the Jews, which the Lord manifests to the blind man, and for the manifestation of which He also corporally illuminated him. Therefore He says: For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. For judgment, namely of discernment, that those who see, that is, who consider themselves to see, as the Jews did, may become blind. Concerning this judgment it is said in Romans 11: "I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, lest you be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should enter in"; and again in Romans 9: "The Gentiles, who did not pursue justice, have attained justice; but Israel, pursuing the law of justice, has not arrived at the law of justice." And that this judgment is just is evident from the inquiry of the Pharisees and the response of the Lord, in which the malice and obstinacy of the Jews is intimated; because, although they saw, they were unwilling to believe and understand: and therefore by the judgment of God and by their own sin they have been blinded; therefore He says:
51. (Verse 40.). Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, that is, they were present; and they said: Are we also blind? They were indignant at the word of the Lord, because they believed it had been said on their account, since they considered themselves wise: and from this very fact the Lord shows the divine judgment, that they have been justly blinded; on account of which:
52. (Verse 41.). Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you would not have sin; because then the Lord would illuminate you: whence 1 Corinthians 3: "If anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." But now you say: We see, and you consider yourselves wise: your sin remains, namely of unbelief, according to that passage in Romans 1: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Whence the Lord addresses them in Jeremiah 5: "Hear, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and do not see, and ears, and do not hear." And because they, though seeing, were unwilling to believe, therefore they have been blinded; the Psalm: "Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see," etc.
Questions.
53. Question I. But it is asked here first concerning the fact that the Lord asks whether he believes in the Son of God.
1. It is certain that this stands there for the divine nature: but afterward He adds: You have seen Him: Him is a relative pronoun, therefore it refers according to the divine nature: therefore the blind man saw the divine nature.