John 9 · The Lantern

Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind

And passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.

For [they hold] that perfect Nous, previously begotten by the perfect Bythus, was not capable of rendering that production which issued from him perfect, but [could only bring it forth] utterly blind to the knowledge and greatness of the Father.

While the Jews were raging against Him and now essaying to wound Him with stones, forthwith He goes forth of the temple that is among them, and takes Him away from the unholiness of His pursuers.

1293 After showing the enlightening power of his teaching by his own words, our Lord confirms this by his action, when he gives sight to one physically blind. In regard to this three things are presented: first, the man's infirmity; secondly, his healing (v 6); thirdly, a discussion among the Jews about this health (v 8).

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he may be born blind?”

Jesus answered, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents, but it was that the works of God may be displayed in him.

It behooves us to work the works of the One having sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one is able to work.

While I may be in the world, I am the light of the world.”

He calls himself light both because he enlightens the souls of those who believe and because he was about to open the eyes of the one who was blind from birth.

Shall we then think that Christ is now not at all in the world, or do we believe that He, having ascended to heaven after His restoration to life from the dead, no longer dwells among those in this present life? And yet being very God, He fills and tends not only the heavens and what is beyond the firmament, but also the world which we inhabit.

1308 He gives the reason for what he has just said, saying, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. This is like saying: If you want to know what is that day and what is that night of which I speak, I say that I am the light of the world, for my presence makes day, and my absence night; "I am the light of the world" (8:12).

Having said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle, and He rubbed the clay on him, to the eyes,

And for this reason did the Lord most plainly manifest Himself and the Father to His disciples, lest, forsooth, they might seek after another God besides Him who formed man, and who gave him the breath of life; and that men might not rise to such a pitch of madness as to feign another Father above the Creator.

Accepting the cure wrought upon this blind man as a type of the calling of the Gentiles, we will again tell the meaning of the mystery, summing it up in few words.

1309 Next, when the Evangelist says, as he said this, he spat on the ground, he describes the healing of the blind man. Here five things were done by Christ. First, he moistens the earth, he spat on the ground. Secondly, he made the clay, as we read, he made clay of the spittle. Thirdly, Christ smeared the man's eyes and anointed the man's eyes.

and He said to him, “Go, wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” — which means Sent. He went therefore and washed, and came back seeing.

As, therefore, we are by the Word formed in the womb, this very same Word formed the visual power in him who had been blind from his birth; showing openly who it is that fashions us in secret, since the Word Himself had been made manifest to men: and declaring the original formation of Adam, and the manner in which he was created, and by what hand he was fashioned, indicating t…

Why did He Who restored life at command, Who gave health by His word, saying to the dead, "Come forth," and Lazarus came forth from the grave, saying also to the sick of the palsy, "Arise and take up thy bed," and the sick of the palsy rose and himself began to carry his bed, whereon, when all his limbs were paralyzed, he had been wont to be carried; why, I say, did He spit on…

And he said to him: Go and wash in the pool of Siloam. "Siloam is a spring at the foot of Mount Zion, which does not flow with continuous waters, but bubbles forth at certain hours through the hollows of the earth." And because this was commanded not without mystery, the Evangelist adds the interpretation of the name, saying: Which is interpreted "Sent." Chrysostom: "So that yo…

The neighbours therefore, and those having seen him before that he was a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one sitting and begging?”

The strangeness of what had been brought to pass led them even to unbelief, though so much had been contrived that they might not disbelieve. They said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" O the lovingkindness of God!

The neighbors, struck by the extraordinariness of the miracle, did not believe. Although his procession to Siloam with eyes anointed with clay was for the very purpose that many would see him and afterwards would not deny it by claiming ignorance, nevertheless, even now they do not believe.

1312 After the description of the miraculous healing of the blind man, the Evangelist tells of the miracle being examined. First, the miracle is examined by the people; secondly, by the Pharisees (v 13); and thirdly, on account of his confession the blind man is instructed and commended by Christ (v 35).

Some were saying that “It is he;” but others were saying, “No, but he is like as him.” He was saying that “I myself am he.”

Then, also, if any had their eyes blinded in the deepest darkness, He restored them to their former sight. He also loosened the tongues of the dumb, so that they discoursed and spoke eloquently. He also opened the ears of the deaf, and caused them to hear; He cleansed the polluted and the blemished.

And the blind man, not ashamed of his former wretchedness, not fearing the crowd, openly says: "It is I."

1314 The opinions of the people are presented when he says, Some said: It is he, the beggar, because they had often seen him begging, and later hurrying through the town when he went to the pool with the clay on his eyes. Thus they could not deny that it was he. But others were on the contrary opinion, so they said, No, but it is like him.

They were saying therefore to him, “How then were your eyes opened?”

Those who could see were clearly being drawn to the blind man, who saw inwardly. The blind man was being drawn secretly to those who could see but who were blind inwardly. He [the blind man] washed away the clay from his eyes and appeared to himself. They washed the blindness from their hearts and gained approval for themselves.

With difficulty they consent to believe that he was the same man whom they had known aforetime, and abandoning their hesitation on this point, they ask how he had got rid of his blindness, and what was the manner of such an unhoped-for event.

1316 Then (v 10), we see the investigation of the act, which was the restoration of the man's sight. First, we have the question asked by the Jews; secondly, the answer of the blind man (v 11). 1317 They continue: If you are the blind man who used to beg, then tell us, how were your eyes opened?

He answered, “The man who is being named Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me that ‘Go to Siloam and wash yourself.’ Having gone therefore and having washed, I received sight.”

He appears still to be ignorant that the Saviour is by nature God, for otherwise he would not have spoken of him so unworthily. He probably thought of Him and esteemed Him as a holy Man, forming this opinion perhaps from the somewhat indistinct rumour concerning Him that went about all Jerusalem, and was repeated everywhere in the common talk.

He answered: That man who is called Jesus, because he did not yet believe him to be God, made clay and anointed my eyes: behold, the operation; and he said to me: Go to the pool of Siloam and wash: behold, his command; and I went and washed and saw; behold, the fulfillment of the command and through it, illumination.

1318 The blind man's answer was remarkable; he says, the man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes —In his answer he first points out the person who gave him his sight, saying the man called Jesus. He was right in calling him a man; he knew that he was a man, and he was a true man: "Born in the likeness of man" (Phil 2:7).

And they said to him, “Where is He?” He says, “I do not know.”

His saliva was thus the key for closed eyes, for with water he healed the eye. From the water [he formed] clay and brought to wholeness what had been lost. When [later] they were spitting at his face, the blind eyes that had been opened by his saliva would accuse them.

Not from devout feelings do they inquire for Jesus, nor are they moved to inquire where and with whom He was uttering discourses, so that they might go and seek some profit from His doings; but being blinded in the eyes of their understanding, even much worse than he had formerly been in those of his body, they are inflamed with most unjust anger, and rage like untamable beasts…

1319 Next, we have the inquiry about the person who restored his sight (v 12). First, there is the question asked by the Jews, Where is he? They asked this maliciously, as they were thinking of killing him; for they had already formed a conspiracy against Christ: "But now you seek to kill me" (8:40). Secondly, we have the answer of the blind man, I do not know.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

They bring him to the Pharisees, who once was blind;

now it was Sabbath on the day in which Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

The Evangelist adds, And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes; in order to expose their real design, which was to accuse Him of a departure from the law, and thus detract from the miracle: as appears from what follows, Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.

The Evangelist notes that "it was the Sabbath" in order to show their malice, how they seize upon every occasion against Christ: they accuse Him of violating the Sabbath and thereby attempt to overshadow the miracle.

1322 The Evangelist shows that their intention was perverse, saying, it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay. He says this to show their evil intention and the reason why they sought Jesus, that is, to find a charge against him and detract from his miracle by his supposed violation of the law.

Again therefore the Pharisees also were asking him how he had received sight. And he said to them, “Clay He put on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

But mark the firmness of the blind man. To tell the truth to the multitude before, from whom he was in no danger, was not so great a matter: but it is remarkable, now that the danger is so much greater, to find him disavowing nothing, and not contradicting any thing that he said before: He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

They compel the blind man himself to recall that He made the clay precisely on the Sabbath. He, answering those who had already heard, mentions neither the name of Jesus nor what the Lord said to him, but only says: "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed and I see." For the Pharisees had probably heard beforehand from those who brought the blind man to them, and perhaps slandere…

1323 His examination is conducted by the Pharisees, since it is said, The Pharisees again asked him. First, they question him about what was done; secondly, about the person who did it (v 16). 1324 The Evangelist does two things about the first: first, he presents their interrogation; secondly, the blind man's answer.

Some of the Pharisees were saying therefore, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” Others, however, were saying, “How is a sinful man able to do such signs?” And there was division among them.

(Hom. lvii. 2) Passing over the miracle in silence, they give all the prominence they can to the supposed transgression; not charging Him with healing on the sabbath, but with not keeping the sabbath. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? They were impressed by His miracles, but only in a weak and unsettled way.

Some of the Pharisees, not all, but the more audacious ones, said: "This Man is not from God." But others said: "How can a sinful man perform such miracles?" Do you see how under the influence of miracles many are softened? These people are Pharisees, rulers, and yet, as a result of this miracle, they are put to shame and offer some degree of defense.

1325 Next (v 16), an inquiry is made about the one who restored the man's sight. First, the different opinions of the Pharisees concerning Christ are given; secondly, the opinion of the blind man is sought (v 17).

They say therefore to the blind man again, “What do you yourself say concerning Him, for He opened your eyes?” And he said that “He is a prophet.”

We must go over the Scriptures not in a chance way or carelessly, but with all exactness, that we be not entangled. Since even now in this place one might with show of reason question, how, when they had asserted, "This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath," they now say to the man, "What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes?" and not, "What sayes…

And he said, He is a prophet. They receive a sharp arrow into their hearts, who do not admit fair and just reasoning, and are eager to seek that only which gratifies their malice. For, as it is written, the crafty man shall not meet with prey.

1329 Next (v 17), they ask the blind man for his opinion. And first we have the question the Pharisees asked; secondly, the blind man's answer. They question him, saying, what do you say about him? According to Chrysostom, this question was not asked by those who were blaspheming Christ, but by those favorably disposed.

The Jews then did not believe concerning him that he was being blind and received sight, until when they called the parents of him who had received sight,

"And they did not believe that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they had called his parents." Observe in how many ways they attempt to obscure and take away the miracle. But this is the nature of truth, by the very means by which it seems to be assailed by men, by these it becomes stronger, it shines by means of that by which it is obscured.

The hard-hearted and obstinate ones summon his parents with the purpose of putting them in a difficult position and thereby compelling them to deny their son's former blindness. Since they could not silence well-meaning mouths, they intimidate the parents, hoping to discredit the miracle.

1330 Next (v 18), we see his parents questioned. First, we have the reason why they were questioned; secondly, the question itself (v 19); thirdly their answer (v 20); and fourthly, the reason for this answer (v 22). 1331 The reason for this second questioning was the unbelief of the Pharisees.

and they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, of whom you yourselves say that he was born blind? How then does he see presently?”

"Is this your son?" (and they said not, "who once was blind," but) "of whom ye say that he was born blind?" As if they were acting deceitfully, and plotting on behalf of Christ. O ye accursed, utterly accursed! What father would choose to invent such falsehoods against his child?

And they asked them, saying. Here is touched upon the diligence of the Jews in inquiring: for they ask the parents three things: the person, the condition, and the wondrous change. For this reason it is said: Is this your son? They ask about the person. Whom you say was born blind?

1332 The Pharisees now question his parents. Here they ask about three things. First, about their son, saying Is this your son? Secondly, about his blindness; and so they add, who you say was born blind. They did not say, "who at one time was blind," but who you say, implying that they made this up. What father would lie in such a way about his son?

His parents answered therefore and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

Now when there were three questions asked, whether he was their son, whether he had been blind, and how he received his sight, the parents only acknowledged two of them, but do not add the third. And this came to pass for the sake of the truth, in order that none other save the man that was healed, who was also worthy of credit, should acknowledge this matter.

The Pharisees posed three questions to the parents of the blind man: 1) is this their son? 2) was he born blind? and 3) how did he come to see? To the first two questions they answer affirmatively, that this is their son and that he was blind.

1333 Then, the answer of his parents is given (v 20). The Pharisees had asked about three things; they answer firmly about two and in regard to the third they refer them to their son. First, they admit the first, namely, that he is their son; so they say, we know that this is our son. They also admit the second when they add, and that he was born blind.

how, however, he presently sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we ourselves do not know. Ask him; he is of age. He himself will speak concerning himself.”

Besides having spoken falsely, they committed another sin by exposing their son to obvious harm. But I think this also has a reason. When the Savior opened the eyes of the blind man, he did not open those of a child but of one full grown so that he might see as a full-grown man. But such was also the case with other blind men who received sight.

But how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know: because, namely, we were not present, nor do we know more than you, nor is it necessary to ask us, but rather him: whence they say: Ask him, because he can answer; he is of age, let him speak for himself. The Evangelist assigns the reason for this response.

His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews; for already the Jews had agreed together that if anyone shall confess Him Christ, he shall be expelled from the synagogue.

Because of this his parents said that “He has age; question him.”

They called therefore the man out a second time who was blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We ourselves know that this man is a sinner.”

He answered then, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know; one thing I do know, that being blind, now I see.”

"He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not; one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." Surely the blind man was not terrified? That be far from him. How then doth he who said, "He is a Prophet", now say, "Whether he be a sinner, I know not"?

The man, that he might neither expose himself to calumny, nor at the same time conceal the truth, answers not that he knew Him to be righteous, but, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not.

1337 Here we see the steadfastness of the blind man. For amazed at the hardness of the Pharisees, and impatient with what they were saying, he says, in all truth, Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. Yet because he had said before that "He is a prophet," is he not now saying, Whether he is a sinner I do not know, out of fear, as if he were doubtful? Not at all!

They said therefore to him, “What did He to you? How opened He your eyes?”

"What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?" What was his reply? Having conquered and cast them down, he no longer speaks to them submissly. As long as the matter needed enquiry and arguments he spake guardedly, while he supplied the proof; but when he had conquered and gained a splendid victory, he then takes courage, and tramples upon them. What saith he?

When they again asked him "what did He do to you," placing blame on the Savior for having performed the anointing with clay on the Sabbath, this man understood that they were asking not for the sake of inquiry but for accusation.

1338 They again question the man born blind in order to malign him. First, we have the cunning interrogation of the Pharisees; and secondly, the contemptuous reply of the blind man (v 27). 1339 He says, with respect to the first, They said to him: What did he do to you? The blind man had said that he had received his sight from Christ, which the Pharisees had not asked about.

He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you wish to hear again? Surely you yourselves do not also wish to become His disciples?”

(Tr. xliv. s. 11) Will ye also? i. e. I am already, do ye wish to be? I see now, but do not envy (video, non invideo). He says this in indignation at the obstinacy of the Jews; not tolerating blindness, now that he is no longer blind himself.

He answered them with reproach: "I do not wish to speak with you any longer, for I have told you many times, and you did not listen." Then, what could especially sting them, he adds: "Do you also want to become His disciples?" Clearly, he himself desires to be His disciple.

1340 Now the man's answer is given. The man born blind, because he really had received his sight, answers them further, not timidly, but with boldness. He first belittles the repeated questioning of the Pharisees, saying, I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? This was like saying: I told you once. Why do you want to hear it again?

And they railed at him and said, “You yourself are a disciple of that One, but we ourselves are disciples of Moses.

"Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples." "But this cannot be. Ye are neither Moses' nor this Man's; for were ye Moses', ye would become this Man's also." Wherefore Christ before said unto them, because they were continually betaking themselves to these speeches, "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me." "We know that God spake unto Mos…

To His reproach they say: "You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses." And here too they clearly lie. For if they were disciples of Moses, they would also be disciples of Christ, as He Himself says to them: "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me" (Jn. 5:46).

1341 Next, the Pharisees revile the man born blind. First, we see them revile him; then, secondly, the defense of the blind man (v 30). He does two things concerning the first: first, he presents the revilement of the Pharisees; secondly, the reason behind it (v 28b). 1342 With respect to the first he says, and they reviled him, saying, You are his disciple.

We ourselves know that God has spoken to Moses, but this man, we do not know from where He is.”

(Tr. xliv. 12) We know that God spake unto Moses. As for this fellow, we know not whence He is.

They did not say "we have heard," but rather "we know that God spoke with Moses," even though this was passed down to them by their ancestors. About what they received by hearsay, they say "we know for certain," yet the One whose miracles they saw with their own eyes, and whose Divine and heavenly teaching they heard themselves, they call a deceiver (Jn. 7:12).

1343 He next adds the reason for their reviling when he says, we are disciples of Moses. They were thinking of how they were ridiculed by the man born blind when he asked if they wanted to become Christ's disciples; for they took pride in being disciples of Moses, whom they thought was greater. First, they set forth their own situation, saying, we are disciples of Moses.

The man answered and said to them, “For in this is the amazing thing, that you yourselves do not know from where He is, and yet He opened my eyes.

Let our opponents-that is, they who speak against their own salvation-inform us [as to this point]: The deceased daughter of the high priest; the widow's dead son, who was being carried out [to burial] near the gate [of the city]; and Lazarus, who had lain four days in the tomb,-in what bodies did they rise again? In those same, no doubt, in which they had also died.

I am astonished, he says, and very justly, that you say you do not know One Who is borne witness to by such holiness and by the Divine power shown in His actions; yet you are thought to incessantly give attention to God's teaching, you administer the law, you make the verbal study of the sacred Words your great delight, you possess the chief power among the people and especiall…

1344 Now, the blind man's argument against the Pharisees is presented. First, he is amazed at their hardness of heart; secondly, he refutes their false opinion (v 31). 1345 Concerning the first, we must recall that we are not amazed at what happens frequently, and in the usual way; but we are amazed at what is unusual and great, whether this be good or evil.

We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone shall be God-fearing and shall do His will, to him He listens.

But, moreover, the very interrogation which is put in baptism is a witness of the truth. For when we say, "Dost thou believe in eternal life and remission of sins through the holy Church? "we mean that remission of sins is not granted except in the Church, and that among heretics, where there is no Church, sins cannot be put away.

Having already in some measure shown his delight in the proclamations made by the Prophets and the Law as now fulfilled, both in its being unknown whence Christ was, and in the eyes of the blind being opened, he collects for himself aids to faith from every quarter, and thus discovers something else also.

1346 The man born blind refutes their false opinion by saying, we know that God does not listen to sinners. He is reasoning this way: Whomever God hears is from God; but God heard Christ; therefore, Christ is from God. He first states his main premise; then the minor premise (v 32); and thirdly, he draws his conclusion (v 33).

Out of the age it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.

"Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind." "If now ye acknowledge that God heareth not sinners, and this Person hath wrought a miracle, and such a miracle as no man ever wrought, it is clear that He hath surpassed all things in virtue, and that His power is greater than belongeth to man."

Furthermore, knowing that they want to obscure the miracle, he preaches about the benefaction with full understanding. If, perhaps, the eyes of the blind were opened, it was not eyes damaged from birth, but from some illness. But what has now taken place is an unheard-of thing.

1351 Here he takes the minor premise of his argument. He is saying: Because of what Christ did, which no man has ever done, it is obvious that he did this by the action of God, and that he has been heard by God: "If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin" (Jn 15:24).

Unless this man were from God, He was not able to do anything.”

So Jesus must be admired, the blind man says, as one who is superior to human thought. While you do not know where he is from, the accomplished miracle openly proves his power to me. You do not know who he is and would need testimony from others if there had been no clue of his power.

If He were not from God, He would not have performed such a miracle, the likes of which no one has ever performed. Therefore, it is evident that the one who performed such a miracle is more than a man.

1352 Next, he draws his conclusion. He is saying, in effect: From the kind of works that Christ does, it is obvious that he is from God. For if this man were not from God, he could do nothing, that is, freely, often and truly, because "apart from me you can do nothing" (15:5).

They answered and they said to him, “In sins you yourself were born entirely, and you yourself teach us?” And they cast him out.

"Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?" As long as they expected that he would deny Christ, they deemed him trustworthy, calling upon him once and a second time. If ye deemed him not trustworthy, why did ye call and question him a second time? But when he spake the truth, unabashed, then, when they ought most to have admired, they condemned him.

It is commonly the way with great persons to disdain learning any thing from their inferiors.

1353 Here the Pharisees condemn the blind man. In this condemnation they fall into three defects or sins, namely, untruth, pride, and injustice. They fall into untruth in reviling the blind man, saying, you were born in utter sin. Here it should be noted that the Jews were of the opinion that all infirmities and temporal adversities beset us on account of our previous sins.

Spiritual Blindness

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, “Do you yourself believe in the Son of Man?”

The Lord had given sight to a man blind from his birth; the Lord of nature had removed a defect of nature. Because this blind man had been born for the glory of God, that God's work might be made manifest in the work of Christ, the Lord did not delay till the man had given evidence of his faith by a confession of it.

It is commonly the way with great persons to disdain learning any thing from their inferiors.

1354 After the Evangelist showed how the Jews cast out the man born blind because he persisted in the truth, he here shows how Jesus received him and taught him. First, we see Christ teaching him; secondly, the devotion of the man born blind (v 38); thirdly, the approval of his devotion (v 39). He does three things about the first.

He answered and said, “And who is He, lord, that I may believe in Him?”

Since he could not yet say "I believe" but as in ignorance answered, "Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?" he was therefore on the borderline, so to speak, between unbelief and belief.

The soul furnished with sound reason, diligently seeking the word of truth with the eyes of the understanding free, without embarrassment makes straight for it like a ship going into port, and obtains its advantages by a chase without fatigue. And again the man who had been blind will be a proof of what has been said.

1356 Next he mentions the desire of the man born blind to believe. We have to recall that this man had not yet physically seen Christ: for he had not seen him when Christ anointed his eyes and sent him to the pool of Siloam, and when he wanted to go back to him he was detained by the Pharisees and the Jews.

Jesus said to him, “Both you have seen Him, and the One speaking with you, He is.”

"Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee." He said not "I am He," but as yet in an intermediate and reserved manner, "Thou hast both seen Him." This was still uncertain; therefore He addeth more clearly, "It is He that talketh with thee."

Jesus answers: "He is the One whom you have seen and who is speaking with you." He did not say "It is I who healed you, who told you: go, wash," but speaks first in a veiled and unclear way, "you have seen Him," and then more clearly, "and He is speaking with you." The Lord, it seems, said "you have seen Him" intentionally, precisely in order to remind him of his healing and of…

1357 Because, as we read in Wisdom (6:16), "She," that is, Wisdom, "goes about seeking those worthy of her," Christ reveals himself to the man born blind, who desired her, when he says, You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you. Here Christ is giving him a teaching of faith.

And he was saying, “I believe, Lord.” And he worshiped Him.

Worship follows faith, and faith is confirmed by power. But if you say that believers also know, they know from what they believe; and vice versa, they believe from what they know. We know God from his power. We, therefore, believe in him who is known, and we worship him who is believed.

An example to us, not to pray to God with uplifted neck, but prostrate upon earth, suppliantly to implore His mercy.

1358 Then when the Evangelist says, he said, Lord, I believe, we see the devout faith of the man born blind. And first, he professes with his lips the faith in his heart, saying, Lord, I believe: "Man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved" (Rom 10:10). Secondly, he shows it in his conduct, and he worshipped him.

And Jesus said, “For judgment I myself came into this world, that those not seeing may see and those seeing may become blind.”

To this I have found something similar written in the Gospel according to John: "for judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may be made blind".

Christ, when explaining to us by the voice of Isaiah the cause of His manifestation, I mean in this world, says: The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me: He hath sent Me to preach good tidings unto the poor to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.

1359 Next (v 39), the devotion of the man born blind is commended: first, his devotion is commended; secondly, we see the grumbling of the Jews (v 40); and then they are answered (v 41). 1360 The man born blind is commended for his faith. We read, for judgment I came into this world.

Those from the Pharisees being with Him heard these things, and they said to Him, “Surely we ourselves are not also blind?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would then not have sin. Since, however, you say that ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Then to show that it was better for them to be blind than seeing, He saith, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin." Since they deemed the calamity a matter to be ashamed of, He turneth this back upon their own head, telling them, that "this very thing would have rendered your punishment more tolerable"; cutting away on every side their human thoughts, and leading them to a n…

But the Lord wanted to show them that it is better to be blind in body than to be unbelieving, and said: "If you were blind, you would have no sin." For if you were blind by necessity, by nature, forgiveness could have been granted to you for the unbelief with which you are infected.

1363 Next, we see the Jews silenced. According to Augustine, this shows the meaning of the previous passage, that is, that our Lord was referring to spiritual blindness. He says, If you were blind, you would have no guilt, because you would be running to the remedy. For sin is taken away by grace, which is given only to the humble: "God gives grace to the humble" (Jas 4:6).

John9

Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

Spiritual Blindness